Fact Wizard
Aediles
Posts : 59
Join date : 2021-09-10
 |  Subject: How Germany helped China fight Japan in the 1930's Tue 22 Feb 2022, 15:12 | |
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The Mukden incident and the subsequent Japanese invasion of Manchuria, showed China the need for a concrete military and industrial policy aimed at resisting Japanese encroachment. There was already significant German involvement within the Chinese military, when the Nazis came to power in 1933, this further accelerated the co-operation. German general Georg Wetzell advised Chinese General Ling during the “Shanghai War” [heavy fighting against a Japanese military force in Shanghai Jan 28- March 3 1932], he also convinced the Chinese leader Chiang Kai-Shek to set up an artillery school, later Chinese artillery would play a large role against Japan. Wetzell's successor General Hans von Seeckt, helped to build Chinese capacity further, he used his connection with German industrialists to bring in a large amount of modern German equipment, ranging from helmets to artillery, it is suggested that around 60% of Chinese war material at this time was imported from Germany. The last and arguably the best chief adviser was General Alexander von Falkenhausen, who took over the group in 1935, just as tensions between Japan and China were escalating. It is interesting to note, that at this time there was a bitter disagreement between Goebbels and Goering regarding this conflict, Goebbels was strongly pro-China, whereas Goering saw the Japanese as the stronger power in Asia, with a dislike for the Soviets. The July 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident marked the commencement of a full-scale Japanese invasion of China. Poorly trained Chinese troops in Northern China were quicly routed, when fighting broke out in Shanghai, Japan was convinced of a quick victory. During this time German advisers including Falkenhausen, were often near or in the fighting taking place in Shanghai, this despite Berlin's current view that they preferred no direct involvement, this shift being mainly due to Tripartite Pact in October 1936, between Germany, Italy, and Japan. Falkenhausen commented as follows. “ We all agreed that as private citizens in Chinese employment, there could be no question of leaving our Chinese friends to their fate”. Among the Chinese troops dispatched to Shanghai, was the German trained and equipped 88th Division, against all expectations, the division's infantry inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese. The Chinese held out in Shanghai until November, but eventually retreated. This was followed by a fierce battle in Nanjing in which the Chinese defenders were obliterated. There was one more battle to take place before Germany quit China for good. The battle of Taierzhuang which took place in early 1938, Chinese troops engaged Japanese troops in the small town of Shantung, led by German-trained battalion commanders, they used German-built howitzers to smash Japanese entrenchments. The Chinese prevailed at Taierzhuang, after the battle, the Japanese demanded that Germany withdraw their advisory group, Hitler complied. Falkenhausen and his staff reluctantly returned to Germany, the strange tale of the Germans in China shows how quickly loyalty and national interest can shift, and alliances with them. |
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Meles meles
Censura
Posts : 5079
Join date : 2011-12-30
Location : Pyrénées-Orientales, France
| | Subject: Re: How Germany helped China fight Japan in the 1930's Sun 27 Feb 2022, 18:40 | |
| Of course in the 1930s Nazi Germany and nationalistic/militaristic Japan were not in any way natural bedfellows. The Nazi concept of Aryanism and the Japanese belief in their own racial superiority were similar but these ideas meant that culturally they were inherently opposed to each other. The Tripartite Pact of 1940 was really only a marriage of convenience in that having divided up the world into their respective areas of influence Germany and Japan could cooperate in terms of exchanging raw materials, technology and intelligence, but they never actually fought shoulder-to-shoulder next to each other. |
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