December 10th - Japanese aircraft sink the British battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse off the coast of Malaya

December 25th - The British, Indian and Canadian forces defending Hong Kong surrender after an 18 day siege.

2,000 Allied soldiers die and 11,000 including 1700 Canadians spend the next four years in Japanese POW camps under horrific conditions.

To read about their story, go to:
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canadians-hong-kong