Sending Workers and Students from China to France and from Turkey to Germany during the First World War

Abstract

Sending students to foreign countries and bringing experts and teachers from there were among the basic education movements of all developing countries in the 19th century. Students were generally sent to Europe and America and later to Japan; Experts and teachers were also brought from there. Two similar events were observed during the First World War in the history of China and the Ottoman Empire, which shared similar fates in the early 20th century. China sent many students, workers and student workers, especially to France. The Ottoman Empire also sent many students and workers-students to its war partner, Germany. The endings of these projects, which were completed when the war ended, were similar to each other. Thousands of workers and students returned disappointed, without completing their education in a foreign country, without earning money or learning anything. Both countries eventually resulted in participation in far-left political movements and the establishment of communist parties that later developed in their home countries. As for the differences of the movement, most of the students sent from Turkey to Germany were the children of the princes, the civilian and military officials who were already at high levels in the country, and the rich. On the contrary, those sent from China to France were poor children. Those who were sent as workers were sent from China as full workers under contract, while orphanage children were generally sent from Turkey as apprentices. Both projects had to be terminated with the end of the First World War before reaching their goals.