The Guizhou Drought And Relief In 1937

In 1937, The Guizhou drought demon wreaked havoc, the disaster area reached 61 counties, the stricken population reached several millions, that seriously disaster situation was very rare in the Guizhou history. The drought's occurrence, Firstly, it was caused by its climate, the geological landform, the soil and vegetation and so on natural reasons. Secondly, it had close relation with the declined rural economy, the turbulenced political power, and the frequently bandits chaos and so on social reasons. This drought caused the agriculture to suffer the heavy loss and the destruction, caused disaster victims' survival requirement to worsen suddenly, and also caused the enormous damage to disaster victims' psychology.In 1937, The Guizhou Province welfare agency consummated day by day, and it had the stable funds origin. Based on this, the Guizhou government had formed a set of complete relief work procedure, and used the corresponding relief measures. But because of the embarrassment finance, the lowly government working efficiency and so on reasons, the government relief had not achieved its effects that it should be have. The civil society strength had played the influential role in 1937 Guizhou drought relief. The conference which contributed to help the poor Chinese associate with Guizhou branch, Shanghai conference which raise funds to contribute to the Guizhou Province disaster, the Red Cross Society of China and so on folk disaster relief associations to carry on the relief to the Guizhou drought. They have made up the government relief insufficiency to a certain extent.In the Guizhou drought relief in 1937, the nimble disaster relief mentality, the convenient transportation and communication methods, the gradually improved organization and the multiplicational channels to raise funds, all these had manifestd the modernization direction of Guizhou relief activities. But this drought relief still had many insufficiencies, gave us several enlightenments: The economic development level is very important; its necessary to establish the standard surveillance system; The government should raise the administrative efficiency; its essential to make full use of the folk relief strength; From the view of disaster prevention, it should be increase the forest cover plant to improve the ecological environment, construct mountain pool reservoir and water conservancy and so on facilities to protect the drought.