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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
Preface
The Battle of Yique is one of the classic examples of winning more with less in Chinese history, and it also marks the rise of the god of war Bai Qi. In this battle, Bai Qi led the Qin army to defeat the Han and Wei coalition forces with his outstanding military talents, shocking the world.
How did he turn the tide of the battle and win such a brilliant victory despite the disparity in troops? This battle not only changed the pattern of the Warring States period, but also established Bai Qi's legendary status as the god of war.
1. The Battle of Yique: Bai Qi's stunning appearance
In 293 BC, Qin fought a thrilling battle with Han and Wei at Yique. This battle not only changed the pattern of the Central Plains, but also was a stage for a military genius to emerge.
Yique is located in the south of Luoyang, which is the only way for the Qin State to go east out of the Central Plains, and is of great strategic significance. At that time, the Qin State, under the strategic planning of Prime Minister Wei Ran, was preparing to go. After King Qin Zhao succeeded to the throne, he always had the ambition to seize the second week.
To this end, he sent an expeditionary force of about 100,000 men to the Eastern Zhou. Although this army was small in number, it was highly morale and well-trained, and it was the elite of the elite of the Qin state.
However, how could Han and Wei sit idly by and watch Qin get involved in the Central Plains? They quickly formed an alliance and gathered an army of 240,000 men, ready to deal a heavy blow to the Qin state. The coalition was outnumbered, but there were problems with internal coordination, which laid the groundwork for future battles.
In the face of such a disparity in strength, Xiang Shouton, the commander of the Qin army, felt a lot of pressure. This general, who relied on his connections, will only blindly retreat at a critical moment. Xiang Shou's incompetence made the Qin army fall into a passive situation, with low morale and the danger of rout at any time.
At this moment, Wei Ran made an unexpected decision - he used a little-known young general, Bai Qi. This decision was quite questionable at the time, but it turned out to be one of the wisest decisions of Wei Ran's life.
Bai Qi was ordered to be in danger and showed extraordinary military talent. He calmly analyzed the situation and decisively formulated a strategy. Bai Qi was keenly aware of the weakness of the Han and Wei alliances, and decided to implement the strategy of splitting and attacking them. This strategy was a bold innovation at the time, and it showed great military insight.
He first sent a small detachment to feint against the South Korean army and contain its main force. Although the number of this squad was small, its actions were secretive and powerful, and it successfully confused the main general of the Korean army, Storm Kite.
Subsequently, Bai Qi personally led the main force to surprise the Wei army. Gongsun Xi, the commander of the Wei army, was caught off guard and was soon captured. The leaderless Wei army collapsed in an instant. Bai Qi took advantage of the victory to pursue, and defeated the Korean army, annihilating the enemy army several times his own in one fell swoop.
The victory in the Battle of Yique not only established the dominant position of Qin in the Central Plains, but also made Bai Qi famous in the first battle. His military talents were highly appreciated by King Qin Zhao and laid the groundwork for his brilliant achievements in the future.
This battle has also become a classic case in military history of winning more with less, and has been repeatedly discussed by later researchers.
2. The confrontation between Qin and Chu: diplomatic wrestling and military contest
After Yique's victory, King Qin Zhao was in high spirits and set his sights on the fierce rival in the south, the state of Chu. As one of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States, Chu has a vast territory and strong troops, which has always been the biggest obstacle to Qin's eastward advance.
Since the Qin State captured the king of Chu Huai, the relationship between the two countries has fallen to a freezing point. This diplomatic incident was not only a shame for the state of Chu, but also a fuse for a long-term confrontation between the two countries.
King Qin Zhao sent a war letter to King Qingxiang of Chu, threatening to lead the princes to crusade against Chu. The letter was strongly worded and provocative, showing the aggressive ambition of the Qin state.
In the face of the aggressive Qin State, King Chu Qingxiang appeared weak and incompetent. He didn't dare to fight, but chose to seek peace in humiliation, and even married Qin Nu as his wife. Although this foreign policy temporarily eased tensions with the Qin state, it also exposed the weakness within the Chu state.
This move by the state of Chu has aroused strong dissatisfaction in the country. Once upon a time, the state of Chu was also a powerful superpower. However, at this time, the state of Chu had been weak for a long time, and the million-strong army had become an ornament.
The people of Chu were anxious about the future of the country and were deeply disappointed by the incompetence of their rulers. This kind of popular desire laid the groundwork for the future Qin State to conquer Chu.
3. The dilemma of the Chu State: the failure of the alliance and internal and external troubles
In 281 BC, King Xiang of Chu Qingxiang tried to turn the tide and launched a massive campaign against Qin. This was the last struggle of the Chu state and one of the most important diplomatic activities in the late Warring States period. However, the campaign was doomed before it even began.
The once powerful Qi State was greatly damaged after experiencing the "Five Kingdoms Expedition to Qi", and it has long been unable to participate. The decline of the Qi state not only changed the balance of power among the eastern princes, but also caused the anti-Qin alliance to lose an important link.
Although the Zhao State was strong, it was also unwilling to obey the orders of the Chu State. After the reform of King Wuling of Zhao, the military strength of Zhao State has increased greatly, and there is no longer a need to rely on other countries.
As for Yan Guo, who is far away in the northeast, he chose an attitude that he has nothing to do with himself and hangs high. Yan is located on the border, far away from Qin, so naturally he does not want to get involved in disputes in the Central Plains. This geopolitical reality made it much more difficult to resist Qin.
Wei and South Korea, which are the most promising to join the alliance, are also difficult to protect themselves at this time. After the Battle of Yique, the Qin State launched a continuous encroachment on these two countries. Bai Qi led his army to attack several times and seized large areas of territory.
Under such circumstances, even if Wei and Wei had the will to cooperate, it would be difficult to put it into practice. Their main focus is on self-preservation, and they are powerless to take care of anything else. In this way, Chu's plan was stillborn, but the threat of Qin became more and more urgent.
King Chu Qingxiang's actions completely angered King Qin Zhao. The state of Qin decided to teach the state of Chu a profound lesson. This diplomatic failure not only exposed the isolation of the Chu state, but also accelerated the military action of the Qin state against the Chu state.
Fourth, the battle of Chu: another masterpiece of Bai Qi
In 279 BC, the state of Qin began a large-scale attack on the state of Chu. The commander of this expedition was none other than Bai Qi, who became famous in the Battle of Yique. Bai Qi's appointment shows the importance that Qin attaches to this battle, and also reflects the trust of King Qin Zhao in Bai Qi.
Bai Qi once again showed his outstanding military talents. He had a keen insight into the internal problems of the Chu State: the king was unassertive, the court was corrupt, the good ministers were excluded, and the people were separated.
More importantly, the state of Chu has been negligent in armaments for many years, and the city defense has been lax. This kind of internal problem has become an important basis for Bai Qi to formulate a strategy.
Bai Qi led tens of thousands of Qin troops and easily captured Yancheng, the military town of Chu. He skillfully used the terrain to divert water to irrigate the city, so that the defenders of Yancheng fell into a catastrophe.
In this battle, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians of Chu were killed and wounded, which can be described as a tragedy. Although Bai Qi's combat method was cruel, it was extremely effective in the war environment at that time.
After capturing Yancheng, Bai Qi took advantage of the victory to pursue and pointed directly at Yingdu, the capital of Chu State. He adopted the tactic of breaking the cauldron and sinking the boat, demolishing the bridge and burning the boat after crossing the river, conveying to the soldiers that he would win. This bold tactic not only boosted morale, but also cut off possible reinforcements from the enemy.
In the face of the well-trained and death-defying Qin army, the Chu army and civilians made little effective resistance. Yingdu soon fell, and the king of Chu Qingxiang fled eastward in a hurry.
The Qin army not only captured the capital of Chu, but also burned down the tombs of the ancestors of Chu, which dealt a huge blow to Chu. This act of destroying the ancestral tomb seemed to be a great humiliation at the time, and it also showed the determination of the Qin State to completely destroy the Chu State.
5. The rise of Bai Qi: from a nobody to the first general of the Warring States
From the Battle of Yique to the Battle of Huachu, Bai Qi proved his strength with victory after victory. On many occasions, he won more with less, and showed extraordinary military talent and extraordinary courage.
The rise of Bai Qi not only changed his personal fate, but also profoundly affected the entire Warring States pattern. Bai Qi is good at analyzing the situation and can always find the enemy's weaknesses and take advantage of them. His tactics were flexible, sometimes with deceit to win, and sometimes with frontal attacks.
Whether it is the strategy of splitting and attacking, or the determination to break the cauldron, it shows his superb command art. Bai Qi's military thinking has become a compulsory classic for later generations of soldiers. After the Battle of Vachu, Bai Qi was named Wu Anjun, and his prestige reached its peak.
However, his saga is far from over. In the years that followed, Bai Qi continued to make great achievements for the Qin State and became an important force in promoting the great cause of the unification of the Qin State.
Every time he went on an expedition, the nations were terrified. Bai Qi's success lies not only in his personal talent, but also in the national strength and military system of the Qin State.
Qin's military merit system gave ordinary soldiers the opportunity to be promoted, which greatly improved the combat effectiveness of the army. It was in this environment that Bai Qi stood out and became one of the most outstanding military strategists of the Warring States period.
epilogue
The rise of Bai Qi not only changed the fate of a person, but also changed the direction of a country. With his stunning performances again and again, he opened up the territory of the Qin State and paved the way for the great cause of reunification.
The story of Bai Qi allows us to see the important role of individual talents in the historical process, and also makes us feel the magnificent Warring States Period. His legend will forever be engraved on the monument of Chinese history.
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