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Chinese workers in the first world wari

July 28, 2014 marks the centenary of the first world war's outbreak in Europe. A hundred years later, the story of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers, the largest non-European labour contingent in the war, is only slowly being rediscovered.

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France has paid tribute to 140,000 Chinese labourers who dug trenches, worked in weapons factories and, for many, lost their lives helping France's effort in the first world war.

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The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime,” said British minister Sir Edward Grey, on the eve of Britain declaring war on Germany. Many expected the Great War to be brief. 

July 28, 2014 marks the centenary of the outbreak of World War One. The story of hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers, the largest non-European labour contingent in the war, is only slowly being rediscovered.