Deutsche Militärberater in Taiwan

In: Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, Band 51, Heft 3, S. 385-402

Abstract

After World War II Chiang Kai-Shek and the rump of the Kuomintang forces had retreated to Taiwan in 1949. Yet, Chiang Kai-Shek did not even renounce his hopes of resuming his formerly good relations with Germany after the Cold War had broken out. The Cold War, however, immediately led to severe German caution against Taiwan, and the existing difficulties of maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan were further aggravated by different political views within Germany. In the early 1960s, the Taiwanese government finally succeeded in establishing some contacts with the West German state. From 1963 to 1975, German military advisers attended to the rearmament of the Taiwanese army. This essay shows the impact of the work of German military advisers on Taiwan within the framework of international relations during the 1960s and early 1970s. It also explores the nature of Germany's foreign policy during the Cold War and gives an overall assessment of its far eastern policy. Last but not least, it looks at what suggestions German military advisers came up with in order to solve diplomatic problems. (Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte / FUB)