韓戰延續三年，其中兩年雙方邊打邊談，而停戰談判的核心爭議是中國 戰俘遣返問題。美國堅持「志願遣返」原則，允許部分戰俘不返回中國大陸， 而中共堅決反對，因此戰爭又延續了約一年半。以中國人民志願軍叛逃者為 核心的反共戰俘較早地控制了兩大中國戰俘營，對其他戰俘實施嚴密的人身 控制、暴力脅迫與思想灌輸，以致大多數戰俘在1952 年4 至5 月的「甄別」 過程中表示反對遣返。本文疏理五名反共戰俘領袖的叛逃過程，分析他們在 國共兩黨統治下的異同經歷如何影響他們的思想與行為，他們的叛逃對戰 役、戰爭與戰俘營鬥爭所產生的影響；最後探討在「強制參與、無退出機制」 的制度之下，個人真正表達「志願」的可能性。主要材料包括美軍審訊紀錄、 美國和臺灣軍事外交檔案、戰俘回憶錄、個人檔案以及口述歷史訪問。

The Korean War lasted for three years, but the armistice negotiations occupied two of those years. At the center of the deadlock was the repatriation of 21,000 Chinese prisoners, which included 14,000 allegedly anti-Communist prisoners refusing repatriation. A core of bona fide anti-Communist prisonersmostly battlefield defectors－established their control in the two largest Chinese camps early on. They persuaded, pressured, and coerced fellow prisoners to renounce Communist China. This paper narrates the perilous escapes of five defectors who later became major prisoner leaders. It analyzes how their divergent experiences under the Nationalist and Communist regimes shaped their ideologies and behaviors and how their defection influenced the outcomes of battles and prison struggles. It also discusses the possibility of voluntary decisions under political systems that involve forced participation and allow no exit.