Prelude to Change, Hong Kong of the 1950s

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In the 1950s, when few people had the means or opportunity to travel the world, the Cold War was at its height. On one side stood the Western powers; on the other, an uneasy alliance between Russia and Communist China. Young National Servicemen manned a large wireless listening post on Hong Kong Island, in defiance of the massive communist neighbor to the north. This posting offered these young men an otherwise unattainable chance to journey to the other side of the globe and experience a way of life that had persisted, with little change, since Hong Kong was forcibly colonized by Great Britain in 1841. The most significant change was a massive increase in population, spurred by the upheaval of the Chinese civil war that ended with the communist victory over the Nationalists in 1949. As depicted here, Hong Kong was both beautiful and, for many, impoverished, but always fascinating during this pivotal time in history.