265
3
study (without making detailed calculations), I decided that Britain came seventh on the list of countries supplying arms to China. They clear Italy. They show what parts were played by small countries like Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Sweden. They reveal the United States of America providing the aeroplanes and the aerial equipment, Russia providing the big guns and ammunition for them, and Germany providing almost everything except speed-boats and solenoids. (1) Aeroplanes. -Out of 106 aeroplanes, nearly half, fifty-one, came from the United States of America and twenty-seven from Canada (? American factories in Canada). The United Kingdom supplied sixteen and the Germans twelve.
(2) Aeroplane-engines.-Out of seventeen, all came from the United States
of America.
(3) Aeroplane Spares and Accessories. Over 92 per cent. from the United
States of America.
(4) Armoured Cars and Tanks.-The Italians supplied 101 armoured cars
and the Russians fifty tanks.
(5) Machine Guns. Out of 11,829, nearly half came from Czechoslovakia,
while Germany and Belgian account for the rest.
(6) Rifles. Out of 86,000, Belgium supplied 54,000, Czechoslovakia and
Germany 5,000.
(7) The Larger Projectiles.—At a rough estimate Germany supplied over
70 per cent.
(8) Ammunition for Rifles and Machine Guns.---From the point of view of
Chinese resistance, this is the most important category:-
*Sweden
Germany
Belgium
Czechoslovakia
Russia
Great Britain
Hungary
United States of America
Rounds.
117,670,000
113,250,000
38,670,000
26,000,000
24,000,000
16,670,000
15,000,000
12,050,000
(9) Explosives.-Practically all came from Germany, with a little from
Sweden.
Germany.
The different Countries as Suppliers of Arms to China.
Germany has entries in thirty-seven out of the fifty-seven categories. (Com- pare this with the United States of America sixteen, Russia fourteen, Great Britain ten, Belgium nine, Czechoslovakia four).
She was China's main source of supply for anti-tank guns, howitzers, pistols and revolvers, bombs (various), anti-aircraft shells, anti-tank shells, howitzer shells, pistol and revolver cartridges, empty cartridges, howitzer limbers.
She heads nearly all the lists of explosives.
She supplied 25 per cent. of the machine guns and 30 per cent. of the rifle and machine-gun ammunition.
Italy.
The record of Japan's other ally is surprisingly clean. Italy supplied only three items 3-5 of the aeroplane spare parts, 20 per cent. of the bombs (various), and 101 armoured cars.
United States of America.
Specialised in aeroplanes and aerial equipment.
France.
One large consignment of anti-aircraft shells (but Germany's is even bigger).
Belgium.
Percentage
Sweden
25 of machine guns.
75 of rifles.
12 of ammunition for these.
Heads the following important categories:
Anti-aircraft guns
Shells for mortars
Ammunition for rifles and machine guns...
Czechoslovakia.
Percentage
Russia.
48 of the machine guns.
33 of the rifles.
Percentage.
40
90
35
98
Her column has more entries than any other country except Germany. She seems to have specialised in heavy artillery.
She sent farge consignments of tanks, anti-aircraft guns, machine guns, 7.6 and 11.5 guns, bombs (various), anti-aircraft shells, shells for guns, fuses and spare parts for bombs and shells.
It does not say how these supplies came from Russia, but I imagine that they came on Scandinavian vessels.
She is said to have supplied most of the aeroplanes for the Chinese air force. These, of course, would have been flown to China direct. The Military Intelli- gence in Hong Kong told me on the 20th September that there is a fairly steady trickle of arms into China by lorry along the road that runs from the Turk-Sib Railway across Sinkiang to Lanchow.
Various.
Small consignments came from Switzerland, Denmark, Hungary and Austria.
Great Britain.
It is quite extraordinary how little Great Britain has supplied.
Percentage
15 of the aeroplanes.
· 1 of the spare parts.
2.66 of the anti-aircraft shells.
14.2 of the shells for various guns.
25
of the dynamite and gelignite.
Great Britain is China's sixth source of supply for rifle and machine-gun ammunition. The only categories she heads are those for, firstly, fuses; secondly, speed-boats.
China's Sources of Supply.
Without making detailed calculations, I should say that the order should be as follows:-
1st (by a long, long way): Germany.
2nd: Russia
3rd Czechoslovakia.
4th Sweden.
5th: Belgium.
6th
United States.
7th Great Britain.
8th: Italy.
9th
France.
Some Other Points.
1. All these munitions were consigned to the Canton Military Council of the National Government of China.
266
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.