Walter Wesselhoeft HOFFMANN [1897-1977]

Submitted by moddsey on Tue, 09/10/2024 - 16:06
Names
Given
Walter Wesselhoeft
Family
Hoffmann
Sex
Male
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
Birthplace (town, state)
Belmont, Massachusetts
Birthplace (country)
United States
Died
Date
Died in (town, state)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Died in (country)
United States

Walter Wesselhoeft Hoffmann was an American diplomat and served as Vice Consul in Hong Kong at the time of the Japanese invasion in December 1941. 

After the fall of Hong Kong, Hoffmann and the American delegation comprising 20 persons were divided equally and occupied two houses, which were next to each other on Mount Cameron. They stayed on Mount Cameron for two months before being transferred to Stanley Camp. Release from confinement came on 29 June 1942 for repatriation to the United States. 

Hoffmann wrote two interesting articles that appeared in the American Foreign Service Journal:

a)  "Internment by the Japanese at Hong Kong" (https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/fsj-1945-05-may_0.pdf ) and

b) "The Dolittle Tiger" (https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/fsj-1965-09-september_0.pdf )

His personal papers are kept by the Massachusetts Historical Society. See: https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0451

 

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