Is it 1943 or 1944 going west?

The westward movement took place in the Qing Dynasty, that is, the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period you mentioned. Qing Dynasty is an important period in the history of population development in China. In the early Qing Dynasty, after the recuperation and development of Gan III, the population of the whole country exceeded 300 million during the Qianlong period. The contradiction between man and land is acute, and a large number of poor people in the mainland are forced by the pressure of life to "go west", "travel east", "travel the ancient road", "go down to Nanyang" and "go up to Jinshan", resulting in five major immigration waves in modern times, all of which are unofficial behaviors characterized by making a living. Since the Qing Dynasty, thousands of people from Shaanxi and Shanxi have flocked to Cheng Guihua, Tumote, Chahar and Erdos to make a living. "Westward migration" has greatly changed the social structure, economic structure and lifestyle of Inner Mongolia. At the same time, Shanxi immigrants, who account for a very high proportion of immigrants, as the main carrier of cultural communication, brought Shanxi's Jin culture to the central and western regions of Inner Mongolia, forming an immigrant culture rich in Shanxi's local characteristics. As a part of farming culture, Jin culture has merged with local nomadic culture through population migration, forming a vibrant multicultural and enriching China culture.

The barren land, frequent natural disasters and poor living environment in northern Shanxi have forced many northerners to make a living outside. There is an old saying in Shanxi, "Hequ defends Texas, and it will not be collected for ten years and nine years." Men go outside and women dig wild vegetables, which fully shows that most people who go to the west are hungry people caused by natural disasters. From the third year to the fifth year of Guangxu reign in Qing Dynasty, Shanxi and other provinces suffered from drought for three consecutive years, and the worst drought occurred in modern times, known as the "Seven Famines in butyl five", and it didn't even rain in some areas. Population migration caused by natural disasters is most prominent in northern Shanxi, such as Xinzhou and Yanbei. The barren land and harsh natural environment in northern Shanxi forced a large number of people to leave their homes. For example, "Yanggao is located in the northern fortress, with excellent sand moraine, high soil and yellow sand, and low soil everywhere. It is difficult to cultivate with alkali and brine ... The land is barren and the people are poor, so there is nothing to hide. In case of famine, they are displaced. " In the harsh natural environment of barren land, cold climate and no stream irrigation, people in northern Shaanxi live in poverty. Every time there is a disaster, people have to be displaced and go out to make a living.