Research On Locust Control In Different Regions Of Shanxi Province During The Anti-Japanese War (1942-1945)

From 1942 to 1945,due to the abnormal climate,the alternation of waterlogging in Shanxi Province caused a serious secondary disaster--locust plague.The occurrence of locust plague during this period was not only influenced by natural factors,such as locust plague prone areas in Shanxi Province,the arid climate in Shanxi Province,which was easy to breed locust eggs,and the average altitude could not prevent locust transit,but also influenced by various social factors.For example,during this period,the frequent military activities in Shanxi,the extensive agricultural cultivation methods under the war,and the blind superstition of the people further expanded the area of locust infestation.The locust plague caused Shanxi Province to face serious economic problems in rural areas,such as crop reduction and the tragic situation of grain failure in some areas.Food security and land issues need to be solved urgently.At the same time,social security in the war is facing more severe challenges under the harm of locust.Beggars increased,bandits were rampant,and the death rate increased sharply,which then led to plagues and infectious diseases."When the army and horses are not moving,the grain and grass are first".Whether the food supply is sufficient becomes the key to the success or failure of the warring parties in Shanxi.Under the circumstances of rampant locust infestation,heavy damage to agricultural resources,exhaustion of human and material resources and natural resources,and weakening of people’s ability to cope with natural disasters,locust infestation control has become an urgent and urgent task for three different governments in Shanxi(Yan guan District,Japanese-occupied area,anti-Japanese area).However,the social and political ecology in different political regimes are different,the purpose and attitude of locust control are different,and the coping methods and measures taken by the rulers to control locust are also different.Although the regime in the Japanese-occupied areas paid great attention to the disaster situation and crop growth,its purpose was to meet the needs of invasion and to achieve rapid locust extermination and preservation of agricultural resources through funds and technology.Yan Guan District was nominally under the control of the state and intended to expand itself through the central government’s disaster relief funds.In fact,the control of locusts was limited,so the control of locusts was mainly carried out by the county level.The anti-Japanese base area under the leadership of the Communist Party of China has always adhered to the fundamental purpose of "the prosperity of politics lies in the support of the people and the abolishment of politics lies in the opposition of the people".Taking the people as the foundation and seeking practical results,the locust eradication campaign has been organized and disciplined under the premise of positive interaction with the people.Facts have proved that whether the attitude of controlling locusts is sincere or not and whether the anti-disaster measures are in place or not,ultimately determines the effectiveness of controlling locusts.Instead of taking people’s livelihood as the purpose,the dominant idea of "luring people with profits" and the way of controlling locusts eventually become superficial forms;Whether the disaster relief strategy is appropriate or not,and whether the disaster relief ability is superior,to a certain extent,indicates whether the regime can win public recognition and long-term stability.