In 751 AD, in the tenth year of Tang Tianbao, a historic military confrontation took place between the Tang Empire and the Abbasid Dynasty, which is called the "Battle of Talas" by modern historians, and divided the territory of Central Asia into a new trajectory. However, the true impact of this battle may be far less than exaggerated by some historical documents.
The city of Talas, located on the banks of the Talas River on the border between present-day Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, was once the core of the country of the Zhaowu Nine Surnames. However, at the end of the 6th century, the rise of the Turkic Khanate took control of the "Silk Road", which had a great impact on the economy and politics of the Central Plains Dynasty. After the efforts of Taizong and Gaozong, the Tang Dynasty finally restored its rule over the Western Regions. However, the rise of the Arab empires was equally striking, with their gradual expansion in Central Asia and their overlapping interests with those of the Tang dynasty.
Around 740 AD, the Arab powers almost completely controlled the "Zhaowu Nine Surnames" in Central Asia, and at the same time, the Tang Dynasty also tried to reassert its influence in the region. Under these circumstances, Gao Xianzhi, the leader of the Tang Dynasty's Anxi Protectorate, led 20,000 elite soldiers into Talas City. Although the Tang army was almost equal in numbers to the enemy, they did not flinch, but skillfully used crossbowmen, archers, Mo sword teams and cavalry and other units to make a precise arrangement and launched fierce battles.
However, in the face of strong city defenses and a large number of enemy troops, the Don army fell into a strategic dilemma. Despite showing stubborn combat effectiveness in battle, it was eventually routed by a surprise attack by the forces of its betrayed allies, Qarluq. The battle ended in the defeat of the Tang army, which suffered heavy losses, and Gao Xianzhi was forced to retreat and returned to Chang'an with the remnants of the defeated army.
However, some historical documents may have exaggerated descriptions of the battle. Arab historians describe the battle as the complete destruction of the Don army, but the reality may be far from that. The actual strength of the Tang army was not enough to support those exaggerated figures, and after the war, the Tang Dynasty's territory and influence were not affected too much. In fact, another famous general of the Tang Dynasty, Feng Changqing, soon achieved major victories in the Pamir region, proving that the Tang Dynasty still had great power in the Western Regions.
More interestingly, the Battle of Talas also left a cultural impact. Advanced technologies such as papermaking from the Tang Dynasty were introduced to the Arab region and then to Europe, opening a new chapter in history. In addition, the Battle of Talas also witnessed the legendary story of a Chinese traveler, Du Huan, who became one of the farthest people to reach the West during the Tang Dynasty.
In summary, the historical significance of the Battle of Talas may be exaggerated by some documents, but in fact its impact on the Tang Dynasty and the Arab Empire was relatively limited. The Tang Dynasty still maintained a strong presence in the Western Regions, and the Arabs did not dominate Central Asia as a result of the war. Therefore, we should be cautious about the records in historical documents and understand the changing history from a more objective perspective.