During the AntiJapanese War, the total area of cotton fields and the yield of cotton in Shaanxi Province decreased significantly from the prewar level, due to a variety of unfavorable factors.However, Shaanxi became the most important cotton producing area in the rear area, undertaking the crucial task of providing cotton for the military and civilians in the rear area, because many other cotton producing provinces had been occupied by Japan.The National Government cared much about the cotton producing industry in Shaanxi Province.It allocated indispensible agricultural resources to the cotton producing industry in Shaanxi through measures such as providing highquality cotton seeds, giving out loans, and implementing the administrative system for cotton seeds.During the war, the cotton producing industry in Shaanxi Province fared pretty well.The average yield per mu(亩) and the quality of cotton both improved.Shaanxi was leading in cotton production in the rear area, and played a key role in supplying cotton for the war effort.The coexistence of decline and development was a salient feature of the cotton producing industry in Shaanxi during the wartime.The main reason why the cotton producing industry in Shaanxi developed greatly during the time period was the optimal allocation of relevant natural and socialeconomic resources.

Fullscale AntiJapanese War; cotton producing industry in Shaanxi; the allocation of agricultural resources; Shaanxi Institute for Agricultural Improvement