Discover the forgotten role of overseas Chinese in WWII — from war funding to the Burma Road, the French Resistance, and Atlantic convoys.
In the history of China’s war against Japan, one group is often overlooked — the overseas Chinese. Living far from their homeland, they shared the same fate as their compatriots. Their efforts stretched across China’s battlefields, the oceans, and even Europe’s resistance movements.
Standing with the Homeland
Many supported the war financially. In 1939, China’s war expenses reached about 1.8 billion yuan. That same year, overseas Chinese sent home 1.1 billion yuan in remittances. They donated money, purchased bonds, and shipped vital supplies. For China’s wartime economy, its support was critical.
Thousands of young men chose to return and fight. More than 3,000 Chinese from Southeast Asia joined transport missions on the Burma Road, carrying weapons and supplies through steep mountains and dangerous terrain. One in three never made it back.
Others took to the skies. About 200 Chinese Americans trained as pilots and strengthened China’s air force. Many lost their lives in aerial battles against Japanese forces.
Joining the Global Struggle
Overseas Chinese were not only part of China’s resistance. They also played a role in the global fight against fascism.
During the Spanish Civil War, Chinese volunteers joined the International Brigades. They fought alongside people from more than 50 countries.
Besides, more than 400 Chinese joined the French Resistance. Zhou Ting, a leather worker in Paris, turned his workshop into a secret base for passing intelligence. He risked arrest and imprisonment to support the cause.
Additionally, tens of thousands of Chinese sailors served on both merchant and naval ships. They carried food, fuel, and weapons across the Atlantic to Britain. Each voyage faced the threat of German submarines and bombers. Many sailors never returned. The routes became known as “death runs.”
When the Pacific War broke out, Chinese in the United States and Canada enlisted in Allied armies. They fought in Europe as well as in Asia, adding their strength to the global campaign.
Remembering a Global Legacy
These stories show that World War II was not confined to one country or one front. The overseas Chinese were not only supporters of China’s resistance but also participants in the wider global struggle.
Their sacrifices remind us that the fight against fascism was a truly international effort. Remembering them restores a missing chapter of shared history — one that belongs not only to China, but to the world.
Written by Chen Wang, additional reporting by CNS.
If you liked this article, why not read: WWII Victory: China Marks Contributions of Overseas Chinese
