From Oblivion to Triumph
@force136ca.bsky.social
Telling the story of the Battle for Hong Kong, #SOE Force 136, and the making of modern Canada by Rick Green.
Pinned
From Oblivion to Triumph - How Two Vancouverites Meeting in Free China Changed Canadian History
YouTube video by WW2TV
www.youtube.com
For an introduction to the story about the Battle for Hong Kong, #SOE, Force 136, and the making of modern Canada, see the presentation by Rick Green on #WW2TV with @ww2tv.bsky.social at www.youtube.com/live/dEebnwD....
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
PLEASE REPOST 🥺🙏
The Canadian Letters & Images Project is an online digital archive of Canadians’ experience during wartime at home & in battle. It contains thousands of personal letters & photos that reveal people’s experience through their own words & eyes.
www.canadianletters.ca/content/abou...
The Canadian Letters & Images Project is an online digital archive of Canadians’ experience during wartime at home & in battle. It contains thousands of personal letters & photos that reveal people’s experience through their own words & eyes.
www.canadianletters.ca/content/abou...
February 9, 2026 at 5:36 PM
PLEASE REPOST 🥺🙏
The Canadian Letters & Images Project is an online digital archive of Canadians’ experience during wartime at home & in battle. It contains thousands of personal letters & photos that reveal people’s experience through their own words & eyes.
www.canadianletters.ca/content/abou...
The Canadian Letters & Images Project is an online digital archive of Canadians’ experience during wartime at home & in battle. It contains thousands of personal letters & photos that reveal people’s experience through their own words & eyes.
www.canadianletters.ca/content/abou...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Hello. Some of you may have been on the WHW livestream last night and heard Al talking about our podcast @newsofthewar.bsky.social
We try not to hang off others coattails but, well they brought it up! (we’re overwhelmed by the kindness)
Interested? here’s the link
linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar
We try not to hang off others coattails but, well they brought it up! (we’re overwhelmed by the kindness)
Interested? here’s the link
linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar
February 10, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Hello. Some of you may have been on the WHW livestream last night and heard Al talking about our podcast @newsofthewar.bsky.social
We try not to hang off others coattails but, well they brought it up! (we’re overwhelmed by the kindness)
Interested? here’s the link
linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar
We try not to hang off others coattails but, well they brought it up! (we’re overwhelmed by the kindness)
Interested? here’s the link
linktr.ee/NewsOfTheWar
At war's end, one role for #Force136 was assisting with the liberation of #POWs before their potential massacre by the #Japanese. Five Chinese #Canadians on Operation Hippo in Borneo were tasked with freeing prisoners at Batu Lintang Camp in #Kuching.
Upon surrender, Finnerty faced a Japanese officer who spoke perfect English. His words were chilling: 'Before this war, my best friend was a Scotsman. If I had him here now, I would treat him exactly as I am going to treat you'. (RAF POWs and Rangoon jail in pics) #WW2 #Burma #HistoryPod
February 7, 2026 at 8:22 AM
At war's end, one role for #Force136 was assisting with the liberation of #POWs before their potential massacre by the #Japanese. Five Chinese #Canadians on Operation Hippo in Borneo were tasked with freeing prisoners at Batu Lintang Camp in #Kuching.
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#Reviews are in for "Superspy", a biography highlighting the life of intelligence officer Dane Hans Tofte.
💻️: https://tinyurl.com/3mcfbyn8
#militaryhistory #danehanstofte #intelligenceofficer
💻️: https://tinyurl.com/3mcfbyn8
#militaryhistory #danehanstofte #intelligenceofficer
January 29, 2026 at 3:52 PM
#Reviews are in for "Superspy", a biography highlighting the life of intelligence officer Dane Hans Tofte.
💻️: https://tinyurl.com/3mcfbyn8
#militaryhistory #danehanstofte #intelligenceofficer
💻️: https://tinyurl.com/3mcfbyn8
#militaryhistory #danehanstofte #intelligenceofficer
#OTD in 1932, fighting breaks out in #Shanghai between the #Chinese 19th Route Army and #Japanese marines. Known as the January 28 Incident or the Shanghai Incident, this was the first example of modern urban warfare fought between two heavily-equipped armies. A ceasefire was signed on May 5.
January 28, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#Liverpool #Chinatown #diaspora
"Eighty years after Liverpool's Chinese seamen were rounded up and forcibly deported, their families are still searching for answers." via Wesley Holmes Liverpool Echo reporter
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
"Eighty years after Liverpool's Chinese seamen were rounded up and forcibly deported, their families are still searching for answers." via Wesley Holmes Liverpool Echo reporter
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
January 25, 2026 at 2:04 PM
#Liverpool #Chinatown #diaspora
"Eighty years after Liverpool's Chinese seamen were rounded up and forcibly deported, their families are still searching for answers." via Wesley Holmes Liverpool Echo reporter
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
"Eighty years after Liverpool's Chinese seamen were rounded up and forcibly deported, their families are still searching for answers." via Wesley Holmes Liverpool Echo reporter
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Congratulations to Valerie Cranmer for the acceptance of her PhD dissertation on the infamous 防疫給水部, “Enabling abuse: the Imperial Japanese Army’s epidemic prevention and water purification organisation and its place in global military history” research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023...
Enabling abuse : the Imperial Japanese Army’s epidemic prevention and water purification organisation and its place in global military history
research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk
January 24, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Congratulations to Valerie Cranmer for the acceptance of her PhD dissertation on the infamous 防疫給水部, “Enabling abuse: the Imperial Japanese Army’s epidemic prevention and water purification organisation and its place in global military history” research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#OTD On Jan 23, 1942, Dutch B-10 bombers damaged and sank Japanese transports off Balikpapan. Early on Jan 24, US Navy destroyers John D. Ford, Parrott, Pope, and Paul Jones attacked the anchored invasion force and sank several more ships
#WWII #pacificwar #history #navyhistory
#WWII #pacificwar #history #navyhistory
January 24, 2026 at 3:46 PM
#OTD On Jan 23, 1942, Dutch B-10 bombers damaged and sank Japanese transports off Balikpapan. Early on Jan 24, US Navy destroyers John D. Ford, Parrott, Pope, and Paul Jones attacked the anchored invasion force and sank several more ships
#WWII #pacificwar #history #navyhistory
#WWII #pacificwar #history #navyhistory
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
[January 23rd, 1946] A famous Maori battalion was welcomed home to Wellington with a massive traditional feast prepared using Haangi. Following official greetings and rituals, the warriors performed a ceremony to lift their war tapu and return to civilian life.
January 23, 2026 at 4:03 PM
[January 23rd, 1946] A famous Maori battalion was welcomed home to Wellington with a massive traditional feast prepared using Haangi. Following official greetings and rituals, the warriors performed a ceremony to lift their war tapu and return to civilian life.
#OTD in 1941, Franklin D. #Roosevelt wrote to Ambassador Joseph C. Grew in response to his inquiry about #US policy toward #Japan: “I believe that the fundamental proposition that we must recognize is that hostilities in Europe, in Africa, and in Asia are all parts of a single world conflict.”
January 21, 2026 at 4:33 PM
#OTD in 1941, Franklin D. #Roosevelt wrote to Ambassador Joseph C. Grew in response to his inquiry about #US policy toward #Japan: “I believe that the fundamental proposition that we must recognize is that hostilities in Europe, in Africa, and in Asia are all parts of a single world conflict.”
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Was it the "British-Indian Army"? Rob and Jack tackle this common historical bugbear. Legally & practically, there was a British Army and an Indian Army—two separate forces with distinct but related identities. We explore how these roles shaped the path to independence #history #MilitaryHistory #ww2
January 13, 2026 at 6:01 AM
Was it the "British-Indian Army"? Rob and Jack tackle this common historical bugbear. Legally & practically, there was a British Army and an Indian Army—two separate forces with distinct but related identities. We explore how these roles shaped the path to independence #history #MilitaryHistory #ww2
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
By 1945, nearly 50% of officers in the Indian Army were Indian, up from just 19% at the war’s start. We discuss this massive shift in leadership and how the Second World War served as a watershed moment for Indian nationhood and the professional officer class. #Leadership #HistoryPodcast #India
January 17, 2026 at 7:18 AM
By 1945, nearly 50% of officers in the Indian Army were Indian, up from just 19% at the war’s start. We discuss this massive shift in leadership and how the Second World War served as a watershed moment for Indian nationhood and the professional officer class. #Leadership #HistoryPodcast #India
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Another top pod from Jack and Rob. A couple of book recommendations. The air war in SEAC gets mentioned in these books. In passing I have to say I am surprised that Kite’s books don’t get more attention. #histbookchat
January 19, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Another top pod from Jack and Rob. A couple of book recommendations. The air war in SEAC gets mentioned in these books. In passing I have to say I am surprised that Kite’s books don’t get more attention. #histbookchat
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
The cool vibe of the Flying Tigers was sometimes described as looking like they’d strayed onto a movie set. With cigars, Cokes, and Colt .45s, these privateers brought a unique brand of Americana to the Burma campaign. #FlyingTigers #WWII #History
January 20, 2026 at 6:30 AM
The cool vibe of the Flying Tigers was sometimes described as looking like they’d strayed onto a movie set. With cigars, Cokes, and Colt .45s, these privateers brought a unique brand of Americana to the Burma campaign. #FlyingTigers #WWII #History
History can be a politically-charged battleground over the question of what really happened. Now with AI, the potential for dis/misinformation is much greater. This AI-generated video about #Force136 is problematic for its inaccuracies, especially the visuals: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O41....
Canada’s Shadow Warriors | The Untold Story of Force 136
YouTube video by Forgotten soldiers
www.youtube.com
January 17, 2026 at 7:22 PM
History can be a politically-charged battleground over the question of what really happened. Now with AI, the potential for dis/misinformation is much greater. This AI-generated video about #Force136 is problematic for its inaccuracies, especially the visuals: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O41....
"1945: The Reckoning" by @philmcraig.bsky.social speaks to the global context of #Force136 and the making of modern Canada. The effort to achieve respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, happened at both national & international levels. See Phil on #WW2TV at www.youtube.com/live/OIvLXg6...
January 12, 2026 at 8:45 PM
"1945: The Reckoning" by @philmcraig.bsky.social speaks to the global context of #Force136 and the making of modern Canada. The effort to achieve respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, happened at both national & international levels. See Phil on #WW2TV at www.youtube.com/live/OIvLXg6...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
The wait is over! Series 3 Episode 1 is now live. Jack and Rob explore the origins of the Indian Army, moving from its role as an "Imperial Reserve" to becoming the largest volunteer force in history with over 2 million men. Tune in to the foundation of the war in the East. #NewEpisode #IndianArmy
January 12, 2026 at 6:18 AM
The wait is over! Series 3 Episode 1 is now live. Jack and Rob explore the origins of the Indian Army, moving from its role as an "Imperial Reserve" to becoming the largest volunteer force in history with over 2 million men. Tune in to the foundation of the war in the East. #NewEpisode #IndianArmy
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Proper-map, this. Smashing bit of WW2 manga. Best aside is in the footnotes: “Japan has decided to resolve the China incident quickly without paying attention to the European war.” 👀
January 4, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Proper-map, this. Smashing bit of WW2 manga. Best aside is in the footnotes: “Japan has decided to resolve the China incident quickly without paying attention to the European war.” 👀
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
A signature style in WW2 infographic propaganda mapping: originally an architect, Robert M Chapin Jr. was a pioneer, setting a standard for style that others envied - he led Time magazine’s map dept for 33 years.
January 4, 2026 at 6:03 PM
A signature style in WW2 infographic propaganda mapping: originally an architect, Robert M Chapin Jr. was a pioneer, setting a standard for style that others envied - he led Time magazine’s map dept for 33 years.
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
I've just finished reading @lmbd1418.bsky.social 's excellent Jungle Commandos (www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/jungle-co...) - it's an excellent read, very well-researched, accessibly written, and does a good job of placing the events in the broader context of the Burma campaign. (1/3)
Jungle Commandos
Drawing on unpublished first-hand accounts, this is a gripping history of the experiences of the Commandos and their unsung allies in one of the bloodiest battl…
www.ospreypublishing.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
I've just finished reading @lmbd1418.bsky.social 's excellent Jungle Commandos (www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/jungle-co...) - it's an excellent read, very well-researched, accessibly written, and does a good job of placing the events in the broader context of the Burma campaign. (1/3)
The introduction of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator to #SEAC in late 1944 was important for supplying #Force136 teams in #Malaya. The only other aircraft capable of the 3,200km roundtrip flight from India was the Consolidated PBY Catalina, but it lacked in payload and overall airlift capacity.
December 29, 2025 at 6:01 PM
For those wanting to understand Japanese revisionist expansionism that ultimately resulted in decolonisation in Asia, these periodicals provide an interesting perspective...
No shortage of Japanese wartime (propaganda) periodicals available in English for students to explore as (challenging) primary sources:
Tokyo Gazette 1937-42
archive.org/search?query...
Contemporary Japan 1941-5
froginawell.net/frog/sources...
Tokyo Gazette 1937-42
archive.org/search?query...
Contemporary Japan 1941-5
froginawell.net/frog/sources...
December 28, 2025 at 7:33 AM
For those wanting to understand Japanese revisionist expansionism that ultimately resulted in decolonisation in Asia, these periodicals provide an interesting perspective...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Interesting mixed medium approach to this Asahi feature on opium and Japanese occupied Manchuria: www.asahi.com/special/manc...
Manchuria: a “utopia” created by opium [Premium A special] : The Asahi Shimbun
This is the dark history of Manchukuo based on fact. In Manchukuo, which was a puppet state of Japan, opium was rampant, and the sales of opium supported the national finances and were used as funding...
www.asahi.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Interesting mixed medium approach to this Asahi feature on opium and Japanese occupied Manchuria: www.asahi.com/special/manc...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#histbookchat #booksky In my research for my Battle for Hong Kong presentation, I came across "Escape from Hong Kong" by Tim Luard: hkupress.hku.hk/index.php?ro.... It's a well-written, captivating story about an escape to Free China by MTBs that has the makings of a dramatic movie.
August 2, 2025 at 4:56 PM
#histbookchat #booksky In my research for my Battle for Hong Kong presentation, I came across "Escape from Hong Kong" by Tim Luard: hkupress.hku.hk/index.php?ro.... It's a well-written, captivating story about an escape to Free China by MTBs that has the makings of a dramatic movie.