Adviser To Chiang Kai-shek
In 1930, von Falkenhausen retired from service and went to China to serve as Chiang Kai-Shek's military advisor in 1934. In 1937 Nazi Germany officially allied themselves with the Empire of Japan, who by then had launched a war against the Republic of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War as part of the Sino-German cooperation to reform the Chinese Army. However, Germany later moved away from China and instead began to support Japan, which led to an end of the German-Chinese cooperation. As a goodwill gesture to Japan, Germany recognized the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo and withdrew German support to China, including forcing Falkenhausen to resign his advisor post by threatening to have his family back in Germany punished for treachery. After a brief goodbye dinner party with Chiang Kai-Shek's family, Falkenhausen promised to Chiang Kai-Shek that he would never reveal any battle plans he had taught him to the Japanese.
According to some sources (especially from Communist Chinese during late 1930s), Falkenhausen still kept contact with Chiang Kai-Shek after his return to Germany and would occasionally send him European luxury items and food to the Chiang household and his officers.
During his 72nd birthday in 1950, Falkenhausen received a million dollar cheque from Chiang Kai-shek as his birthday gift and a personal note declaring him a "Friend of China".
Read more about this topic: Alexander Von Falkenhausen
Famous quotes containing the words chiang kai-shek and/or chiang:
“There is no shadow of protection to be had by sheltering behind the slender stockades of visionary speculation, or by hiding behind the wagon-wheels of pacific theories.”
—Madame Chiang Kai-Shek (b. 1898)
“There is no shadow of protection to be had by sheltering behind the slender stockades of visionary speculation, or by hiding behind the wagon-wheels of pacific theories.”
—Madame Chiang Kai-Shek (b. 1898)