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Post by insurrectomad on Apr 23, 2012 1:32:14 GMT -5
Saw A documentary on the History TV chan. last night depicting the massif victory by the Russian forces over the Japanese in a battlefield the size of all Europe! What caught my eye was a scene of chinese troops on the Chinese long wall cheering the Russian victors, Some of the Chinese soldiers appeared to be wearing 'doughboy' steel helmets!
Did the Americans supply them to the Chinese?
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Post by oklahoma on Apr 27, 2012 11:48:52 GMT -5
Hey Insurrectomad.....That would seem reasonable, but as I get it, when the US began equipping Chaing's Nationlist Troops, we were using the steel pot model instead of the WW 1 version. These troops, of whom you speak, might have initially been equipped by the Brits, with their WW 1 type helmet, down in the Burma-South China region. Just another of my "uneducated guesses". I do know that, in the late 1930s, some Chinese regulars wore the German "coal bucket" helmet, at least some Nationalist Units did. There was a photo on the front of a Life Magazine (if memory serves) in 1938 showing this group of Chinese soldiers in formation sporting the German model. Kinda creepy to view, but, again, if memory serves, Chaing had some sort of training setup with pre-war Nazi Germany. I do know that the two Governments were recognizing each other in those days prior to WW 2 breaking out. In fact, the German Ambassador to Nanking communicated to Berlin about the unbelievable atrocities being committed by Japanese troops during the "Rape" of that city and Adolph Hitler was aghast, it was reported. Seems rather out of character for der Fuhrer, doesn't it, although it was a rather different senario than the Holocaust as seen by some people in high places, I suppose. I realize I have been of little help, but I just thought I would throw this stuff out there. Cheers.
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Post by VeeVee on Apr 28, 2012 18:25:07 GMT -5
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Post by labrador on Apr 28, 2012 22:48:12 GMT -5
Actually china's army or a portion of it was trained and equipped by the Germans in the 30's. Not only did they use M35 helmets, but they also had sdkfz 222 armored cars and a few Pz1 tanks. Premier Chiang Kai Chek's adopted son, ching wei-kuo son even attained officer candidate status in the Wehrmacht but was sent home after hostilities between The United States and Japan began. www.uglychinesecanadian.com/?p=3309 |
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Post by oklahoma on Apr 29, 2012 16:52:31 GMT -5
Hey Guys....If one didn't know better, viewing the photo of the Nationalist troops decked out in Wehrmacht type uniforms, you might think that the pic was one depicting an "ethnic" SS outfit that came into being in the latter stages of World War 2. Where the Germans might have recruited enough "Asian" troops to constitute a Division would have been difficult, but they evidently had no problem enrolling enough Scandinavian, French, Belgian, Dutch, and certain Balkan groups to field Division/Brigade strength units. It is obvious that the "Aryan Purity" requirement, a prerequisite for membership early on, fell by the wayside as Nazi casualties mounted as the conflict wore on. I have wandered far afield from the original subject. Please overlook/forgive/ or disregard my drivel. lol, Cheers.
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Post by insurrectomad on Apr 29, 2012 21:34:42 GMT -5
There were plenty of blue blondes to be had from those countries Okie, but blue -eye chinese would prove a problem ha ha. The German helmet was the most popular in Latin America until well after WW2. The French helmet did well in much of Africa of course. Strangely the Spanish helmet was only adopted by the oil, construction companies.
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