The Beginning Journey Of New China's Regulating Rivers And Watercourses (1949～1957)

Dating back to the practice conducted by the CCP members on regulating rivers and watercourses during the years of revolution, this thesis makes a historical investigation into regulating rivers and watercourses in the primary stage of New China, that is the period of the recovery of the domestic economy and the time of the first Five-Year Plan. In order to stabilize and run the state, the Chinese Government and the CCP led by Chairman Mao planned and drew up a series of significant strategies and meaningful policies against floods the instant establishment of the People's Republic of China. Accompanied with the implement of these policies, New China took the first important step in regulating rivers and watercourses. The thesis mainly probes into the background and course of how those strategies and policy decisions concerning harnessing some big rivers, such as Huai River, Yellow River, Yangtze River and so on, came into being. In addition, under the years of painstaking work by innumerable skillful workers, experts and masses from all walks of life, Huai River that once had been in flood almost every year in history began to be obedient to man's power. Meanwhile, the project involved in prevention and overall harnessing of Yellow River and Yangtze River successively came into force. From which a subsequently good effect derived and prevention of loss of water and soil erosion took its due priority. Consequently, to a certain extent the previous passive situation caused by floods was reversed. Insteed, a promising prospect of the people's stable lives and steady production embarked on its way. All these achievements also played significant roles in promoting the recovery of the domestic economy and development of constructions in various fields. To search for the objective law of regulating rivers and watercourses, the thesis, analysing the problems existing and lessons in history, theoretically and systematically summarizes New China's successful experice in regulating rivers and watercourses. In a word, reviewing history is to serve for today, to illuminate the future.