The Chinese Labour Corps
世界第一大戰的中國勞工 (企鵝一戰中國史)
As the young men of Europe were fighting in the trenches, a little known contingent of Chinese laborers crossed the world to provide support vital to the Allied war effort. Largely illiterate farmers from northern China, these men were simply attempting to make a better life for themselves, ignorant of the war and its causes. Under brutal conditions many died for their efforts, and their involvement wasn’t recognized for decades—it is still not widely known. This book brings their story to light, describing in detail the laborers’ recruitment, their daily experiences in a foreign land and the horrific work they carried out, including the clearing of remains from battlefields.
百年前的一戰，歐洲之殤，舉世皆知。可是，中國在這場大戰中的犧牲身影久被遺忘。
作為企鵝中國特輯紀念一戰百年之作，本書聚焦20世紀初葉一戰中有關中國但鮮為人知的風雲變幻，再現從東亞返歸西歐參戰的歐洲人，以及中國人約14萬奔赴法國、比利時等歐陸戰場，約20萬在俄國支援協約國集團作戰的華工經歷。
彼時，青島竟是一戰在東亞的唯一戰場，當上海的英國人迫不及待地回國參戰，歐戰中的華工也天真地期待著結束一戰、實現和平共贏的新生活。
可是，內有政治動盪、復辟鬧劇，外有東方形象的世紀偏見、巴黎和會的列強背叛，前線戰場則有華工被俘的戰俘營，後方工段亦有喝沼澤水、吃黑麵包的沙俄苦旅，遙遠的中國真是舉步維艱。
一戰百年後的今天，久已走出刺鼻灼目的硝煙，可遺忘一戰之中國人，難道不等於背叛百年前我們共有的歷史嗎？