From the Tsar's Railway to the Red Army: The Experience of Chinese Labourers in Russia During the First World War and Bolshevik Revolution

The narrative explores the harrowing experiences of Chinese laborers during World War I, who, despite promises of non-involvement, found themselves toiling under dire conditions for the Russian war effort. Following the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, their situation deteriorated further, with many joining the Red Army while others were left stranded and impoverished. This episode highlights a tragic chapter in the history of Chinese emigration, as these men sought a better life but faced unimaginable hardships instead.