History is ironic. Nationalist China owed a lot to Germany for the Nanjing decade 1927-1937. John Rabe and Siemens greatly aided the development of China, the building up of the communication systems and the heavy industries. Germany loaned China 100 millions marks, 20 millions in barter, 80 millions were written off as a gesture of goodwill during the early period of the 2nd Sino-Japanese war. according to KMT great Chen Lifu, the German ambassador made two serious attempts to bring about peace talks between China and Japan before the battle of Nanjing, the Germans offered a China-Japan-German alliance against Soviet Union and Communism. when Germany withdrew its support to China, some German military advisors chose to stay in China and served the Chinese army, providing valuable assistance in strategy and logistics.
when ww2 ended. according to author Freda Utley. in Shanghai, many foreigners complained that why the German nationals were allowed to move around freely in Shanghai and weren't put in prison camps. Utley found out from the authorities that they received orders not to arrest the German nationals and to treat them well. China remembered Germany as a friend back then.