Throughout the Imperial Japanese occupation, Hong Kong was ruled under martial law as an occupied territory. As there was inadequate food supply, the Japanese rationed necessities such as rice, oil, flour, salt and sugar. Many died of starvation. During the three years and eight months of occupation, an estimated 10,000 Hong Kong civilians were executed, while many others were tortured, raped, or mutilated. 7,000 troops and civilians were held in camps. Philip Cracknell brings his unrivaled knowledge of the ground to bear, as he did in , to tell the harrowing story of suffering and courage. Chinese guerrillas harassed the occupying forces until the Japanese surrender on August 16, 1945. Even then the bloodletting did not stop. After the surrender Japanese soldiers killed 70 people in the town of Mui Mo.