WI : Chiang prepare to fight japan in 34

[Hecatee]

Here is the idea : in 1934 when Chiang has Mao on the long run to the north he takes some time to look around him and think. One of the things that comes to his mind is that Japan will come soon, is a naval power, can land troops where it wants and that even if numbers will dispatch all japanese preventing their landing would be a good thing. So he talks about it to his german advisors who suggest he uses some submarines to hunt japanese troops transports in case of war between the two nations, only leaving the mandchourian and korean forces to deal with. Also it would require mechanics and industries that could later on be usefull.

So Chiang agrees to the idea and ask german engeneers to come and set up a sub shop in China in the Shanghai area. What's your thinking, and what next ?

 

[Faeelin]

He did think of this, and in fact the first subs were gonna arrive in 193.

Alack, alas ,war broke out in 1938.

 

[Hecatee]

What if those ships had arrived in say august 1936 ? Say Chiang buys 6 type IIa and 12 type IIb U-boot and has the 6 first arriving in august 36 and then 6 more coming in december, the last 6 being planned for next june but never delivered due to the war and being thus given to the Kriegsmarine ( who would love 6 more ships for her submarine training programs, with consequences later on in the Battle of the Atlantic ).

Are the chinese able to use their boats ? Where do they lurk, what hard do you see them do ? Would they allow the japanese to discover their vulnerability to anti-shipping practice earlier and produce more ASW ships for their fleet in the late 30's, changing the later war against US subs ?

 

[DuQuense]

Don't think a few subs would make any difference.
After all Ching had over 2 1/2 men in Uniform, when the Japanese attacked.
Most of the attack came from the north along the Great Wall de-Militarizied Zone.