WWI Stats

From: Christina Firpo <christina.firpo@gmail.com>

Date: Apr 23, 2006 3:05 PM

Subject: [Vsg] WWI Stats

Dear List,

I am trying to make an argument about the impact of WWI on colonial Vietnam with regards to the numbers of white French men from Indochina who were drafted for the war and the numbers of non-white men from Indochina who were drafted. Has anyone seen statistics that reflect the race of the draftees from Indochina?

I found statistics for Vietnamese subjects and proteges but I have not yet found statistics for either French citizens from Indochina nor for specifically the white French men from Indochina. (please note the difference between French citizens and white Frenchmen). In the documents from the Gococh files local administrators admit that they could not estimate by race.

If published statistics exist, would someone kindly point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance.

Best,

Christina Firpo

From: Gilbert <mgilbert@ngcsu.edu>

Date: Apr 24, 2006 10:10 AM

Subject: Re: [Vsg] WWI Stats

I do not know if this will help, but there is now considerable

literature on the parallel recruitment of Africans in WWI. Here what is

interesting is that thousands of Africans served as porters for all

European forces fighting across Africa (particulary in Cameroon and East

Africa) and elsewhere who were not accorded status as soldat. French

colonial and or war records that list these so-called African

non-combatants may also list _coolie_labor from Vietnam. I mention this

as coolie labor may outnumber formal recruits from Vietnam. However,

Christina may be looking for other game in terms of ethnicity and

recruitment of formal soldiery and I am just letting the world historian

in me run away with the question.

Marc