“The train to Tuen Mun is arriving. Please let passengers exit first.”“This is Route 705, Tin Shui Wai Circular.” I believe that most of you listen to these route announcements every day and know that all railway services and “K-bus” services (e.g., K73, K76) are all provided by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTR). But do you know that there…
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…
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…
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….
Bus services are important for most Hongkongers nowadays. But do you know the history of bus services? I. Beginning In the 1920s, buses appeared in Hong Kong. At that time, some of the companies were: In 1933, bus services were franchised. From then on, only two companies provided franchised bus services—KMB in Kowloon and the New Territories, and CMB on…
Background During World War I, the British and French successively launched their tanks starting in 1916. The most popular ones were the British Mark series and the French Renault FT and Saint-Chamond. These tanks caused significant trouble for the German Empire, prompting the Germans to start developing their own tanks. I. World War I In 1918, after a few years…
The Situation of the Germans It was roughly a year after Nazi Germany had defeated nearly all countries in Europe, including France, Poland, Yugoslavia, etc. Although Germany achieved huge success on land, the situation at sea was in great trouble. The Royal Navy had blockaded the Kriegsmarine and continued to send resources to Great Britain from the Americas. The Kriegsmarine…