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The battle of Hong Kong forced the British garrison to fight against an irregular force, something they rarely did in the Second World War. Numerous factors contributed to the raising of this fifth column force including British colonial attitudes towards non-white inhabitants of the colony. Japanese coercion was also used to gain information and support from locals. These fifth columnists aided the Japanese attackers by pinning down garrison troops with sniper fire and surprise attacks. They also provided valuable intelligence on garrison positions. The Hong Kong police and criminal gangs played important roles in this battle, the former not adequately suppressing the fifth columnists threat and the latter furthered their own interests while simultaneously aiding the Japanese attackers. The fifth columnists were not a vital part of the Japanese victory at Hong Kong, but they added to the numerous advantages that the attackers already possessed.