How the first tank battalion of the National Revolutionary Army of China was organized

Today, few would argue with the fact that the modern army of the People's Republic of China is one of the most powerful in the world. However, this was not always the case.

For example, the National Revolutionary Army of China (NRA) during the reign of Chiang Kai-shek can hardly be called a formidable force. Meanwhile, even in the armed forces of the Gumildan Party, already in the early 30s of the last century, armored units began to be formed.

First Tanks for the NRA were purchased from Great Britain. At the same time, China has become one of the largest buyers from Vickers.

Peng Kedin was appointed to command the armored units of the national revolutionary army, who immediately began to form the structure of a new type of troops for the NRA. It is worth noting here that this officer was almost the only one in China who had the slightest understanding of the issue of armored forces, since he was trained in the USSR and Germany.

By 1935, the first armored battalion was formed in China, which consisted of three companies.

The first included 20 Vickers Armstrong Mk E Type B light tanks. In turn, this company was divided into 4 platoons of 5 vehicles each - 4 line and 1 commander. All tanks of the first company were marked with the hieroglyph “tiger”.

The second company included 16 Vickers Carden Loyd M1931 amphibians. They received the designation "dragon".

The Third Company had no separate designation and was represented by heavily worn Vickers Carden Loyd Mk VI tankettes. Moreover, the Chinese did not even have spare parts for them. Therefore, it would be a stretch to call this unit a combat unit, much less an armored one.

However, already in the summer of 1936 this problem was corrected. The tankettes in the 3rd company were replaced with 15 German Panzerkampfwagen I tanks (designated T1 in Soviet literature).

As a result, by the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War, the NRA army had a total of 51 tanks. Moreover, in 1937, this entire “force”, instead of a battalion, was proudly called a corps.

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[Reader 2013]

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[Doctor]

The article suddenly ended before it began

I'll add a little more then. Famous Chinese tank crews .

1. Chiang Kai-shek's adopted son - Jiang Weiguo.
He graduated from the Munich Military Academy, and later underwent training in the elite troops of the Alpine riflemen and received the right to wear the Edelweiss badge. During the Anschluss he commanded a tank. In 1939 he took part in the invasion of Poland with the rank of lieutenant.

Then he was recalled to China, where he quickly made a military career, receiving the rank of colonel at the age of 32.
During the 1948 campaign against the Chinese Communists, he commanded a tank battalion consisting of M4 Sherman tanks. In 1949, after the defeat of the Kuomintang, he fled to Taiwan.

2. Mao Zedong's son - Mao Anying. (Sergei Mao).
Lieutenant, political commander of a tank company of the 2nd Belorussian Front. He fought through Poland and Czechoslovakia. He finished his combat journey with his tank unit in Berlin.

Before leaving home, at the behest of his father, he was received by Stalin, receiving a pistol from him as a souvenir.
On November 25, 1950, PLA Major General Mao Anying was killed during a raid by American B-26 bombers.

[NIKN]

Quote: Citelle 2013

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This is just a preview of the video that you are invited to watch.

[Lynx2000]

Today, few would argue with the fact that the modern army of the People's Republic of China is one of the most powerful in the world. However, this was not always the case.

For example, the National Revolutionary Army of China (NRA) during the reign of Chiang Kai-shek can hardly be called a formidable force. Meanwhile, even in the armed forces of the Gumildan Party, already in the early 30s of the last century, armored units began to be formed.

I am sure that the PRC will not agree with the statement about the birth of the PLA from the NRA. In April-July 1927 there was a split between the Kuomintang and the communists who were part of it. The Nanchang Uprising occurred, part of the NRA troops went over to the communist side and formed the Red Army (later the PLA).
The armed forces of the Republic of China (Taiwan Island) can be considered the heirs of the NRA.

By the beginning of the war with Japan, 3 tank battalions were organized as part of the NRA, with 119 tankettes, tanks and armored vehicles:
46 Carden-Loyd Mk VI wedges;
20 Vickers 6t E/F tanks;
20 Italian CV-33 wedges;
15 light German Panzer I tanks
18 German-made armored vehicles Sd.Kfz.221 and Sd.Kfz.222.

After the defeat in the Battle of Shanghai, the remaining tanks, along with 82 T-26 tanks acquired from the Soviet Union, were reorganized into the 200th Mechanized Division.