Chinese submarines & Munich

Okay, this is going to sound very weird, but hear me out.

OTL, the Kuomintang ordered a dozen submarines (and a few other warships) from Germany, with the plan that they'd get delivered over the course of late 1937/1938.

I don't know who was going to crew them, but I imagine, judging by the role of German advisors in the Chinese military at the time, that the plan was to have Chinese crews and German officers.

Presumably, if Britain caught wind of this, they would be somewhat concerned about Germany testing submarines against the economic lifeline of another island nation.

Would this have had any political effects in Britain? Or is it too insignificant to be noticed?
 
I've always contemplated the confusion inherent in a German-Chinese alliance existing at the start of WWII, but it does make for a scary picture.
 
I've always contemplated the confusion inherent in a German-Chinese alliance existing at the start of WWII, but it does make for a scary picture.

I dunno. Sinophile as I am, even a China that trounces Japan in the Sino-Japanese war (Our words are backed by Stukas) isn't going to be as threatening to East Asia as Japan.

I'd be more worried about the militarism of a Chinese state in the 50s and 60s, myself.
 
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I dunno. Sinophile as I am, even a China that trounces Japan in the Sino-Japanese war (Our words are backed by Stukas) isn't going to be as threatening to East Asia as Japan.

I'd be more worried about the militarism of a Chinese state in the 50s and 60s, myself.

What has me comncerned is the potential effect on alliances in WWII. If Japan really attacks China (and I don't think a Sino-German alliance is going to concern them much - I mean, what is Berlin going to do?) that would still create tension with the traditionally pro-Chinese USA (who is concerned about Japanese ambition anyway). At the same time, the USA is opposed to German aggression in Europe, so they aren't happy with this particular Chinese bedfellow. I can see several possibilities, none of them good. Imagine Pearl Harbour still happening, with Berlin hamming up thec propaganda against the treacherous Jap for all its worth. You'd still have lend-lease and all-but open conflict in the Atlantic, but in the Pacific theatre, FDR and Hitler are now technically co-belligerents. Talk about cognitive dissonance!
 
I'm doing some research into what a late 30's submarine operation against the IJN would look like.

As far as I know China only ordered about half a dozen boats from Germany. Only one of which was a proper long endurance Type VII, the others were midget/training subs. It was to be commanded by Chinese officers trained in Germany. The boats were never delivered and taken over by the German navy.

Such a force is too small to even perform coastal defence let alone threaten anybody, especially a major fleet like the IJN. Even a fleet of a dozen Type VIIs would have little strategic value. It would actually be to Britain's advantage if the Chinese navy improved its ability to deter Japan. The Japanese rampaging all over Asia isn't good for the Empire in any sense.
 
Such a force is too small to even perform coastal defence let alone threaten anybody, especially a major fleet like the IJN. Even a fleet of a dozen Type VIIs would have little strategic value. It would actually be to Britain's advantage if the Chinese navy improved its ability to deter Japan. The Japanese rampaging all over Asia isn't good for the Empire in any sense.

Actually it might have tremendous value for IJN. Let's say Chinese Navy has two operational Type II's commanded by brave and efficient officers. During invasion of China these manage to slip into a Japanese supply harbor and wreak havoc. With a cruiser, destroyer and three transports sunk within fifteen minutes and two laid mines forcing closure and sweeping of the harbor and thus delaying a major operation in mainland China the IJN starts to rethink both it's offensive doctrine for submarines and it's ASW tactics and weapons...
 
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