Wartime Macau: under the Japanese shadow

It has intrigued many that, unlike Hong Kong, Macau avoided direct Japanese wartime occupation despite being caught up in the vortex of the wider global conflict. Geoffrey Gunn and an international group of contributors come together to investigate how Macau escaped the fate of direct Japanese invasion and occupation. Exploring the broader diplomatic and strategic issues during that era, this volume reveals that the occupation of Macau was not in Japan's best interest because the Portuguese administration in Macau posed no threat to Japan's control over the China coast and acted as a listening post to monitor Allied activities. Drawing upon archival materials in English, Japanese, Portuguese, and other languages, the contributors explain how, under the high duress of Japanese military agencies, the Portuguese administration coped with a tripling of its population and issues such as currency, food supply, disease, and survival. This volume presents contrasting views on wartime governance and shows how the different levels of Macau society survived the war.

Introduction / Geoffrey C. Gunn -- 1. Wartime Macau in the wider diplomatic sphere / Geoffrey C. Gunn -- 2. Macau 1937-1945 : living on the edge : economic management over military defences / Jo{tilde}ao F.O. Botas -- 3. Hunger amidst plenty : rice supply and livelihood in wartime Macau / Geoffrey C. Gunn -- 4. The Macanese at war : survival and identity among Portuguese Eurasians during World War II / Roy Eric Xavier -- 5. Nossa Gente (Our People) : the Portuguese refugee community in wartime Macau / Stuart Braga -- 6. The British army Aid Group (BAAG) and the anti-Japanese resistance movement in Macau / Geoffrey C. Gunn -- Epilogue / Geoffrey C. Gunn -- Conclusion / Geoffrey C. Gunn -- Appendices -- I. English version of letter from Governor Teixeira to Consul Fukui re military ultimatum -- II. Jack Braga's notebook on the price of rice -- III. Maria Broom's letter detailing her Hong Kong-Macau escape experience.