摘要
本文以「湖廣熟，天下足」自古即關係國家民生富裕的湖南，從明清以來在兵禍連連，接著民初北洋軍閥與舊有勢力起伏，橫徵暴斂，自耕農比例僅百分之二十，遠低於全國平均的百分之五十，人民生活貧苦可想而知。至民國二十七年（1938）薛岳以第九戰區代理司令長室，並兼任湖南省政府主席，抗戰期間，一切以軍事為重，雖實施新政改革，但「粵人治湘」，地方勢力盤根錯節，也是有心無力。抗戰自武漢會戰後，長沙變成前線，從民國二十八年（1939）第一次長沙會戰開戰，至民國三十三年（1944）長衡會戰後長沙失守，前後五年多，在抗戰期間歷經四次日軍強攻，這在當時事絕無僅有的。薛岳矢以保衛國土，固守南疆至抗戰勝利，並獲美國杜魯門總統（Harry S. Truman）頒贈「自由勳章」。
並列摘要
This study focuses on how Xue Yue governed Hunan and defended the province during the Changsha battles. Hunan has been associated with the livelihood of the nation, as implied by the proverb: ＂As long as there is a good harvest in Hunan and Hubei, the entire nation can be free from starvation.＂ However, since the Ming and Qing dynasties, there have been endless military disasters, followed by the ups and downs of the Beiyang warlords and the old forces in the early Republic of China. Under the harsh condition where farmers were levied heavy duties, the proportion of self-cultivation farmers was only 20%, which was significantly lower than the national average of 50%; thus, it was conceivable that people lived in poverty. Until 1938, Xue Yue was the acting commander of the 9th Theater Command and concurrently served as the chairman of the Hunan Provincial Government. During the Sino-Japanese War, every attention was paid to military affairs. Although Xue Yue implemented the New Policy Reforms, as a Cantonese, the intertwined local forces rendered him powerless to govern Hunan. After the Battle of Wuhan, Changsha became the front line. It took approximately five years from the first Battle of Changsha, which occurred in 1939, for Changsha to fall after the Battle of Changheng in 1944. During the Sino-Japanese War, Changsha experienced four Japanese military storms, which was unique at that time. As Xue Yue was determined to defend the country, he remained at the southern border until victory in the Sino-Japanese War and was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Harry S. Truman of the United States.