In 222 AD, Cao Pi, the ruler of the Cao Wei Empire, decided to launch a massive war against Wu. This battle not only mobilized more than 200,000 troops, but also gathered almost all the top generals in Cao Wei's country. At that time, Jiangdong had just experienced the baptism of the Battle of Yiling, and it seemed that it was the best time to attack. However, history is always full of surprises and twists. This battle, which was supposed to be a one-time blow and overwhelming, ended in the embarrassed retreat of Cao Wei's army. What is the reason for such a luxurious lineup? Why didn't Cao Pi's elaborate three-way attack work? What role did those famous generals play in this battle?
Cao Pi's ambitions
Everyone knows that Cao Pi is Cao Cao's eldest son, but they don't know that after he ascended the throne as emperor, he has been looking for opportunities to prove his military talents. In September 222 AD, Cao Pi finally couldn't hold back anymore and decided to launch this massive three-way battle against Wu.
At that time, Cao Pi had been on the throne for nearly two years, but there had been no large-scale military operations. Some say it's because he's consolidating his dominance; Others say he is waiting for a suitable moment. However, careful people found that Cao Pi had actually been secretly planning this big war.
Just as the smoke of the Battle of Yiling had just dissipated, Cao Pi thought the time was ripe. He thought that Eastern Wu had just suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Yiling, and it was the best time for him to send troops. Therefore, he immediately convened the important ministers of the court and the central government to discuss the plan to defeat Wu.
At the court meeting, Cao Pi proposed his three-way strategy of attacking Wu. This plan was not a whim, but the result of his deliberation. He planned to divide his troops into three routes and attack three key points of Eastern Wu at the same time, in order to defeat Sun Quan's forces in one fell swoop.
Cao Pi's plan can be described as painstaking. The eastern route led the army down the Zijiang River by Cao Xiu, the general of the Eastern Expedition, and reached the fortress at the entrance of the cave; In the middle of the road, the great Sima Cao Ren led the troops to Linweixukou; The western road was used as the main direction of attack, and Cao Zhen, the general of the Shang Army, led the army to attack Gangneung in Nanjun. If these three armies can fight together and cooperate with each other, it is indeed possible to break through the defense line of Soochow in one fell swoop.
Not only that, Cao Pi also personally sat in Wancheng to command the battle. Wancheng is the county of Nanyang County, not far from Nanyang County, Cao Pi chose this place as the command center, which can be said to be well-intentioned. On the one hand, he can keep abreast of the battle situation on the front line and make corresponding adjustments; On the other hand, his presence on the front line can also be a great morale boost.
The importance that Cao Pi attached to this battle can be seen from the troops he mobilized. According to historical records, Cao Xiu on the East Road alone had more than 20 troops, about 80,000 or 90,000 people. As the main direction of attack, the western road will definitely not be less than 100,000 troops. Although the number of troops in the middle lane is slightly smaller, there are tens of thousands of people. Coupled with the Jiangxia garrison and Cao Pi's pro-army, the total strength is at least more than 200,000.
However, the large number of troops did not guarantee victory in the war. Cao Pi knew this very well, so he not only mobilized a large number of troops, but also sent almost all of Cao Wei's top generals in China. The great Sima Cao Ren, the general Cao Xiu of the expedition to the east, the general Cao Zhen of the upper army, the general of the expedition to the south Xiahou Shang, the former general Zhang Liao, the left general Zhang He, the right general Xu Huang, the Zhendong general Zang Ba, and the rebellious general Wen Ping, these nine famous generals can be said to be the most luxurious lineup of Cao Wei at that time.
Cao Pi was also quite particular about the arrangements for these generals. For example, he sent Zhang Liao, who was powerful and hated and feared by Sun Quan, to Cao Xiu, not only to deter Eastern Wu, but also to strengthen Cao Xiu's strength. And Cao Ren, as the most capable person in the first generation of the Cao Wei clan, was sent to the middle lane, showing Cao Pi's trust in him.
Cao Pi's careful planning shows his determination to win this battle. He hoped to defeat Eastern Wu in one fell swoop, complete the unfinished business of his father Cao Cao, and unify the world. This was not only to expand his territory, but also to prove his ability and show the world that he was not only a talented civil servant, but also an excellent military commander.
However, as the saying goes, "it is up to man to make things happen, and it is up to heaven to make things happen". Despite such thorough preparations, the outcome of the war was beyond everyone's expectations. This battle, which was supposed to be a one-time blow and overwhelming, ended in the embarrassed retreat of Cao Wei's army. This makes people sigh that even with careful planning, it is difficult to predict the outcome of the war.
The elite lineup of the Eastern Route Army
In Cao Pi's three-way strategy of attacking Wu, the Eastern Route Army undertook important strategic tasks. The commander of this army was Cao Xiu, the general of Zhengdong, with more than 20 troops under his command, about 80,000 or 90,000 people. The task of this army was to go down the Zijiang River to the fortress at the entrance of the cave, intending to cut off the supply of the rear route of Eastern Wu.
Cao Xiu, as Cao Cao's nephew, was an important general in Cao Wei's clan. He had already shown great military talent during Cao Cao's time, and participated in many battles against Sun Quan. In the Battle of Hefei in the twenty-third year of Jian'an (218), Cao Xiu and Zhang Liao repelled Sun Quan's attack and made great contributions. It was precisely because of these rich experiences in the fight against Eastern Wu that Cao Pi entrusted him with such an important task.
However, Cao Xiu's strength alone was obviously not enough. In order to ensure the combat effectiveness of the Eastern Route Army, Cao Pi specially deployed two tiger generals to assist Cao Xiu, who were the famous Zhang Liao and Zang Ba.
Zhang Liao was arguably one of the most deterrent generals in Cao Wei's army at that time. His feat of repelling Sun Quan's 100,000-strong army with 800 cavalry in the Battle of Xiaoyaojin is still talked about today. This time, Cao Pi transferred Zhang Liao from Hefei, which he had been guarding for a long time, to the Eastern Route Army, which shows the importance he attached to this campaign.
Zhang Liao's addition undoubtedly greatly enhanced the strength of the Eastern Route Army. He can not only charge on the battlefield, but also give advice to Cao Xiu. It is rumored that during the march, Zhang Liao repeatedly advised Cao Xiu to adopt the strategy of attacking the east and the west in order to confuse the Eastern Wu army. Although these suggestions were not fully adopted, they also affected the march route of the Eastern Route Army to a certain extent.
Fighting alongside Zhang Liao was Zang Ba. Although Zang Ba's reputation is not as loud as Zhang Liao's, his military talent is not inferior in any way. He played a major role in Cao Cao's campaign against Wuhuan, and later played an important role in quelling the Guanzhong rebellion. The addition of Zang Ba added a general to the Eastern Route Army who was good at handling complex battles.
However, behind Cao Pi's arrangement of Cao Xiu, there is a trace of distrust. According to historical records, the reason why Cao Pi transferred Zhang Liao to Cao Xiu was not only to deter Eastern Wu and strengthen Cao Xiu's strength, but also to provide a check and balance on Cao Xiu. After all, Cao Xiu, as a clan, may pose a threat to Cao Pi's rule if he achieves too much credit on the battlefield.
This delicate balance of power was also reflected in the march of the Eastern Route Army. Although Cao Xiu was the nominal commander-in-chief, he needed to consult with Zhang Liao and Zang Ba on many major decisions. Although this practice limited Cao Xiu's command power to a certain extent, it also avoided the risks that might be brought about by arbitrariness.
The march of the Eastern Route Army was not all smooth sailing. While passing through the mountains, they were ambushed by the Soochow army. In this encounter, Zhang Liao played an important role. He led the cavalry to open the way in front and successfully repelled the ambush of Eastern Wu, opening the passage for the smooth passage of the army.
However, just as the Eastern Route Army was about to arrive at the fortress at the entrance of the cave, something happened abruptly. A sudden plague swept through the barracks, and a large number of soldiers fell ill. Unfortunately, Zhang Liao also fell seriously ill. Despite the best efforts of the military doctors, Zhang Liao's condition deteriorated.
Faced with this situation, Cao Xiu had to make a difficult decision. He ordered the army to pause its advance and stay in place to wait for the epidemic to pass. This decision, although slowed down the pace of the army's offensive, also avoided greater losses.
Just when the Eastern Route Army came to a standstill, bad news came. General Zhang Liao died of a serious illness and died in the army. This news was like a thunderbolt from the blue, and it greatly hit the morale of the military. Cao Xiu immediately sent someone to report the news to Cao Pi, who was in Wancheng.
Zhang Liao's death was not only a huge loss for the Eastern Route Army, but also a major blow to the entire Cao Wei army. His death marked a turning point in the campaign and foreshadowed that Cao Pi's ambitious three-way plan to defeat Wu was about to face a severe test.
A difficult breakthrough for the Middle Route Army
In Cao Pi's three-way strategy of attacking Wu, the Central Route Army undertook the important task of containing the main force of Eastern Wu. This army was led by the Great Sima Cao Ren, and the goal was to reach the heart of Eastern Wu. Cao Ren, as the most capable person in the first generation of the Cao Wei clan, was sent to the middle lane, showing Cao Pi's high trust in him.
Cao Ren's military prowess had been fully demonstrated as early as the Cao Cao period. He participated in many battles against Sun Quan, especially in the Battle of Hefei, where he repelled Sun Quan's attack with Zhang Liao and made great achievements. It was precisely because of these rich experiences in the fight against Eastern Wu that Cao Pi entrusted him with such an important task.
However, the challenges facing Cao Ren are far more daunting than he imagined. The mouth of the Susu Pass was an important line of defense in Eastern Wu, and Sun Quan had already placed heavy troops here to guard it. Not only that, but the terrain of the mouth is dangerous, surrounded by water on three sides, and only a narrow land route can be passed. Such terrain is extremely unfavorable for the attacker, but it is a natural barrier for the defender.
Cao Ren was well aware of the arduous nature of this mission, so he made full preparations before setting off. He not only led elite infantry and cavalry, but also deliberately prepared a large number of ships and siege equipment. These preparations show the importance that Cao Ren attached to the campaign, and also showed his foresight as an excellent general.
The march of the Middle Route Army was not all smooth sailing. As they approached the mouth of the water, they were repeatedly harassed by the Soochow army. These skirmishes, while not causing large casualties, seriously affected the pace of the march. Cao Ren realized that if he could not break through these obstacles as soon as possible, it would likely affect the strategic deployment of the entire three-way expedition to Wu.
Faced with this situation, Cao Ren made a bold decision. He ordered part of the cavalry to break away from the main force and make a detour behind enemy lines to create momentum. This strategy worked, and the Eastern Wu army mistakenly thought that Cao Wei's army had broken through the defensive line, and fell into chaos for a while. Cao Ren seized this opportunity and led the main army in one go, directly approaching the mouth of the water.
However, just when Cao Ren thought victory was in sight, the accident happened again. The naval army of Eastern Wu suddenly appeared and launched a fierce attack on Cao Wei's army. The appearance of this naval army was completely unexpected by Cao Ren, and for a while, Cao Wei's army fell into passivity.
Faced with this situation, Cao Ren showed his adaptability as a famous player. He immediately adjusted his tactics and ordered part of the infantry to board the ships prepared in advance and engage in a fierce water battle with the Soochow naval army. At the same time, he personally led the remaining army and continued to attack the mouth of the water.
The battle lasted three days and three nights. Cao Wei's army was under tremendous pressure on both land and water, but under Cao Ren's command, they continued to push forward. Finally, at dawn on the fourth day, Cao Wei's army managed to break through the defense line of Eastern Wu and enter the mouth of the water.
However, the joy of victory did not last long. Just as Cao Ren was preparing to take advantage of the victory, a dismal news came: the Eastern Route Army had come to a standstill due to the plague and the death of Zhang Liao. This news was like a basin of cold water, which extinguished the fighting spirit of Cao Ren and his soldiers.
To make matters worse, Sun Quan learned that one of Cao Wei's three armies had stalled, and immediately mobilized a large army to support Misukou. Faced with the imminent reinforcements of Eastern Wu, Cao Ren had to make a difficult decision: temporarily retreat and redeploy.
Although this decision wasted previous efforts, it prevented Cao Wei's army from falling into an even more disadvantageous situation. Cao Ren ordered the army to retreat in an orderly manner, and at the same time sent scouts to keep a close eye on the movements of the Eastern Wu army.
In the process of retreating, Cao Ren demonstrated his superb commanding skills. He skillfully used the terrain and set up multiple lines of defense to successfully block the pursuit of the Soochow army. This orderly retreat not only preserved most of the troops, but also left room for future counterattacks.
Although the offensive of the Central Route Army ultimately failed to achieve the expected results, Cao Ren's military talent and command skills displayed in this campaign still won Cao Pi's high praise. This experience also accumulated valuable experience for the future war between Cao Wei and Eastern Wu.
The surprise attack of the Western Route Army
In Cao Pi's three-way strategy of attacking Wu, the Western Route Army undertook the important mission of taking it by surprise and attacking it unprepared. This army, led by the great general Xiahou Shang, aimed to go down the river and take Gangneung directly, intending to attack the defense line of Soochow from the flank. Xiahou Shang, as an important general of the Cao Wei clan, was sent to the West Road this time, showing how much Cao Pi attached importance to this strategy.
Although Xiahou Shang was young, he had already shown extraordinary military talent in many battles. He assisted Cao Cao in defending important passes in the Battle of Hanzhong, and also made many meritorious contributions in the battle against Liu Bei. Entrusted with an important task this time, Xiahou Shang was determined to show his skills in this battle against Wu.
The marching route of the Western Route Army was the most concealed of the three route armies. They had to traverse the complex mountainous terrain and avoid the eyes and ears of Soochow before finally arriving in Gangneung. Although this route is difficult and dangerous, if successful, it will deal a fatal blow to Soochow.
In order to ensure the concealment of the march, Xiahou Shang took a series of special measures. He ordered his soldiers to rest during the day and march at night to avoid the scouts of Soochow. At the same time, he also sent a small group of elite troops to reconnoiter the front and clear the Soochow sentinels who might leak their whereabouts. These measures, while slowing down the march, greatly increased the security of the army.
However, the march of the Western Route Army was not all smooth sailing. While traversing a treacherous valley, they were ambushed by Soochow. Although this ambush army was small in number, it occupied favorable terrain and caused a lot of trouble to the Western Route Army.
Faced with this situation, Xiahou Shang showed his adaptability as a famous general. He immediately ordered part of the cavalry to make a detour behind the mountain and attack the enemy from the flank. At the same time, he personally led the main forces to a frontal assault. This two-pronged strategy quickly worked, and the ambush of Eastern Wu was crushed and fled in a hurry.
After repelling the ambush, Xiahou Shang realized that the whereabouts of the Western Route Army might have been exposed. In order not to affect the overall strategy, he made a bold decision: to speed up the march and try to capture Gangneung before the arrival of the Soochow army.
This decision undoubtedly increased the burden on the army, but the officers and men understood the urgency of the situation. Over the next few days, the Western Route Army advanced towards Gangneung at an alarming pace. They overcame many difficulties and finally arrived at the foot of Gangneung Fortress within the scheduled time.
However, when the Western Route Army arrived in Gangneung, they found that the situation was very different from what was expected. Gangneung Fortress was much more fortified than expected, with the walls covered with defenders and a large number of horses and traps outside the city. Obviously, Soochow had already received the news and had prepared for defense in advance.
Faced with this situation, Xiahou Shang had to reformulate the siege plan. He divided the army into three parts: one was responsible for storming the city gates and attracting the attention of the defenders; One part was responsible for erecting ladders and preparing to climb over the city walls; Others are secretly looking for weak points in the city's defenses.
The siege lasted three whole days. The Western Route Army, under the command of Xiahou Shang, constantly tried various siege methods. They bombarded the walls with trebuchets, shot the city with rockets, and even tried to dig tunnels to infiltrate the city. However, the stubborn resistance of the Soochow defenders made all these efforts in vain.
Just as Xiahou was considering whether to retreat temporarily, an unexpected news came: the Middle Route Army was blocked by the Eastern Wu Navy at the mouth of the Xukou, and the Eastern Route Army was at a standstill due to the plague and the death of Zhang Liao. This news was like a bolt from the blue, making the situation of the Western Route Army even more dangerous.
Xiahou Shang realized that if he continued to storm Jiangling, not only would he not be able to achieve victory, but he might also fall into the encirclement of Eastern Wu. In this situation, he made a difficult but wise decision: abandon the siege and immediately retreat.
The process of retreat did not go well. Seeing the retreat of the Western Route Army, the defenders of Eastern Wu immediately sent cavalry in pursuit. Xiahou Shang had to organize a retreat while dealing with the harassment of the pursuing soldiers. In the process, his commanding talent was once again fully manifested. He skillfully used the terrain to set up ambushes, repelled the pursuit of Soochow many times, and finally led most of the army to withdraw safely.
The failure and impact of the three-way war Wu
Cao Pi's ambitious three-way plan to defeat Wu ended in failure. Not only did the campaign fail to achieve the desired goal, but it exposed many weaknesses in Wei's military strategy, while also giving Eastern Wu an opportunity to re-examine and strengthen its defenses.
The Eastern Route Army was stalled by the plague and the sudden death of the main general, Zhang Liao, which not only disrupted the entire strategic deployment, but also greatly weakened the offensive of the Wei army. As one of the most outstanding generals of the Wei State, Zhang Liao's death dealt a huge blow to the morale of the army. The Eastern Route Army was originally tasked with breaking through the defense line of Soochow, but now it has become the weak link in the entire campaign.
Although the Middle Route Army once attacked the mouth of the Wet Beard under the leadership of Cao Ren, it was eventually blocked by the naval forces of Eastern Wu. This encounter fully exposed the inadequacy of the strength of the Wei naval army. Despite Cao Ren's excellent command skills, Wei's disadvantage was still evident in the face of Eastern Wu, a water power with the Yangtze River.
Although the surprise attack plan of the Western Route Army achieved some success in the early stage, it eventually suffered a setback under the city of Gangneung. Although Xiahou Shang's retreat preserved most of the troops, it also declared the failure of this surprise attack. This defeat made Wei realize that it was difficult to deal a fatal blow to Eastern Wu with surprise attack tactics alone.
The defeat of the Three Route Army not only affected the war situation at that time, but also had a profound impact on the subsequent military strategy of Wei. First of all, this defeat made Cao Pi realize the strength of Soochow and had to reassess the balance of power between the two countries. Cao Pi realized that it was unrealistic to defeat Soochow in a short period of time, and that a more long-term strategic plan was needed.
Secondly, this campaign exposed the inadequacy of Wei in water warfare. Although Wei had great military strength on land, it was powerless in the face of Eastern Wu, which was known for its naval army. This prompted Wei to begin to pay attention to the construction and training of naval forces in preparation for future military operations.
In addition, this defeat also made Wei realize the importance of logistics. The lesson of the Eastern Route Army's stagnation due to the plague was particularly profound, prompting the Wei state to begin to pay attention to the health and medical security of the army. In the years that followed, Wei vigorously improved the army's logistics system, including strengthening the supply of grain and grass, and improving medical conditions.
For Eastern Wu, the success of resisting the attack of Wei undoubtedly greatly boosted the confidence of the military and civilians. Sun Quan took the opportunity to further consolidate his dominance, while also strengthening his defenses against the Yangtze River line. Soochow increased garrisons at important strategic points such as the mouth of the water, and strengthened the construction of naval forces, making preparations for future defensive battles.
However, the defeat of this campaign did not completely discourage Wei's ambition to unify the world. On the contrary, it provided valuable lessons for the Wei state. Wei began to realize that in order to defeat Eastern Wu, it could not rely only on military means, but also needed to formulate a comprehensive strategy in many aspects, such as politics and economy.
Over the next few years, Wei took a series of measures to strengthen its national power. First, Wei intensified its operations in the southern region in an attempt to weaken Eastern Wu economically. Second, the Wei state also began to pay attention to cultural construction, and strengthened the cohesion of the country by promoting Confucianism. Although these measures did not produce immediate results, they laid the foundation for the long-term development of the Wei state.
For the entire Three Kingdoms pattern, the defeat of this campaign has to some extent slowed down the process of reunification. It gave Soochow a respite and was able to consolidate its position. At the same time, it also gave Shu Han valuable time for development. As a result, the situation of the Three Kingdoms was continued, adding more legend to this wonderful era in Chinese history.
Although the three-way expedition ended in failure, its impact was far-reaching and long-lasting. It not only changed the military strategy of Wei, but also affected the political pattern of the entire Three Kingdoms. This battle became a turning point for the Wei state from prosperity to decline, and also provided valuable lessons for later military strategists.