Weimar Survives. Extent of German Military Support for China in Second Sino-Japanese War?

From what I have read, Sino-German relations were growing at a phenomenal rate during the period of the Weimar Republic, with the German government sending military advisers to China to aid the Kuomintang government against the communist insurgency in the hinterlands. The relations were even maintained to an extent in the first few years of Nazi Germany, prior to the inclusion of Japan in the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1936.

What is the possibility that, had the Weimar Republic survived, and had it continued to strengthen relations with China at the expense of Japan, it would escalate it its military involvement in China to the point of deploying Reichswehr personnel in defense of the Chinese once the Second Sino-Japanese War occurs as OTL?
 
Assuming continued Sino-German ties, the first impact won't be the Second Sino-Japanese War, if such even occurs TTL. The first impact is on the KMT itself. Sino-German relations would doubtless include military training, as well as the supplying of arms. This would lead to a far stronger Nanjing Government, at the expense of the Communists and the Warlords.

Such would in turn lead to a faster, better-organized, and better-constructed reunification of China. A stronger KMT leads to a stronger China overall. Now, the real question would be - when's the POD? Depending on when it is, it would drastically change how everything went down in China. The 1920s, leading into the 1930s, was very, very volatile.

Now, let us assume that everything went as near OTL, with the only change being a stronger Nanjing government, one that had effectively united China (As opposed to letting the Communists + a few more warlords survive). Such would mean that China might actually be capable of fighting back against Japan, if it invades. OTL, it was a close fight, and Japan had invaded a (highly divided) nation in the middle of a civil war, with budding industry, and warlords left and right. Get rid of the Civil War part, knock over a few warlords, and Japan could find itself stalemating far earlier. If we assume that more of the KMT were German-trained, Japan's getting their face smashed in at Shanghai.

Now, as for direct German involvement? Maybe in a form similar to the Condor Legion, but don't expect a full declaration of war. If anything, the troops will be "volunteers".

This does leave the question of what would happen to Xinjiang and Mongolia, though. OTL, although Xinjiang was Chinese, its warlord attempted to backstab Chiang and join Stalin when he saw he was losing, then to attempt backstab Stalin after Barbarossa. As for Mongolia, although it was still claimed by China, it was no longer held by them.

Also of note is the Manchurian situation. Depending on how the civil war went, the KMT might actually respond against Japan's invasion.
 
I have commented elsewhere in this line of thought regarding a surviving Kaiserreich, but I think Zhou Yu hits the salient points. The question mark is if Japan still sets off a second Sino-Japanese war or not. I doubt Weimar has any aspirations in Europe that sets off a war so the British and French are not weakened or swept from the board, the Germans have a lot of incentive to help China. If anything Japan is weaker here because there is less opportunity for the British to stay friendlier and less divide with the USA, you now have all the players stacked against Japan. I am dubious if a Spanish Civil War occurs at all so if Weimar sees it can incur to wraith I could see it sending volunteers above and beyond the advisers. Look at how German advice was reshaping the Chinese Army under von Seeckt's guidance and how well it did versus the Japanese despite equipment and other shortfalls. I think the German Army and Air Force would agitate for more involvement to get real world experience and the government would welcome the increased trade. If you still want a war then ponder how aggressive Japan would be to preempt China's modernization and unification efforts. I think war begins in earnest around 1937 for good reason in OTL. in the alternative I think Chiang goes on the offensive as soon as he is confident to push Japan out of Manchuria and possibly the mainland so include Korea on the list. An Asian war is brewing unless Japan radically alters course but it may be nothing like how we assume it.
 
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