K S LO ENGLISH

As a student majoring in Chinese and History at City University of Hong Kong, I am frequently asked by secondary school students. I usually encounter questions like: How is it different from studying History in our secondary school? Should I put History as my Band A choice? What can I do after graduation? In this article, I will share more about my study life to answer these questions.

• Do I have to memorize a lot of history content in the university?

You don’t have to memorize all the history content! Instead of memorizing all the content, you should be critical! When you are a secondary school student, you are required to memorize all the complicated past events. Thus, you can answer all the questions in exams. However, The university doesn’t have History exams like the HKDSE anymore. When you study History in the university, you don’t have to memorize all the information. Instead, you need to figure out your own research topics and dig into them. For instance, in my university years, I took some courses about Chinese Art History. I was interested in the origin of Chinese writing. Thus, I studied characters appeared in the Neolithic Period. I analyzed how these characters influenced Chinese writings in later dynasties (e.g., Shang and Zhou Dynasties). In short, studying History in the university put more emphasis on doing history research. You are not expected to commit all the historical event details to memory.

• What should I consider before choosing History as my major in the university ?

You need to consider the following two things. First, studying History at the university requires you to write a lot of papers. For instance, in my university years, I had to write at least 4 academic papers (3000 words each). Even though the works sound challenging, you should not be afraid of writing a lot of words. Second, when you deal with these papers, you need to read many academic books which are quite complicated to comprehend. For example, I had to read a large pile of academic books in the university library. By doing so, I could gain more insights into the chosen topics and construct convincing arguments. If you are afraid of reading throughout your university life, please think twice before choosing History. In short, you need to embrace writing and reading a lot before studying History in the university.

• Do I only study History if I choose History as my major in the university?

Not really. Actually, History is a broad topic. In the university, apart from Imperial History (i.e., the History you studied in secondary school), you will also have courses (e.g. Archaeology, Western Cultural Heritage and Cultural Exchange). For example, I studied World Archaeology and Chinese Art History in the university. Apart from that, I also studied some courses which touched on Arts and Visual culture and arts performance development. As you can see, History in the university touches on different things. If you are interested in these fields, you can choose to study History in the university!

In conclusion, studying history at university differs from learning in secondary school. Although you don’t need to memorize much, you must read and write extensively! However, if you are interested in history-related fields, you will be passionate about reading and writing all the academic papers!

I had just sat on a bench in the park when I heard the sound of clothes rustling.

I looked beside me and saw a familiar figure.

“Skadi? Why are you here?”

“I can’t be here?”

“Of course you can…”

“By the way, do you know what day it is?”

I turned and looked at Skadi, her long white hair cascading down her back.

Her red-gem-like eyes studied me closely, afraid to miss even the tiniest expression on my face.

I smirked and said, “Today is your birthday. Of course, I remember.”

“Then?”

She leaned closer, and the faint sea-like smell of her hair rushed into my nose. Her stern yet somewhat cute-looking face took up most of my vision, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

The inclinations of a teenage girl are hard to hide.

Hold up—I don’t think she is still a teen.

Whatever, never mind.

However, I gave a resigned smile and showed my hand. There was only a foreign translated novel and nothing else.

“I’m sorry, Skadi. It’s not that I don’t want to bring you a gift, but…”

“You fought with your family again?”

“Yes… They seem not to understand that what I meant by being tired isn’t about being physically tired; it can’t be recovered from sleep. It’s mentally.”

“I just scrolled on my phone for a bit. Ah… you called it Terminal, right? Then I fought with my mom.”

“Do you need a hug? You said nothing can’t be cured by a hug!”

“With pleasure…”

She opened her arms and gently hugged me, rubbing her chin lightly on my forehead.

“Do you wish me to sing a song? Take it as helping you relieve your stress.”

“Thanks… It’s even your birthday…”

Before I had finished the sentence, Skadi’s ethereal voice echoed in my ears. It was comforting, like the bells in a church.

A while later, the song slowly faded, and silence returned everywhere.

Skadi opened her eyes.

“Ah… It’s tempting to rush towards your family and knock them down with a bang and finish them with a snap. Then you won’t be sad anymore.”

Hearing her comfort me like this, I inevitably said with an imperceptible smile, “Then you will have to deal with so many things.”

“Also, my parents are doing this in good faith, to make me study. Not to mention, my parents aren’t the Seaborn nor those sea monsters. If you deal with them, then the police will have to deal with you.”

“Then I will hide with you in Iberia, in a town where there’s no people, and live a happy life together.”

I struggled out of her arms. My gaze met Skadi’s eyes, filled with unwillingness to let go. I smiled and patted her head gently, then said, “Alright, Miss Abyss Hunter, let’s talk about something more practical.”

“I’ll get back to my place and bring your present down. Let’s celebrate your birthday then, alright?”

Skadi nodded and stood up faster than me.

She opened her arms, spinning in place, just like an ancient western countries’ wooden puppet—cute and dopey.

“I adorned myself just to come and see you!”

She couldn’t hide the excitement deep in her heart; she was hoping to hear words of praise.

“You’re beautiful.”

Hearing this, the smile on Skadi’s face immediately faded. She pouted, arms akimbo, and said with slight disgruntlement, “All you have left in your brain is the sentence ‘You’re beautiful’?”

Hearing what she said, I checked her outfit closely: a red, long-sleeved sweater, which had multiple pink fish patterns embellished in the center. Besides, she wore a short pencil skirt padded with wool. Just like her sweater, yet this time embellished with buttons in the center. She also wore thigh-length over-the-knee socks and a pair of ankle-length boots. Probably because of the cold weather, she wore a red coat.

“Then…”
I cleared my throat and said, “You’re like the most garish and beautiful rose in the garden; many people have stopped because of you but are afraid to ruin you by picking you.”

She showed a pleased smile after hearing this and held out her hand to me. Her thought was obvious.

I took her hand, and she gently pulled me, seeming impatient.

We walked towards my place.

“By the way, how did you know I was feeling down today?”

“I saw you walking out in a rush, eyes stuck onto the ground, not caring about anything.”

“So, I decided to follow you.”

“Really? No wonder I had the feeling someone was watching me.”

“At least it’s not those perishing Seaborn!”

I smiled and told her to wait there, then I went upstairs to fetch the present I had prepared.

Even though it was unavoidable to be nagged by my mom, clearly, she wasn’t angry at all.

I took a birthday gift box and hid it behind me, but I forgot how big the box was.

“It’s all exposed!”

Skadi grinned and pointed at the gift box behind me. That’s when I realized that I was too skinny.
No, wait! It’s definitely because the gift box was too big!

None of my business, after all.

Skadi and I walked to a bench and sat down. There weren’t a lot of gifts in the box; however, all carried my full love.
Mostly because the gifts were too big.

Right after she opened the box, a warm light shone on her cheeks. The first thing that caught her eye was a grey rabbit doll.

It was wearing a black mantle with a shimmering cape. It also wore a black hat decorated with a white diamond pattern.

Its red eyes were looking at Skadi—very cute.

“It’s you in your work outfit, Skadi!”

The doll also wore a sapphire-blue scarf. Skadi took out the doll slowly, allowing it to lie quietly on her lap.

Skadi carefully pulled the scarf off the doll, feeling its tender touch between her fingers.

“I knitted this scarf for quite some time. How is it?”

Skadi didn’t reply; she noticed there was a letter.

Skadi opened the envelope and saw a handwritten letter.

To Skadi, who is the cutest in the world:

We have already met for a year! I appreciate you for being with me all these days. I understand there are many exaggerated ways to celebrate birthdays, such as filling the trunk of a luxurious vehicle with white roses, booking an entire restaurant, presenting the whole night view to the girl, and buying extravagant jewellery for the girl.

Please forgive me—I’m still a student; if I could, I wouldn’t mind using those kinds of ways to show how much I love you. Disappointingly, I don’t have that kind of money nor ability.

I can only use weak words again and again to tell you ‘I love you.’ These gifts may be cheap, but I’ve spent a very, very long time preparing them.

After all, no one like me would prepare a birthday half a year in advance.

Skadi, I really love you—really. Yet, the feeling is ambiguous and vague, and at least my literary level can’t afford me to express this kind of feeling. However, my love for you is real. If you look me in the eyes closely, you will see that.

I love you.

There is also a bracelet in the box. I’ve carefully picked the gem in the jewellery store. It’s not expensive; please keep it.

Happy birthday, Skadi.

Love you the most on Dr.

After Skadi had read everything, she was stunned for a moment, then put everything back into the box.

Just when I thought she wasn’t happy about the gifts, Skadi jumped into my arms, her voice trembling slightly.

“I’m happy with this. Thank you! I love you.”

After saying that, she gently left a kiss on my face.

“I love you too, Skadi. Happy birthday.”

Written on 7th March, 2025

Recently, Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was trafficked to KK land, aroused much social concern in China. Wang Xing realised that the working offer in Thailand was a scam until he was shaved in the car. Not only was he entrapped in this tremendous forgery, but he was also caught in widespread attention worldwide. In this article, the reasons why the criminal business can be so thriving, as well as methods to raise people’s awareness, will be shed light on.

The primary reason why more and more unsuspecting victims are entrapped in this scam operation is the attractive and superficial packaging of the scam, which seduces poor and greedy people to jump into this alluring opportunity. Imagine there’s a well-paid, easy-to-handle, low educational requirement working offer in front of you. If you need money urgently, I guess most people cannot resist the temptation of this appealing offer or giving it serious consideration. Furthermore, it is not common for us to see people being entrapped in a cybercrime solely out of the desire for money. A piece of news from Hong Kong a year ago is living proof—a young man was lured into this online scam without knowing it at first, as he thought it was a perfect job for fresh graduates. Fortunately, he was later rescued by his concerned family. Besides, there is also a Chinese influencer who was forged by her best friends, claiming that a famous company in Thailand provides copious resources such as advertisements on social media platforms, as well as a decent and quiet working environment for live broadcast on TikTok. Appealing to her best friends’ opinions and the tempting offer, she went to Thailand and still has not been found until now. In KK land, females with appealing appearances are forced to be horns or suffer from sexual assaults rather than taking part in the cybercrime, which is devastating to these girls in terms of insulting their bodies and mental health simultaneously. As we can see, people who are or were part of this cybercrime are not capable of taking the potential dangers and risks under in-depth consideration.

With more and more unsuspecting victims falling prey to unscrupulous scams, it is high time that the governments in different countries and people around the world put in efforts to combat the problem.

From my perspective, propaganda and surveillance should be conducted by governments. With the prevalent use of social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, governments can utilise advertisements and the popularity of content creators to spread the common jargons of scammers and their manoeuvers to draw people’s attention, thereby inculcating awareness among people of all ages to ignore suspicious and unsourced messages from unknown people and to check the validity of job offers. When it comes to raising awareness among the elderly, advertisements should be posted on televisions, TV programs, as well as posters on the streets. On top of this, phone numbers should be regularly checked. If the IP site of phone numbers is located in Southeast Asia and they keep sending messages to random people, broadcast messages should be blocked and not allowed to be used thereafter. What’s more, the key to cracking down on this gargantuan criminal business lies in the action of the Thailand government, which may destroy their business by violence and spare no pains to find out the big boss behind this institution.

As a mother of two kids, I will educate my children about the dangers of scams and how to avoid them smartly—like how people in KK land are humiliated once they cannot meet the requirements of their boss—and to neglect messages and FaceTime calls with strangers, in order to protect my beloved parents.

To wrap up, the cybercrime in Thailand is still worsening and poses many dangers to tourists and citizens in Thailand. As laymen, we should always be aware of phoney messages and work offers to avoid falling prey to the painful trap of scams. It is believed that if governments really paid heed to this global issue, the problem can be solved as soon as possible.

In recent years, the discussion of “racism” and the “LGBTQ+ community” has become a popular topic in many countries. It is a trending topic on social media, and many people have different opinions about it. The younger generation pays close attention to and supports the ideas of “anti-racism” and the “LGBTQ+ community,” but these concepts have slowly become twisted. Many young teenagers misunderstand these ideas, which has also created resentment and disagreement between these topics. In this article, we will discuss the original concepts of “anti-racism” and the “LGBTQ+ community,” as well as my point of view on these two popular topics.

The Concept of “Anti-Racism”
Racism was a serious issue in earlier years. As we all know, people from different countries have different skin colors, such as black, yellow, tan, and white. In those earlier years, the problem of racism was prevalent around the world. The victims of racism were often Black people, as they were losing freedoms and rights. Countries were enacting laws to control the rights of Black individuals. For example, Black people and people of other skin colors had to separate themselves in public spaces. There were Black-only spaces and spaces for other skin colors in almost every public area during that time.

Nowadays, the younger generation has developed a strong awareness of anti-racism. Teenagers on the internet point out that Black people deserve better and fair rights, just as people of other skin colors also deserve fair rights. They have initiated multiple actions to fight against racism, which are intended to protect people of different skin colors. As a part of the younger generation, I have slowly realised that the concept of “anti-racism” is becoming unfriendly and has created many misunderstandings. Is the action of “anti-racism” becoming unacceptable and harmful towards people who are not Black? We will explore this further below.

The Misunderstanding of “Anti-Racism”
People misunderstand that the victims of racism include not only Black people but also individuals of other skin colors. To raise awareness of “anti-racism,” internet users are agreeing that video game developers and movie directors should change their fictional characters’ skin colors to Black. Is this action a positive way to promote awareness of “anti-racism”? As the trend of “making fictional characters” has gone viral all over the internet, more people seem to be disagreeing with the concept of “anti-racism.” People are pointing out that they feel offended and disrespected when they are persuaded to change their skin colors to Black. From my point of view, the majority of internet users are fighting against the action of “anti-racism.” We can see that this action is no longer positive but rather negative.

What’s even more concerning is that people on the internet are being resentful and disrespectful toward white people. Historically, white people have treated Black people in the worst ways. Some teenagers believe that white people should bear the responsibilities and consequences of treating Black people badly in the past. In my opinion, our education has improved in recent years. The system of slavery no longer exists in our society, which means the majority of the world has a high awareness of being respectful to all cultures and skin colors. The current generation of white people may not be as disrespectful as past generations, and they should not bear the responsibility for the historical system of slavery.

The Conclusion of “Anti-Racism”
To summarise, the original purpose of “anti-racism” was to take positive action. Many teenagers on the internet misunderstand the original concept, which leads to additional issues surrounding the topic of “anti-racism.” Everyone deserves equal treatment in our society, regardless of skin color. The main purpose of this topic is that we should be respectful to everyone in the world.

The Concept of the “LGBTQ+ Community”
In recent years, people around the world have developed different mindsets about their sexuality. With the increasing popularity of social media, individuals are sharing information about the “LGBTQ+ Community” through posts and videos. People are adopting more open-minded attitudes and feeling less embarrassed to share their sexuality. The concept of “LGBTQ+” includes bisexual, lesbian, transgender individuals, and more. Some countries are enacting laws that allow people to marry partners of the same gender, providing more rights and freedoms for those who wish to build a family with someone of the same gender.

While it may seem that the “LGBTQ+” community is positive, many people still complain about it. They argue that individuals in this community can be disrespectful and disrupt their usual lives. We will explore this issue further below.

The Issues that are Brought by the “LGBTQ+ Community”
As I mentioned, many people are complaining that the “LGBTQ+ Community” is interfering with their lives. Everyone has their opinions, and we should feel free and comfortable expressing our points of view. However, some individuals in the community seem to be forcing others to support their sexuality and gender.

What’s more, transgender individuals may identify as any gender or object they desire. What problems could arise if a male identifies as female? Does that mean he can use the female restroom simply because he has the right to do so? From my perspective, this is a concerning issue worldwide. People are feeling insecure in such situations. The original purpose of “LGBTQ+” is to allow individuals more freedom to be themselves and to become whatever they wish. Unfortunately, some individuals misuse this opportunity to harass others, which undermines the positive purpose of the movement.

The Summarisation of the “LGBTQ+ Community”
People in this community should not be aggressive toward those who do not support the concept, as everyone has their own opinions. On the other hand, the “LGBTQ+ Community” brings many rights and freedoms to individuals who want to become whoever they are comfortable being. People can build relationships and families with their partners without worrying about the consequences of the laws. However, this does not mean they can misuse these rights to commit illegal acts.

From my perspective, both individuals in the “LGBTQ+ Community” and those who are not part of it should be respectful of each other’s opinions. I believe that if people learn to understand and respect each other’s viewpoints, there will be more supporters of the “LGBTQ+ Community” in the future.

The Final Conclusion of “Anti-Racism” and the “LGBTQ+ Community”
We have explored the concepts of “anti-racism” and the “LGBTQ+ community,” gaining insight into the positive and negative impacts of both topics. We can see that both communities bring rights and freedoms but also create various problems in society.

To conclude, people need to learn to be respectful toward others. I believe that this could decrease the number of arguments on the internet and foster more peace on both sides of disagreements and agreements.

Background

During World War I, the USA was a member of the Entente Powers. Unlike France and the British Empire, the USA produced no tanks. As a result, they chose to start the mass production of the French Renault FT tank, which is called M1917; this marked the start of US tank development.

Interwar Period

After World War I, Dwight David Eisenhower and George Smith Patton started their mission to develop armored troops for the US Army. However, many senior military officers opposed the use of tanks to fight independently, as they thought tanks should be used to support infantry. These opinions directly caused the US Congress to dismiss the tank corps of the US Army.

At the same time, the United States Department of War requested the design of light tanks with weights lighter than 5 tonnes and medium tanks with weights lighter than 15 tonnes. However, the failed M1924 tank proved that the request was impossible to finish. Many designs were rejected during this period.

Finally, in 1931, Douglas MacArthur started to promote mechanization and motorization in the army, especially for the cavalry to replace horses. Then, in 1936, the new “car” research started (“tanks” were still not allowed to be built according to the 1920 National Defense Law). There were some “combat cars” produced in the late 1930s, including the T7 and M1/M2; they all used machine guns as the main weapons.

World War II

I. Light tanks

a.) M3/M5 Stuart

During the Battle of France, which started in June 1940, US investigators found that the M2 light tank used by the UK and France could be easily destroyed by German tanks. As a solution, new light tank designs—the M3/M5 Stuart—rolled out in March 1941 and 1942 respectively. Stuart tanks have better armor and a more powerful 37mm cannon compared to the M2.

b.) M24 Chaffee

In 1944, the M3/M5 Stuart was too outdated to be used. The M24 Chaffee was then developed to replace Stuart tanks; it has a more powerful 75mm cannon. In November 1944, many Chaffee tanks were sent to Europe and North Africa. However, it did not make many contributions to the war as only some Chaffees entered the war, and some tank divisions were still using old M5 Stuarts as light tanks when the war ended. Most Chaffees joined the Korean War in the 1950s.

II. Medium tanks

a.) M3 Lee/Grant

M3 Lee is a medium tank that started being used in 1941. The tank is named after famous generals during the American Civil War, which are General Robert Lee (American version of M3) and General Ulysses S. Grant (British version of M3). The main difference between M3 Lee and M3 Grant is their turret, which is quite easy to identify. Both versions of the M3 were armed with a 37mm cannon on the turret and a 75mm cannon on the hull, as well as a small turret for machine guns above the 37mm cannon turret. Although the M3 has relatively thick armor, it has some drawbacks such as a high hull and bad mobility. Also, as its 75mm main gun is located on the hull, the power of the tank is limited. It was soon replaced by the M4 Sherman. The photo below shows both the M3 Grant (left) and the M3 Lee (right) so you can easily see their difference.

b.) M4 Sherman

M4 Sherman is one of the most famous tanks ever, with more than 48,000 produced; it served in many countries including the UK, France, and China. It also has many variants. I will introduce some here. The first one is the M4A1, which is the basic design of the Sherman tank. It was armed with a 75mm cannon (yeah, Americans use a 75mm cannon throughout the war). Some were then changed to a 76mm cannon, providing better firepower, and were called M4A1(76w). At the same time, the M4A1 tank is also infamous for its poor armor, so it has the nickname “Ronson” (a lighter produced in Germany) as it can be easily destroyed and catch on fire.

The next one I want to introduce is the M4A3E2 “Jumbo”. As the M4A1 and M4A2 tanks could not withstand attack from German tanks such as the Tiger and Panther, the US Army tested a new tank using the hull of the M4A3, which has the best protection among all Shermans. Additional armor was attached to the hull and a new turret was used. After modification, the tank can withstand Germany’s strong 88mm cannon and 75mm cannons. Same as other Sherman tanks, the M4A3E2 has both a 75mm cannon version and a 76mm cannon version (M4A3E2 76(w)).

Not only the two variants I introduced, there were a lot more variants such as the M4A2, M4A4, M4A5, and Sherman Firefly (used by the British army), etc. We can see that the Sherman is one of the most successful tanks produced.

III. Heavy tanks

a.) T1E1/M6A1

The T1E1/M6A1 heavy tanks were prototypes of the US Army designed to test heavy tanks, as many countries at that time were already producing their heavy tanks, such as the KV series of the USSR and the Churchill series of the UK. The T1E1/M6A1 tanks were armed with a 76mm main gun and a 37mm gun. Only 40 tanks were produced, and they never joined any battle.

b.) M26 Pershing

M26 Pershing is a heavy tank (reidentified as a medium tank after WW2) used by the US Army. It started mass production in 1944, and hence a limited number of them joined battles. Like the M24 Chaffee, most Pershings joined the Korean War instead. Pershing had excellent armor at that time with its powerful 90mm cannon, which made it the second-best tank in WW2 (just under Germany’s Panther). Pershing also had many variants such as the Patton series (M46, 47, 48), which was the main power of USA tank forces for more than 50 years.

IV. Conclusion

Although the USA started its tank development late, the country still brought out many excellent designs that influenced the world and also made many contributions along with its allies to fight the Fascist powers in WW2. Overall, the US created a unique style of tank designs and has had a great influence on modern tank design.

As society develops rapidly, urban redevelopment becomes inevitable. In Hong Kong, this has led to the demolition of many old buildings and the destruction of lots of memories. While these projects have a series of benefits, they also bring potential issues to Hongkongers. In this essay, I would like to list the pros and cons of urban redevelopment.

There are several key benefits to demolishing old buildings. The main advantage is to create more land for residential housing, which helps reduce the average waiting time for public rental housing. In the past, public housing estates were generally low. However, as the population of Hong Kong grows significantly over time, the existing public housing supply is no longer adequate for today’s residents’ demand. As a result, the average waiting time for public rental housing has continued to rise. Therefore, the government has decided to demolish old buildings and construct more public rental units to mitigate housing pressure across Hong Kong. Take Wah Fu Estate as an example, the government has claimed that after the reconstruction, Wah Fu Estate will provide 12,200 housing units, 3,000 more than before.

Another benefit of urban redevelopment is the improvement of living environments and infrastructure in the old urban districts. Many public housing estates in Hong Kong are old, resulting in poor infrastructure. Residents often have to walk long distances to access bus stops or MTR stations. However, after reconstruction, there will be a significant improvement, including more plantings, public open space, community facilities, and transportation options. For example, after the redevelopment project of Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, both commercial and recreational land use were expanded. Additionally, the establishment of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre near the site of the old buildings provided residents with more places to relax and spend their leisure time.

While the benefits are noteworthy, the drawbacks cannot be ignored.

One major drawback of urban redevelopment is the destruction of the bonding between the city and its inhabitants. Many people have lived in these old buildings since childhood and have developed a strong connection to their neighbourhoods. They often purchase daily necessities from local shops beneath the estates, fostering a sense of community. However, as a result of urban redevelopment projects, many of these shops have been forced to close, severing these connections. For instance, Hoover Cake Shop is a traditional western bakery which opened in the 1970s. Famous for its egg tart, Donald Chow is one of its loyal customers. Unfortunately, due to the redevelopment of old areas in Kowloon City, the shop was closed on October 1, 2022. The closure of Hoover Cake Shop devastated a lot of local residents, leaving them feeling powerless in the face of the closure of traditional shops and sorrowful over the loss of memories.

In addition, urban redevelopment leads to the loss of memories associated with the city and neighborhoods. Like aforesaid, many residents have lived in these estates since childhood. They have cherished memories of playing with friends and dining at local fast-food shops… These old buildings are not just structures; they embody the memories of the community among the residents. For example, the rainbow-coloured walls of Choi Hung Estate are a beloved symbol for many Hongkongers. However, after the reconstruction, it remains uncertain whether these colourful walls will be preserved. The shops in Choi Hung Estate will close, and with them, the memories of local residents will be buried.

In conclusion, there are obviously both benefits and drawbacks of urban redevelopment. While it creates more land for housing and improves living qualities, it also destroys the memories and the bonding of the locals. This raises a crucial question: is it necessary to sacrifice community heritage for urban development?

Talking about air crash accidents now, what do you have in mind? “Boeing again!” Right? So, is Boeing that hazardous?

Before I start, I am sorry to tell you that in Hong Kong, flights are mostly operated with Airbus and Boeing aircraft (COMAC C919 is now available in China Eastern (MU), but only on MU721/2). Just take Cathay Pacific as an example—there are 53 Boeing planes in their fleet right now (17 B777-300 + 36 B777-300ER), and 21 B777-9 will be delivered from around 2026, which means that you still have a 29% chance to take a flight with a Boeing. But I’m going to tell you that Boeing is NOT that bad.

I need to tell you one thing that may surprise you—around 80% of air crashes are caused by human errors, not the aircraft itself. Unbelievable, right? I can give you some evidence. China Airlines flight 611, which is a flight between Taipei and Hong Kong using a Boeing 747-200 jet, experienced an in-flight breakup on 25 May 2002. All 225 people aboard died. In-flight breakup? Boeing? The plane’s problem! NO! In fact, the cause of this accident is all about inadequate maintenance of the plane, not because the quality of the plane is bad.

Ok, then you may ask, why does Boeing still use the hydraulic machinery system? Isn’t computer control a safer choice? Not really. Airbus uses computers to control their aircraft—I admit that it is more convenient, but it also causes some crashes. For example, China Airlines flight 140, which was a flight between Taipei and Nagoya operated by an A300-600R, crashed on 26 Apr 1994. It was caused by a conflict between computer control and the pilot; while the computer was controlling the plane to fly upward, the pilot was trying to descend, which caused the crash. We can see that there are still hazards even when a computer is used.

Another plane system that you might have heard of before is the MCAS system used on the Boeing 737 MAX series (a flight stabilizing feature developed by Boeing). I know you worry about it, as it caused 2 crashes. But Boeing already modified the system; also, all aircraft need to be qualified by the FAA (United States of America), EASA (Europe), and CAAC (China). The chance of a plane crash is as low as 0.00008333333%, so boarding an aircraft will be extremely safe.

Finally, if you still do not trust me, look at the screenshot I captured:

This screenshot shows the number of Boeing 737 jets flying ONLY in Asia at the time I was typing. How about those in other continents and other types of Boeing crafts? If all Boeing aircraft were dangerous, why are so many Boeings flying above us?

Next time you are on a plane, just enjoy your journey and relax. Trust me, air travel is the safest way to travel—no matter what manufacturer and type of aircraft it is.

Background

“AF is short of fresh water.” Have you heard of this message? What is AF? (Definitely not Air France, though.) Today, I will introduce the battle that changed the situation of the Pacific War—the Battle of Midway.

So, as everyone knows, on 7 Dec 1941, the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, which made the USA join WW2. In the attack, the Pacific Fleet was damaged severely, and many ships such as USS Arizona (BB-39) and USS Utah (BB-31) were sunk. At the same time, the Japanese Navy only lost a few fighters. Luckily, none of the aircraft carriers of the US Navy—which were the targets of the Japanese Navy—were in port. On 8 Dec 1941, the USA declared war on Japan, and the Pacific War started.

So, five months after the attack, in May 1942, there was the Battle of Coral Sea. In this battle, the Japanese Navy lost one aircraft carrier, IJN Shoho, and another aircraft carrier, IJN Shokaku, was severely damaged. The US Navy also lost one aircraft carrier, USS Lexington (CV-2), and another aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown (CV-5), was severely damaged.

At the same time, in early 1942, American cryptanalysts had begun breaking Japanese communication codes. They noticed that a location called “AF” was mentioned frequently. Officers suspected that Japan was going to attack Midway Atoll. Midway sent out a false message that it was short of fresh water to prove that they were right. Then, they finally intercepted the message from the Japanese Navy: “AF is short of fresh water.”

Battle of Midway

On 3 June 1942, a PBY reconnaissance aircraft of the VPB-44 squadron spotted a Japanese fleet sailing towards Midway. Admiral Nimitz initially thought it was a fleet led by Nobutake Kondō, not the main fleet led by Chūichi Nagumo. He immediately ordered another admiral, Admiral Fletcher, to hold his fleet. Meanwhile, some B-17 bombers of the Army Air Force found the landing fleet led by Raizō Tanaka, but their attack did not have much effect. Also, four PBY planes dropped torpedoes on the Japanese landing fleet, but only one ship was hit. Although the US Navy knew the Japanese plan, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and Chūichi Nagumo still chose to continue the operation.

On 4 June 1942, at 4:30 am, four Japanese aircraft carriers—IJN Akagi, IJN Kaga, IJN Sōryū, and IJN Hiryū—started sending planes to strike Midway. To be prepared in case of encountering American fleets, some planes carried torpedoes instead of bombs. Additionally, some aircraft were sent out by cruisers to search for American fleets.

Between 5:34 am and 6:00 am, a PBY of the VP-23 squadron (call sign: Strawberry 5) spotted the Japanese carrier battle group and the Japanese air group heading towards Midway. Later, another PBY (call sign: Strawberry 12) also spotted the Japanese air group. After the location of the carrier group and air group was known, all aircraft on Midway were sent to attack the carrier group, while the USMC sent out the VMF-221 fighter squadron (24 F2A and F4F fighters) led by Floyd B. “Red” Parks to intercept the Japanese air group. Although six Japanese bombers were shot down, many American fighters were lost due to lack of experience, and only 11 pilots survived.

At 7:00 am, the Japanese air groups arrived at Midway but spotted no planes at the air base. Hence, the planes could only attack other facilities of the airport. Even so, the runway was not damaged. At 7:05 am, Nagumo agreed to send out planes to strike Midway again. However, the fighters were busy fighting off planes from Midway.

Meanwhile, in the American fleets, Fletcher received the message of the discovery of Japanese fleets at 6:03 am, but planes from USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-8) took off at 7:00 am. Since the planes that took off needed to wait for other planes still on deck, they hovered above the carriers until 7:45 am. At 8:30 am, planes on USS Yorktown took off.

At 7:15 am, Nagumo gave the order to strike Midway. All the Nakajima Ki-27 fighters needed to replace their torpedoes with bombs. But at 7:28 am, planes from the cruiser IJN Tone reported to IJN Akagi that they spotted “10 American ships”. Nagumo received this report at 7:45 am.

Now, Nagumo had to make a decision. As the Japanese fleets were being attacked by American planes from all directions, they needed to find the American carriers as soon as possible. However, Aichi D3A planes and Ki-27s already had bombs loaded. If the planes were not sent out, they could only attack American fleets after 1.5 hours. Additionally, there were not enough A6M fighters to protect all the planes.

At 7:53 am, American planes attacked the Japanese fleets again. While A6M fighters were sent to protect the aircraft carriers, air strikes continued until 10:40 am.

At 10:20 am, planes from American aircraft carriers approached Japanese ships. Soldiers on IJN Kaga noticed the American planes flying towards them. Over four bombs hit Kaga; the bridge of the ship was completely destroyed, and the hangar was also damaged. Moreover, munitions, bombs, and fuel on the ship caught fire. Kaga was on fire in a few minutes.

The next ship attacked was Soryu. At 10:24 am, the ship received the report that Kaga was attacked. At the same time, three bombers successfully dropped bombs on the ship, causing severe casualties. The captain ordered the crew to abandon ship, but since the communication system was destroyed, only a few sailors received the order.

And now the Akagi. The ship was trying to escape from American planes when Kaga was being attacked. But three bombers changed their direction towards Akagi and dropped their bombs. The steering gear of the ship was destroyed, and the ship caught fire.

How about the American fleets? At 12:59 pm, USS Yorktown was attacked by Japanese planes. The ship was on fire, the radar was damaged, and the power was lost. At 1:40 pm, the ship started to move again, but another strike from Japanese planes arrived. This time, the ship was severely damaged and listed to the left. The captain ordered the crew to abandon the ship at 2:55 pm.

Shortly after Yorktown was attacked, IJN Hiryu was attacked by planes from the Enterprise and Hornet. Around 40 bombers were sent. Originally, some of them were planned to strike IJN Haruna, which was protecting Hiryu, but all the planes changed direction to attack Hiryu instead. The front deck of Hiryu was hit, and the ship was set on fire.

At night, IJN Soryu, IJN Kaga, and IJN Akagi were sunk by Japanese destroyers after it was clear that the ships could not be repaired. On 5th June at 2:30 am, Hiryu was also determined to be beyond repair. Destroyers hit the ship with torpedoes, but the ship did not immediately sink. It finally sank at 7 am. Japan lost the battle completely.

Follow up Battles

After the Japanese fleets left the battlefield, they were still chased by American planes. IJN Mikuma was severely damaged by planes and sank. Only 180 out of 800 crew members survived.

In the American fleet, the Yorktown had been abandoned, but the Japanese submarine I-168 spotted it and hit the ship with a torpedo. While USS Hammann tried to save Yorktown, it was also hit by a torpedo and sank along with Yorktown.

Aftermath

After the battle, the power of the Japanese fleets was severely weakened as they lost four aircraft carriers. The situation in the Pacific Ocean became favourable to the Americans. This battle also marked the turning point of the Pacific War.