The year 1644 was a major watershed in Chinese history. In this year, the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, the Great Shun, and the Great West all stood in the land of China. However, after more than ten years of fighting, Dashun, the most promising to unify the world, unexpectedly declined, and its leader Li Zicheng died mysteriously in Jiugong Mountain. At the same time, the originally neglected Manchu Qing rose against the trend, conquering a huge empire of hundreds of millions of people with a population of only a few hundred thousand with the Eight Banners of Manchuria, which had a population of only a few hundred thousand.
From the Battle of Salhu more than 20 years ago, in the war between the Ming Dynasty and the Later Jin (Manchu Qing), the Ming Dynasty was at a significant disadvantage and was frequently defeated. Theoretically, the Houjin is only a fishing and hunting tribe in the northeast corner, with a sparse population, a backward political and military system, and an economy that does not have a pillar industry. With the scale of the Ming Dynasty, even if it is hard fighting, it should be able to weaken Houjin, but why let it develop and grow and eventually unify the world?
The reason is not a problem of the system, but of people. The Ming Dynasty scholar group was a problem. In the late Ming Dynasty, most of the civilian officials who held the supreme command of the army were from Jinshi and lacked military experience. Although these civilian officials were talented, they made mistakes in command on the battlefield, such as Yang Hao, the commander of the Ming army who led to the defeat of Salhu.
In contrast, the Houjin implemented a military-political integration system, combining military and administrative to ensure that resources were tilted towards the military field, which greatly offset the disadvantages of resources. The head of the military, the head of administration, ensures that resources go directly to the soldiers. This system allows the entire regime to attach great importance to military technology and talents, and the promotion of military merit is smooth, and soldiers have a bright future. However, the Ming Dynasty limited military talents to the hereditary system of military households, so that individuals with outstanding military talents may not be able to make a difference.
After the Song Dynasty, the separation of civil and military became increasingly obvious, and the status of military generals declined, resulting in the weakening of the military force of the Central Plains Dynasty. The civil officials of the Ming Dynasty held complete power, depriving the warriors of their status and privileges, causing them to turn to the Manchus.
Despite its large military strength, the Ming lost to the Manchu Qing with a population of several hundred thousand. Behind this kind of winning or losing, it is not only the battle of systems, but also the result of the confrontation between civil and military forces and the allocation of talents.
This article profoundly describes the military contrast between the Ming and Manchu Qing dynasties in the late Ming Dynasty and the reasons for their defeat. It highlights the differences in political systems, the separation of civil and military forces, and the selection of talents, and provides insight into the turbulent situation of this important period in history.
First, the article points out the core difference between the military efficiency of the Later Jin (Manchu) and the defeat of the Ming Dynasty. Through the institutional arrangement of integrating military and political affairs, Houjin has ensured the centralized utilization and efficient allocation of resources, so that military resources can directly reach the hands of every soldier. This system has brought about a rapid increase in combat effectiveness, which is in sharp contrast to the policy of decentralization of power in the Ming Dynasty.
Secondly, the article mentions the shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty scholar group. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, bureaucrats and scholars held most of the power, which led to a deep divide between civilian officials and military generals. Most of the supreme commanders of the army were civilian officials who were born as jinshi, and they lacked actual combat experience, which was manifested in improper command and decision-making errors on the battlefield, which laid the groundwork for the defeat of the Ming Dynasty.
In addition, the article also discusses the transition between the civilian and military forces and the influence of political systems on military power in history. Before the Song Dynasty, both civil and military forces were emphasized, and military generals could also serve as **, but with the passage of time, the status of military generals gradually declined, resulting in the weakening of the Central Plains Dynasty's military force. This apparent divergence of identities laid the groundwork for defeat in the wars that followed.
Overall, this article analyzes the military contrast between the Ming and Manchu dynasties in the late Ming period, and reveals the underlying reasons behind it. It calls on us to learn from history and to be wary of the enormous implications that an irrational distribution of power can have. Such an analysis will not only help us understand historical events, but also provide some useful insights into the political and military landscape of the world today.
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