German helmets at japanese army

[R.R.]

I captured this images from a japanese documentary named "Nanjing Record Film - 1937". The film is about the japanese occupation of Nanjing city. At the end of the film there is a scene from a great japanese soldiers column leaving the city. Observing the scene we can see some japanese soldiers wearing german helmets.

It's the first time that I see it. Someone has more informations about german helmets use in the Imperial Japanese Army or Navy?

[RodneyO]

Could this be captured Nationalist Army helmets? I think they were worn somewhere in the 30's.

[Joe Cartafalsa]

German helmets in Asia

German advisors were in China and supplied much equipment in the late 1920s
and 30s. The Germans even set up manufacturing shops in China. I suspect that the Germans were there until the Japanese invaded. Joe

[Jareth]

I'm fairly certain the Japanese soldiers are wearing captured, souvinered Chinese M35 German helmets.

[thefallenbuddha]

Yes, those are Chinese helmets. In the mid-1930s many of the better nationalists units used a large amount of German helmets, as they had been trained and receiving equipment from Germany in years prior. In particular, the nationalists forces around Nanking and Peking in 1937 were noted for wearing the German helmets, this is shown extensively in photographs and also books.

As a propaganda boost, especially for the cameras, Japanese soldiers would dawn discarded Chinese helmets and caps, which is what I suppose those film shots you posted show. Photos of Japanese soldiers marching or posing with Chinese helmets during the 1937 invasion are pretty common, and turn up a lot in photo albums from soldiers who served during that period. Later today, I will do a rummage through some of the albums I have and dig out some photos to post.

On a side note, there is also some widely seen footage of Japanese troops marching with British helmets in Singapore as well, though I can't at the moment think of the name of which documentaries feature this....

[Nick Komiya]

It is said the Chinese imported 220 thous. German M35 helmets, but not all were German imports. Here's a Chinese made copy of the M35 brought back by a Japanese army soldier.
The one-ring liner band, to which the flimsy leather is tied on with strings show the extent of compromises the Chinese had to make due to material shortages.

[Nick Komiya]

Liner

[Nick Komiya]

As previous posts referred to varied helmets worn by Japanese troops in China in 1937, here's a photo from November of that year showing the hodge podge helmet situation at that time.

[Jareth]

Nick can you comment on what I've heard. That Chinese received first shipment of type 35s before Germany even issued them. I was also told these were only manufactured by ET & liners & liner bands were stamped with very early dates.

[blinky]

Nick, I would give you one of my kidneys for that helmet!

eric

[Nick Komiya]

Eric,
I already have 3 kidneys. If I can make room for a 4th like my kidney transplant advisor , Nikki Lauda (F1 World Champ) I'll take you up on your offer and go get this helmet for you (it's not mine). Nikki had to marry the donor, so your's is a better deal by far. Talking about advisors, the German army advisors were in China since 1927, so they may have used the Chinese as a guinea pig for their new helmet, but I have no info to that effect. However, this site clearly says no German markings were applied. http://www.german-helmets.com/FOREIGN%20USE%20Main.htm

[mcmike]

German helmets on Japanese Noggins

Being a fan of cornball WWII films that were actually made during the war, I recall a Clark Gable movie, perhaps "They Met in Bombay", where-in the Japanese soldiers in China not only wore German helmets, they wore them backwards! Every soldier/actor had his stahlhelm on in reverse. Obviously a ploy to make Gable think that they were running away instead of attacking.

[mcmike]

In fact, look at the guy on the left from picture #2. Looks like a bass-ackward M35 to me.

[blinky]

Nikki was my hero growing up....heck, I'd even consider giving you a kidney for his autograph! (I seem to be willing to give away body parts pretty easily lately, I better be careful).

I had heard the same as Jareth about them. I've only seen and handled one that I would be 75% sure was original with the early aluminum liner band, any markings on it couldn't be read because of condition and not wanting to put any stress on it by tugging it out enough to read. The insignia was stenciled on. I remember the shell was marked but I can't recall who the maker was. These have got to be the least known and least understood helmet issued en mass.

eric

[Jareth]

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...german+helmets