Developing Meteorology in Wartime China: The Chinese Southwest Observation Network and Its Application During the Second Sino-Japanese War.

This article examines the establishment and role of the Southwest Observation Network (SON), a meteorological infrastructure developed by the Chinese Republican State during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1931–1945) to meet wartime demands for meteorological information. It argues that the SON not only supported military operations—particularly air defense and the critical Allied air supply route known as "The Hump"—but also strengthened central government control over local scientific institutions in Southwest China, thereby reinforcing national sovereignty amid internal factionalism and foreign threats. Despite challenges such as limited resources, internal government competition, and wartime disruptions, the SON represented a significant effort by Chinese scientists and officials to apply science strategically for national defense and state-building. The article highlights meteorology's dual function as both a practical military tool and a means of asserting scientific and political authority during a period of crisis.