Innovative technologies like GIS are transforming the way we study and preserve the past. Professor Kwong Chi-Man, Associate Professor from the Department of History at Hong Kong Baptist University, has developed a GIS-based interactive map of the “Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong” using the approach of Spatial History has enabled a deeper understanding of Hong Kong's experiences during the Second World War. 

This project unearthed hundreds of previously unreleased aerial photographs taken between 1941 and 1945 by the American and Japanese military forces. By applying georeferencing techniques to the aerial photographs and historical maps, Prof. Kwong and his team created a dynamic historical database that categorizes significant events, locations, and wartime memories. Consequently, the interactive map not only showcases military, governance, economic, and societal data from the Japanese occupation era but also allows users to explore the city's landscape and historical events in depth.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. This milestone underscores the significance of preserving and comprehending historical events, with innovative technologies like GIS facilitating this process.

The GIS-based interactive map “Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong” tells the history of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong.

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