Republic of China Armed Forces

The Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCA, 中華民國國軍), known as the National Revolutionary Army (NRA, 國民革命軍) before June 1948, is the regular army of the Republic of China with the implementation of the army reforms of 1948, calling for civilian control of the military. It was previously the military wing of the Kuomintang, during the Kuomintang party-state, and was engaged in multiple wars such as the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War and the Sino-Manchu War.

Originally organized with Soviet aid as a means to unite China under Kuomintang rule, the Armed Forces has been in multiple engagements, such as the Northern Expedition against Beiyang Warlords, the Second Sino-Japanese War against the Imperial Japanese Army, Sino-Manchu War against the Qing Royal Army, and has also been engaged with Vietnamese communist forces and French Colonial Forces during the ongoing Vietnamese Civil War.

History
The NRA was founded by the KMT in 1925 as the military force destined to unite China in the Northern Expedition. Organized with the help of the Comintern and supposedly guided under the doctrine of the Three Principles of the People, the distinction among loyalty to the party, state and army was often blurred. A large number of the Army's officers passed through the Whampoa Military Academy, and the first commandant, Chiang Kai-shek, became commander-in-chief of the Army in 1925 before launching the successful Northern Expedition. Other prominent commanders included Du Yuming and Chen Cheng. The end of the Northern Expedition in 1928 is often taken as the date when China's Warlord era ended, though smaller-scale warlord activity continued for years afterwards in groups such as the New Guangxi Clique under Li Zongren. The dissolution of the First United Front led to the NRA to start purging their leftist members and largely eliminated communist influence from it's ranks. Lacking a foreign advisor, the NRA looked to the then Weimar Republic Germany, historically a strong military power. The Weimar Republic, limited by the Treaty of Versailles, was unable to send military advisors in a military role to the newly United China. When the ROC initially requested famous generals such as Ludendorff and von Mackensen as military advisors, the Weimar Republic turned these requests down as to not to be seen as sending generals to foreign countries as mercenaries.

In 1933, the new Nazi party that was in charge of Germany disavowed the Treaty, furthering relations between the Anti-Communist Nazi Party and the Anti-Communist Kuomintang, with Germany expanding Chinese infrastructure and training Chinese troops, while China provided industrial aid for Germany. By the same year, the first of the many advisors to China was Max Bauer.

In 1934, the newly formed Chinese General Staff proposed a plan to reform the cowardly and then-corrupt NRA into a fighting force to be reckoned with, fearing a Japanese invasion of China, and the inability of China at it's current state to defend against a Japanese invasion. The plan was to reform the army into 80 Divisions of highly trained and well-equipped troops organized in the fashion of German forces. Immediate work was put to the plan, purging corrupt elements while reorganizing the officer structure at the Whampoa Officer Academies. By 1937, 24 Divisions had gone through mass mobilization and training along German lines, with corruption and rife in the NRA to be reduced. The first of the many divisions that were reorganized were the 3rd, 4th, 8th, 37th, 87th, 88th, 91th, 200th divisions and the Training Division.

An unknown amount of Nazi military advisors were sent to China to reform the NRA, and it is unknown of who after 1935. In 1938, due to closer collaboration with the Empire of Japan, the Nazi Regime recalled all resources from China.

For a time, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Communist forces fought as a nominal part of the National Revolutionary Army, forming the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army units, but this co-operation later fell apart.

Troops in India and Burma during World War II included the Chinese Expeditionary Force (Burma), the Chinese Army in India and Y Force.

In 1942, the US offered to reform the NRA yet again, training the troops in British India. By then, 35 divisions had been retrained in India and Sichuan, and the new driving force in the NRA by 1944. After the drafting and implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of China in 1947, the National Revolutionary Army was transformed into the ground service branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces – the Republic of China Army (ROCA).

The post-war ROCA was a formidable force - the NRA crushed warlords and subjugated communist uprisings with ease - but this was to come to a test at 1947, with the Sino-Manchu War. The Soviet trained Qing troops were one of the stepping stones of the ROCA to become a global fighting force - another army reform had followed in 1948 had mechanized and motorized the majority of the ROCA at the time.

Structure
The NRA throughout its lifespan recruited approximately 4,300,000 regulars, in 274 Standard Divisions (正式師), 35 New Divisions (新編師), 12 Cavalry Divisions (騎兵師), eight New Cavalry Divisions (新編騎兵師), 45 Temporary Divisions (暫編師), and 13 Reserve Divisions (預備師), for a grand total of 387 divisions. However, some divisions were formed from two or more other divisions, and were not active at the same time.

At the apex of the NRA was the National Military Council, also translated as Military Affairs Commission. Chaired by Chiang Kai-Shek, it directed the staffs and commands. It included from 1937 the Chief of the General Staff, General He Yingqin, the General Staff, the War Ministry, the military regions, air and naval forces, air defense and garrison commanders, and support services Around 14 Million were conscripted from 1937-1945.

Organization
Military Affairs Commission


 * Military Region ×12 (戰區)
 * Army Corps ×4(兵團)
 * Army Group (集團軍 Group Army)
 * Route Army (路軍)
 * Field army (軍)
 * Corps x191 (軍團 Army Group) – usually exercised command over two to three NRA Divisions and often a number of Independent Brigades or Regiments and supporting units. The Chinese Republic had 191 Corps during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Corps became the basic tactical unit of the NRA having strength nearly equivalent to an allied Division.
 * Division (師)
 * Brigade (旅)
 * Regiment (團)
 * Battalion (營)
 * Company (連)
 * Platoon (排)
 * Squad (班)

Suicide Squadrons
During the Xinhai Revolution and the Warlord Era of the Republic of China (1912–1949), "Dare to Die Corps" (traditional Chinese: 敢死隊; simplified Chinese: 敢死队; pinyin: gǎnsǐduì) or "Suicide squads" were frequently used by Chinese armies. On many occasions, China deployed these suicide units against the Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War."US equipped Chinese Army in India marching.jpg"

Equipment
There was a major difference in equipment of the regular provincial armies and the reorganized Central Army units. Typically, provincial units were equipped the the Hanyang 88 (clone of Gewehr 88) while Central Army units were equipped with the Chiang Kai-shek rifle and other Mauser type rifles from Germany, Belgium and Czechoslovakia, chambered in 7.92mm. Through the close collaboration between the Nazi and the Kuomintang, the standard infantry light machine gun was the Type 34 (clone of the MG34), while provincial armies had the Czech Brno ZB vz. 26 in the standard 7.92 mm. Furthermore, there were LMGs from other sources, such as Belgian, French and Soviet from the Soviet Aid Program.

Rations were given not in a MRE fashion until the introduction of spam.

Infantry Equipment - Provincial Rifleman
1x Hanyang 88

1x Cleaning kit 1x Combat Knife/Bayonet

1x Field Cap

4x Puttees

50x 7.92mm Ammunition

1x Infantry Uniform

2x Straw Shoes

Infantry Equipment - Provincial Machine Gunner
1x ZB vz. 26

2x Barrels

1x Cleaning kit

1x Combat Knife/Bayonet

1x Field Cap

4x Puttees

5,000x 7.92mm Ammunition (carried by other soldiers in 25 round magazines)

1x Infantry Uniform

2x Straw Shoes

Infantry Equipment - Provincial NCO
1x Hanyang 88

1x Mauser C96/Shanxi Type 17/Equivalent

1x Combat Knife/Bayonet

1x Dadao/Saber

1x Field Cap

4x Puttees

100x 7.63mm Ammunition

1x Officer Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - Central Army Rifleman
1x Type 24/Mauser 98K/Equivalent 1x Cleaning kit

1x Bayonet

1x Combat Knife

1x Field Cap

1x M35 Stahlhelm

4x Puttees (later reduced to 2 during the 1948 reforms)

75x 7.92mm Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Cloth Shoes/Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - Central Army Machine Gunner
1x Type 34/MG34/Equivalent 3x Barrels

1x Cleaning kit

1x Combat Knife

1x Field Cap

1x M35 Stahlhelm

4x Puttees (ditto)

7,500x 7.92mm Ammunition (carried by other soldiers in boxes or belts)

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Cloth Shoes/Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - Central Army Submachine Gunner
1x MP18

1x Cleaning kit

1x Bayonet 1x Combat Knife

1x Field Cap

1x M35 Stahlhelm

4x Puttees (ditto)

125-150x 7.63mm Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather shoes (Submachine Gunners were designated in the 15th, 34th,37th, 88th and Training Division: thus they had better treatment)

Infantry Equipment - Central Army NCO
1x MP18

1x Combat Knife

1x Dadao/Saber

1x Field Cap

1x M35 Stahlhelm 4x Puttees (ditto)

125x 7.63mm Ammunition

2x Officer Uniform

2x Leather Boots

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1942) Rifleman
1x SMLE

1x Cleaning kit

1x Bayonet

1x Kukri

1x Brodie Helmet

1x Slouch Hat

6x Puttees (increased for all CEF personnel to easier navigate the Burma region)

60x .303 Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1942) Machine Gunner
1x Bren LMG

1x Cleaning kit

3x Barrels

1x Kukri

1x Brodie Helmet

1x Slouch Hat

6x Puttees

5000x .303 Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1942) Submachine Gunner
1x Sten/MP18

1x Cleaning Kit

1x Bayonet

1x Kukri

1x Brodie Helmet

1x Slouch Hat

6x Puttees

120x 9mm Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1944) Rifleman
1x M1 Garand/M1 Carbine

1x Cleaning Kit

1x Bayonet

1x Combat Knife

1x M1 Helmet

1x Field Cap

2x Puttees

80x 30-06 Ammunition OR 90x 30. carbine Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

1x Radio Equipment

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1944) Machine Gunner
1x Type 34 (rechambered to 30-06)

2x Barrels

1x Cleaning kit

1x Combat Knife

1x Field Cap

1x M1 Helmet

2x Puttees

7,500x 7.92mm Ammunition (carried by other soldiers in boxes or belts)

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1944) Submachine Gunner
1x M1 Thompson/MP18

1x Cleaning Kit

1x Combat Knife

1x Field Cap

1x M1 Helmet

2x Puttees

120x 45.acp Ammunition

2x Infantry Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

1x Radio Equipment

Infantry Equipment - CEF (1944) NCO
1x M1 Carbine

1x M1911

1x Cleaning Kit

1x Combat Knife

1x Dadao/Saber

1x Field Cap

1x M1 Helmet

2x Puttees

90x 30. carbine Ammunition and 20 45.acp Ammunition

2x Officer Uniform

2x Leather Boots

Infantry Equipment - Army of the Chinese Republic (1948) Rifleman
1x Type 46 (M1 Garand Clone)

1x Type 11 (M1911 Clone)

1x Cleaning Kit

1x Combat Knife

1x M1 Helmet

1x Cold Weather Net

1x Field Cap

80x 30-06 Ammunition and 20x 45.acp Ammunition

2x Cold Weather Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

1x Radio Equipment

After merging with Submachine Gunner
1x Type 44 (Clone of STG44 chambered for 30-06) or Type 15 (Clone of M1 Thompson)

1x Cleaning Kit

1x M1 Helmet

1x Cold Weather Net

1x Field Cap

90x 30-06 Ammunition OR 120x 45.acp Ammunition

2x Cold Weather Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

1x Radio Equipment

Infantry Equipment - Army of the Chinese Republic (1948) Machine Gunner
1x Type 46 (Clone of MG42 chambered for 30-06)

3x Barrels

1x Cleaning Kit

1x M1 Helmet

1x Cold Weather nEt

1x Field Cap

9,000 30-06 Ammunition (carried in boxes)

2x Cold Weather Uniform

2x Leather Shoes

Infantry Equipment - Army of the Chinese Republic (1948) NCO
1x Type 15

1x Cleaning Kit

1x M1 Helmet with NCO insignia

1x Cold Weather Net

1x Field Cap with NCO insignia

120x 45.acp Ammunition

2x Cold Weather Officer Uniform

2x Leather Boots