Research On Coal Mining Industry In Tongguan County, Shaanxi Province During The Anti-Japanese War

Shaanxi is located in the northwest of China.It has inconvenient transportation and underdeveloped industry as well as mining.Moreover,the government has always not invested much in this area.Tongguan County of Shaanxi is rich in coal resources,but because of its poor management and backward in technique,bad working environment,long working hours and high mobility and etc,it still does not get the large and effective mining before the war of resistance against Japanese aggression and thus develops so hard with the low economic benefits.To some extent,the outbreak of war brings many an opportunities to the development of Tongguan County’s coal industry.On the one hand,the national government establishes Shaanxi as the industrial center of northwest backing area.As Shaanxi becomes more important in its strategic position and is deeply influenced by the northwest development trend;the coal becomes an essential resource with an increasing demand,the government not only provides technical and financial support,but also gives preferential treatment to ensure the coal demand.Therefore,the coal industry in Tongguan County attains wide development during the wartime.On the other hand,after the coal producing regions of northeast,east and north China successively fell,the national government immediately moves the industrial enterprises and people in the front line to the northwest and southwest China and etc,which makes the coal market unprecedentedly expand.Due to the capital input and technical innovation,the coal industry of Tongguan County enters unprecedented developing period before the war of resistance against Japanese aggression.The main aspects are as followings:first,the management system has greatly improved and the management mode begins to take shape.But some problems like labor contract system still exist in the same time;second,the output and sales of coal has substantial increased;third,the production technology has proceeded.To increase the coal production,some miners actively purchase the machines and equipments.Meanwhile,the provincial government also gives some help to the development of mining camps,such as offering the loan of machines.The input of power equipment greatly improves the work efficiency and increases yield,which can advantageously ensure military and civilian supplies and contributes to the victory of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression as well.Late in the war of,the mining industry disputes appear but without solutions and the national government carries out some inflationary,limited price as well as the unreasonable tax policies.In addition,it is also short of money and has difficulties to buy the machines.All these factors cause the Tongguan County’s coal industry to decay and shrinking production.The crisis occurred in the coal industry not only seriously disrupts the development of other industries,but also affects people’s daily life.Therefore,in order to change the plight,both the government and miners strive to purchase some stored coal,offer industrial loans,improve the transportation,suspend the date of machine returning and etc.However,all these policies just scratch the surface and cannot alleviate the growing coal industry crisis.During the wartime,the efficient development of Tongguan County’s coal industry makes outstanding contributions to the success of war.It provides fuel to the development of industries and also ensures the transportation capacities,which fully support the war of resistance against Japanese aggression from the military aspect.In the mean time,the development of coal industry also promotes the industrial layout all over the country and the urbanization of Tongguan County,helps the government to settle down the homeless people,maintains social order,strengthens the areas connections,drives the development of Shaanxi’ education and impacts the customs there and etc.