List of German-trained divisions of the National Revolutionary Army
The German trained divisions (, literally German-equipped divisions) were the elite-quality, best trained and equipped infantry divisions in the Republic of China's National Revolutionary Army trained under Sino-German cooperation from 1926 to 1941. Led by Chiang Kai-shek, the President of the Republic of China. These divisions were active in the Chinese Civil War and Second Sino-Japanese War. Background In 1927, after the dissolution of the First United Front between the Nationalists and the Communists, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT, or the Chinese Nationalist Party) purged its leftist members and largely eliminated Soviet influence from its ranks. Chiang Kai-shek then turned to Germany, historically a great military power, for the reorganisation and modernisation of the NRA. The Weimar Republic sent advisors to the Republic of China, but because of the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, they could not serve in military capacities. Chiang initially requested famous generals such as Ludendorff and von Mackensen as advisors - the Weimar Republic turned him down, fearing that they were too famous, would invite the ire of the Allies, and would result in the loss of national prestige for such renowned figures to work, essentially, as mercenaries. Max Bauer was the first advisor sent