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Home > JOURNAL > Vol. 13 (2024) > Number 2

 

Abstract

The First World War marked a transformative period in the national histories of numerous Asian countries. For China, the war aligned with profound societal changes that contributed significantly to the nation's trajectory toward self-determination. China’s most substantial contribution to the Allied war effort came in the form of over 300,000 labourers dispatched to Europe, where they supported military operations behind the front lines in France and Russia. These labourers undertook a range of critical tasks, including the construction of military fortifications, the repair of roads and railways, the production of munitions, and battlefield clearing. While some returned to China following the Armistice, many remained in Europe until 1922 to aid in the reconstruction of war-ravaged regions in northern France. Those recruited by Russian forces found themselves caught in the upheaval of the Russian Revolution and subsequent civil war, with many taking active roles in these conflicts. This article explores the long-term impacts of these wartime experiences on returning labourers and their reintegration into Chinese society. It examines whether their exposure to new ideas and technical skills influenced China’s evolving social and political landscape and contributed to shifts in national historical development during the 1920s. By analysing primary sources from French, British and Russian archives, this study assesses the complex legacies of these labourers and their contributions to the broader trajectory of Chinese national transformation in the early twentieth century.

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