Acknowledgements
Professor Gregor Benton read the entire text more than once and made many valuable suggestions as well as advising and encouraging me throughout the entire project. Jamila Djoudi read and corrected the introduction and also translated several German language Comintern documents. Dr Pavel Toropov generously spent many hours helping me decipher Russian handwriting. Pang Li did the same for handwritten Chinese documents and even painstakingly retyped some of them. Dr Owen Miller transliterated many Korean names and gave me biographical material on several of the Korean delegates. Gregor Kneussel helped me many times with the names of Korean organisations. Professor Louise Edwards explained the history of the women’s liberation movement in southern China. Professor Alexander Pantsov introduced me to and guided me through the Comintern archive. Professor Christopher Atwood unstintingly answered my many questions about the Mongolian delegates. Professors Yang Kuisong and Yao Jinguo responded most helpfully and courteously to my questions on the Chinese delegation. Professors Steve McKinnon and Edward Rhoads helped me identify Chinese politicians from the Qing dynasty and early Republican period. Without all their help I would not have been able to complete this volume and I am immeasurably grateful to them. No doubt there are mistakes and shortcomings in my work, for which they, naturally, bear no responsibility.