During the Spring and Autumn Period, the territory of Wu was located in the southern part of the Yangtze River in present-day Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, as well as in the northern part of Zhejiang, which surrounded the Taihu Lake. For the state of Wu, the capital was located in Meili (present-day Meicun, Wuxi) in the early period and Wu (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu) in the later period, and was one of the most powerful vassal states in the mid-to-late Spring and Autumn period. During the Shoumeng period of King Wu, Wu began to unite with Jin to compete with Chu. With the support of the Jin State, the national strength of the Wu State became stronger and stronger, and the national strength reached its peak during the reign of King Wu and Fucha. Among them, during the reign of King Lu of Wu, the Battle of Baiju broke out between Wu and Chu. In 506 BC, 30,000 Wu troops defeated 200,000 Chu troops at Baiju, thus occupying the capital of Chu.
Why did the state of Wu miss the opportunity to completely eliminate the state of Chu?Reveal the five reasons for the Battle of Baiju.
1. Fight for domination of the Central Plains.
King Wu launched the Battle of Baiju, mainly to dominate the Central Plains. According to the records of historical materials such as the "Historical Records", Wu Wang Lu was the monarch of Wu in the late Spring and Autumn Period, hoping to increase his influence among the vassal states of the Central Plains by weakening the Chu State. The Battle of Baiju was a victory over the long-standing enemy Chu after Wu passed the six-year "tired" strategy, laying the foundation for Wu to further dominate the Central Plains.
Second, the strength is not enough to completely destroy the state of Chu.
The state of Wu was a small state in the Taihu Lake basin in the early Spring and Autumn period, and it was not until the later period that it was able to rise. However, in terms of territory, population, and soldiers, the state of Wu was not enough to be compared with the state of Chu. In the Battle of Baiju, the 30,000 troops sent by Wu were far inferior to the 200,000 troops of Chu, and although they defeated Chu, they did not completely destroy the enemy army, so that Chu still had the possibility of continuing to fight.
3. Timely support from the Qin State.
After Wu broke through the capital of Chu, Shen Baoxu fled to Qin to seek rescue. Although Qin Aigong was reluctant to send troops at first, Shen Baoxu's persistence and crying finally moved Qin Aigong. The state of Qin sent 500 troops to support the state of Chu, reversing the decline of the early state of Chu. In the late Spring and Autumn period, Qin was a great power second only to Jin and Chu, and its support played a key role in Chu.
Fourth, the threat of Vietnam.
As an ally of the Chu State, the Yue State did not want to see the Chu State perish, and sent a large army to attack the rear of the Wu State. After the Battle of Baiju, the Yue State posed a threat to the Wu State and joined the siege of the Wu State, making it difficult for the Wu State to destroy the Chu State with all its might.
5. The struggle for the throne within the state of Wu.
After the state of Wu captured the capital of the state of Chu, the younger brother of the king of Wu, the younger brother-in-law of the king of Wu, took the opportunity to establish himself as the king of Wu, triggering an internal struggle for the throne. After settling the battle for the throne, King Lu of Wu still had to face the attack of King Yunchang of Yue, so that Wu could not completely annex Chu in one go.
Epilogue. Although the state of Wu achieved a major victory in the Battle of Baiju, it was unable to completely eliminate the state of Chu due to a number of reasons. The war had a far-reaching impact, laying the foundation for the rise of Wu in the Central Plains, but also highlighting the complexity of internal and external factors that followed the victory in the war. The Battle of Baiju became a large-scale battle in the late Spring and Autumn period, which had a profound impact on the states of Wu and Chu.
Commentary: The profound revelations of the Battle of Baiju.
The Battle of Baiju was a battle full of strategic wisdom and historical turning points in the Spring and Autumn Period. While Wu successfully captured the capital of Chu, it failed to eliminate Chu in one fell swoop, which left a profound reflection and enlightenment for later history.
First of all, the Battle of Baiju demonstrated Wu's strategic cleverness. King Lu of Wu clarified the strategic goal of dominating the Central Plains, and weakened the strength of the Chu State through the Battle of Baiju, laying the foundation for the rise of the Wu State in the Central Plains. This military success reflected the resourcefulness and decisiveness of the Wu leadership, which made Wu stand out among the five hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.
However, the Battle of Baiju also exposed some of Wu's shortcomings. Although the strength of the Wu State is getting stronger and stronger, it still appears to be at a significant disadvantage when compared with the Chu State. Judging from the scale of the war and the comparison of strength, Wu failed to completely eliminate Chu, which reflected the relative weakness of Wu in terms of resources and troops. This also reminds us that when making war decisions, in addition to carefully choosing targets, we also need to comprehensively evaluate our own strength, so as not to maximize the results of the war.
Qin's timely support played a key role in the Battle of Baiju. Shen Baoxu asked Qin for help, and finally Qin sent troops to support Chu, reversing the decline of Chu in the early days. This underscores the importance of alliances and diplomacy between states in warfare. The network of relations between countries is intricate, and joint resistance to the enemy has become an effective way to defend the country.
The threat of Vietnam demonstrates the complexity of international relations. As an ally of Chu, Yue did not want to see Chu perish and joined the siege of Wu. This reminds countries of the need to be cautious in handling diplomatic relations to avoid the involvement of multiple parties and the formation of international conflicts because of a war.
Finally, the internal struggle for the throne within the state of Wu was also an episode of the Battle of Baiju. The struggle for the throne interfered with Wu's strategic decision-making, preventing Wu from concentrating on the complete elimination of Chu. This shows that the stability of the country and the unity of the leadership are also important guarantees for victory in the war.
On the whole, although the Battle of Baiju was an important victory for Wu in the Spring and Autumn Period, the lessons are also worth pondering. The strategic decisions, diplomatic means, and internal stability behind the war are all key factors in the fate of the country. This war has left valuable experience for later history, and at the same time, it has also raised many profound questions for us, prompting us to think more deeply and study the essence of history.
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