The Kushan Empire wanted to swallow the Han Dynasty, and Ban Chao fought against each other. Central Asia was defeated, and the Han border was unswerving
The Kushan Empire was the overlord that ravaged Central Asia and attempted to annex the Han Dynasty's territory. However, in an unexpected battle with Ban Chao in the Xinjiang region, fortunes were reversed. As soon as the Kushan Empire set foot on the territory of Xinjiang, it was defeated by Ban Chao, and this battle also became a wonderful military legend in history.
In this fascinating story, we'll learn about the ambitions of the Kushan Empire and Ban Chao's heroic resistance, uncovering the surprises of this fierce battle. What kind of exciting scene has taken place in the land of Xinjiang?
How did Ban Chao turn the danger into a disaster and defeat the powerful Guishan Emperor ** team on the battlefield? Let's follow the plot of this battle, learn about the heroism and military wisdom of the time, and relive this turbulent history of Central Asia.
The ambitious Kadfitz was hesitant to attack the Han Dynasty.
In 75 AD, the Kushan Empire welcomed a new ruler, Kadfiz II. As soon as he ascended the throne, at the age of 18, he ignited his ambition to conquer the Quartet. It is conceivable that the young ruler, who had just consolidated his rule, wanted to show his glory and power through military expansion.
Under his leadership, the Kushan Empire was unstoppable and launched attacks in all directions. One by one, Western countries were annexed, and the Indian subcontinent was invaded. By 91 AD, the empire established by the Yuezhi Emperor had spread across Central and South Asia, making it the second most powerful state in Asia after the Han Dynasty.
But the ambitious Kadfitz was not satisfied. His arrogant personality does not allow him to be just"Alternative"。As a result, the ambitious ruler chose the distant Han dynasty as his target.
But Kadfez is not a frivolous person. He decided to test the Han Dynasty first. So, he sent someone with a gift and asked the Han Dynasty to give him a princess to marry Guishan.
The purpose of this move was clear: Cadfez wanted to assess the strength and attitude of the Han dynasty. If the Han Dynasty did not dare to refuse, it proved that it was afraid of the power of the Kushan; If the opposite is true, Kushan will have a reason to attack and prove his superiority by force. Whatever the outcome, this wedding trip was the catalyst for a later Han attack.
The brave Ban Chao resolutely rejected the bird's marriage proposal.
The Kushan delegation traveled across the desert and plateau to the Western Regions Metropolitan Protectorate, where they met with the Han general Ban Chao, who was guarding the Western Regions.
Ban Chao is not a typical military general. He was born in a scholarly family, but he regards love and righteousness as more important than law and discipline, and his personality is straightforward and somewhat willful. When he was young, he fought against the Xiongnu with Dou Gu and made great achievements, but he still felt that fame and fortune could not satisfy his heart. When he was middle-aged, he was expelled from the Frontier and continued to work in the Western Regions, finally having his own purpose in life.
Ban Chao has been stationed in the Western Regions for many years and has an indissoluble bond with the land and people of the Western Regions. As soon as the Cadfez mission spoke, the Han representative immediately sensed the intention of betrayal.
The king of the Western Regions refused the envoy without waiting for him to finish. Not only that, but he also insulted the envoy mercilessly, saying that Guishan was a small country with a sparse population and was not worthy of marriage with the Han Dynasty. He even sent back a gift from Kushan.
Such reckless behavior means that the two countries are on the brink of war. But the brave Ban Chao did not think too much about the consequences, but acted according to his own character and principles. He as"Great man"The rebellious spirit and indomitable behavior are perfectly reflected here.
The ambitious Kadfez finally found an excuse for war. How could this ambitious ruler allow such a thing to happen when his face was completely revealed? Will you put down your face and accept the Han Dynasty, or will you proudly go on an expedition and prove your superiority by force?
The Kushan Empire sent an army of 100,000 to surround Ban Chao's army.
Kadfez II was furious. He immediately dispatched troops, gathered an army of 100,000, and promised to cross the Green Ridge, attack the Western Regions, and capture Ban Chao and his gang.
An army of 100,000 marched through harsh deserts and plateaus. Years of continuous combat have long accustomed them to hardship and danger. Although the road was difficult and supplies were insufficient, this did not affect the progress of the steel torrent in the slightest.
Kadfitz sent his henchman, General Xie, as his deputy, and personally commanded it. They were well aware that the main target of this attack was the Han Dynasty capital Huban Chao, who was stationed in the Western Regions. Once Ban Chao and more than 2,000 Han troops were wiped out, the Western Regions would fall into their hands.
Wherever the Kushan army went, the cities fell one by one, and the countries of the Western Regions were shocked and retreated, secretly planning to unite with the Kushan Empire and eliminate the power of the Han Dynasty.
Soon after, the Kushan army approached the Banchao fortress of Shule (present-day Kashgar, Xinjiang), a small city on the edge of the desert that was strategically important despite its remote, weakly defended location.
A fierce battle will break out between the two sides. Will Ban Chao be able to repel the Kushan invaders?
Ban Chao decided to stay outdoors.
An army of 100,000 approached, but Ban Chao was undaunted. He understands the situation on both sides and has a plan in his head.
As a result of his long years of fighting on the battlefield, this Han army general knew the three major strategies of war well. He was well aware of the weakness of numerical superiority and realized that it was not wise to fight directly. At this moment, there must be no recklessness and naivety.
So, the old man did the opposite. He quickly ordered the soldiers and civilians to hold the city, protect the city walls, and burned all the wheat straw within a radius of tens of miles. The inhabitants quickly moved, leaving elite soldiers to defend the city.
At the same time, Ban Chao also sent envoys to urge the countries of the Western Regions to stop fighting and lure the snake out of the hole. He threatened that this was just an attempt by the Kushans, and that as long as everyone was united, the outside force would soon withdraw on its own.
These experiments quickly came to fruition. When the Kushan army laid siege to Shura, it was empty and uninhabited for a long time. When the enemy approached, the Han archers stationed on the surrounding hillsides launched a surprise attack, stormed the town, and caused some damage.
His deputy, Wang Xie, immediately realized that this was a tactic of the Han army in order to drive them deep into the city. Although there were 100,000 troops under the city, the strategic positioning of the Han army put them in a passive position. The siege is difficult to operate, and the logistics supply is extremely scarce. The war does not seem to be going well.
King Qiuzi, who had sworn allegiance, turned his back on the Kushans.
The Han army was good at guerrilla warfare, but it was too strong after all. At the same time, the kings of the Western Regions, who had already submitted to Banchao, were also planning an uprising.
In this way, Xie Wu, the governor of Guishan, suddenly had an idea and launched a war against the old rival of the Han Dynasty in the northwest, the Qiuzi Kingdom. This oasis kingdom with thousands of miles of wind and sand has always been willful, and it can solve problems by borrowing its power.
So, he organized a mission to the country of Qiuzi to ask for support. This time, Xie Wendong did not put forward any conditions, and promised to generously repay the help of King Qiuzi.
Surprisingly, even King Qiuzi, who had made countless vows to the Han Dynasty, easily turned his back on the Han Dynasty and promised to provide the Kushan army with abundant supplies and intelligence to help them achieve victory.
Unexpectedly, King Qiuzi, who was once very sympathetic to the Han Dynasty, also fought back! This change makes the situation even more unfavorable for Banchao. However, the shrewd Han General had already anticipated this and was not alarmed by the sudden change in the situation.
Just on Xie Wendong's way to Qiuzi, Ban Chao had already set up an ambush. He is well aware of the nature of King Guizi and has been waiting for his betrayal. So, he laid a net in advance, waiting for the Guishan envoy to throw himself into the net.
The Kushan army was in trouble.
The long-planned ambush soon worked. The Kushan mission was fiercely attacked by the Han army on the way and suffered heavy losses. Ban Chao also strengthened guerrilla tactics militarily, constantly harassing the battalions and supply convoys of the Kushan army.
The momentum quickly faded. Cadfitz's army was heavily surrounded and under constant attack, and the number of casualties continued to rise. Due to the lack of reinforcements, the army struggled to advance, and the situation deteriorated further.
In the face of the guerrilla tactics of the Han army, the numerical superiority of the Han army was gradually weakened, and the morale of the Kushan people was seriously depressed under the joint counterattack of the Han army and the countries of the Western Regions. In the end, Vice King Xie was forced to surrender to Ban Chao due to heavy losses.
In the face of this indisputable defeat, Kadfitz realized that the Han dynasty was far stronger and more resilient than he could have imagined. The Han Dynasty's ability and level of domination over the Western Regions were simply not up to par.
Ban Chao eventually accepted Xie's surrender and allowed him to return to Kushan with the remnants of his army. At this point, the cross-border expedition was declared a failure, and the ambitious Caddefus temporarily gave up his ambition to annex Hanzhong.
In Shule on the border of the Western Regions, the Han army, which had been fighting for many years, finally ushered in a short rest. In a fierce battle, a few emerged victorious, and the Han dynasty became stronger and more prosperous in the Western Regions.
This mountain and desert in the mountains"War of the Empires"It not only allows us to see the precious spirit of human beings in persisting in their dreams and expanding their territory, but also allows us to see the cruelty and despair of war.
History cannot be regressed, and hegemony and expansion seem to be the main themes of the state of that period. However, as future generations, while we remember these great men, we should also reflect on the suffering caused by war.
The Kushan and Hani eventually reconciled their differences, ensuring the continued prosperity of the Silk Road. However, we must not forget that peaceful coexistence is the only way for civilizations to interact.