In historical records, we often see the peoples of the Central Plains fighting against the peoples of the northern grasslands. Huge national wars are always interspersed at key nodes of each dynasty.
The once powerful Han Dynasty could finally fight for its bloody strength through war and establish a great dynasty. However, those countries that were slightly less powerful, such as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and the Song Dynasty, had no choice but to perish under the powerful blow. Extinction.
However, the Tang Dynasty recorded in history books seems to be particularly different. It neither went through an arduous struggle nor paid bloody sacrifices. Instead, it easily defeated the opponent.
Is it because the Turks are too weak?
Obviously not!
You must know that in historical records, the Turkic Empire was very powerful. As early as the Five Hus and Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Turkic Empire had repeatedly intervened in the Central Plains regime and destroyed several powerful countries. "Controlling more than a million strings, The prosperity of Beidi has never been seen before. With a high view of Yinshan, there is a desire to be in the middle of Xia." The Turkic Empire at the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty was no weaker than the Xiongnu before the Han Dynasty, and was even several points stronger!
As for the Tang Dynasty's destruction of the East Turks, history books have always attributed it to Li Er's personal talent and strategy and the military strength of the Tang Dynasty, which was why he easily conquered the East Turks. Moreover, the chief hero of this battle, the Tang military wizard Li Jing, was deified, saying that he only had three thousand to destroy the Eastern Turks.
It is still possible to say that Li Jing's three thousand people destroyed the Eastern Turks. It may not come from Li Jing's military genius, nor from the military strength of the Tang Dynasty. Just imagine, there are not many records in the history books about this unprecedented war, nor are there any large-scale battles between the two sides. It seems that the Eastern Turks surrendered easily and without a fight. This phenomenon is very abnormal.
Comparing how much manpower, material and financial resources Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty spent on his attack on the Huns, which almost emptied the country, the Turks were probably even more powerful than the Huns. No matter how powerful the Tang Dynasty was, it was impossible to defeat the Turks dominating the grasslands so quickly.
But why was the country destroyed by the weaker Tang Dynasty? In addition to the outstanding military commanding talents of Tang Army coach Li Jing, more importantly, the Tang Dynasty was "blessed by God"!
The words "God bless" sound mysterious, but they actually exist. First of all, with the help of Chang Sun Sheng, the Sui Dynasty split the Turks into two divided parts - Eastern Turks and Western Turks. Although the strength of the Turkic Empire is still there, its internal classification factors have been formed and are difficult to resolve. Against this background, although the Tang Empire was badly beaten by the Turkic Empire in the early days of its founding, the Turkic Empire did not actually achieve true unification. Both sides either engaged in internal strife or were unable to concentrate all their efforts on attacking the Tang Dynasty.
In addition, in history, when the Tang Empire was preparing to go to war with the Turks, the Turks were suddenly hit by ice and snow disasters for two consecutive years. Historical records record that in the first year of Zhenguan, "the country had heavy snowfall, and the ground was several feet flat. All the sheep and horses died, and the people were starving." In the second year of Zhenguan, "Jieli Kingdom, frost fell in midsummer." How serious was this disaster? In fact, this was not a disaster limited to the Mongolian grasslands, but a major disaster in the entire northern hemisphere, and the Tang Dynasty was also affected.
In the second year of Zhenguan, China's Yellow River Basin, especially the Hebei area, also suffered from snowstorms, and the disaster was so serious that even if the Turkic Khanate went deep into the Tang Dynasty to plunder, they would gain nothing.
The temperature in the northern hemisphere suddenly dropped, and severe snowstorms and frost disasters caused a large number of Eastern Turkic livestock to freeze to death, resulting in an unprecedented famine. In order to maintain military strength, Jieli Khan had to forcibly collect military supplies from various grassland ministries, but this caused a stir in the Turks. The resistance of most tribes, after all, the Turks are no longer monolithic!
So it was against this background that Li Er launched a war against the Turks. The Turkic Empire had long lost the indomitable fighting power it had back then, so this massive national war was fought so quickly and easy.
After the fall of the Eastern Turks, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict: "Since last year, we have been paying successive tributes. We do not bother to guard Huo's generals, and do not wait for Jia Chao's strategy. Shanyu Jishou, crossing Gaojie, is named the king and is bound in front of him. Return to Yi Di."
We can also see from this edict that after the Tang Dynasty sent out troops, they encountered almost no decent resistance. Many Turkic tribes surrendered one after another in order to survive. Li Er therefore lamented that the Eastern Turks perished without the use of famous labor generals or strategies.
But now that Li Er plans to launch a national war with the Turks a full year in advance, it is difficult to determine the outcome, because the Turks at this time are still very powerful, at least what Jie Li said on the grassland Still no one dares to disobey! Therefore, Li Zexuan was firmly opposed to sending troops to the Turks in three months' time!
"Your Majesty, I think it is very inappropriate to attack the Turks at this time!"
In the Tai Chi Hall, Li Zexuan solemnly raised his hands after struggling in his heart.
As soon as he finished speaking, the officials were in an uproar!
Everyone in the civil and military circles of the dynasty knew that Li Zexuan was a "militant". They thought that when the prime minister of the Harsha Dynasty came to the Tang Dynasty to propose marriage, he was directly repelled by Li Zexuan and threatened to fight. There was also the previous visit of the Japanese delegation to the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, Li Zexuan was not only on guard at all times, but sometimes even targeted at everything. He was clearly not afraid of causing trouble!
After hearing the news that the Tang Dynasty was about to attack the Turks, such a tough-minded "militant" first reacted not to approve but to oppose? All the ministers wondered if the sun was rising in the west today!
Li Er, who was sitting at the top, frowned when he heard this and asked in a deep voice: "What's wrong? Jieli ignored the Tang Dynasty and me, and dared to send troops to Yanmen Pass. As the master of the Tang Dynasty, I , why can’t you return the favor?”
Anyone who is familiar with Li Er knows that Li Er was a little angry at this time! Because Li Zexuan has always been a junior that Li Er values very much, but today Li Zexuan's statement on the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks made Li Er very disappointed! Thinking that the talent he carefully cultivated turned out to be a timid rat, how could Li Er not be angry? How not to feel sad?
"Your Majesty! Since the Sui Dynasty, when the Turks were divided into East and West Turks, there has been chaos within the Turks. In addition, a snowstorm broke out in the Turks last year, which caused a lot of food shortages in the Turks. These are the harbingers of the decline of the Turks' national power!"
Facing Li Er's disappointed gaze, Li Zexuan cupped his hands with a normal expression.
Li Er said calmly: "In that case, shouldn't I send troops to destroy Jieli at this time?"
Li Zexuan shook his head quickly and said: "That's not the case! Your Majesty, although the Turks have encountered civil strife and natural disasters, Jieli's strength has been well preserved, and the national power is still stronger than that of the Tang Dynasty! In my opinion,"
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In addition, in history, when the Tang Empire was preparing to go to war with the Turks, the Turks were suddenly hit by ice and snow disasters for two consecutive years. Historical records record that in the first year of Zhenguan, "the country had heavy snowfall, and the ground was several feet flat. All the sheep and horses died, and the people were starving." In the second year of Zhenguan, "Jieli Kingdom, frost fell in midsummer." How serious was this disaster? In fact, this was not a disaster limited to the Mongolian grasslands, but a major disaster in the entire northern hemisphere, and the Tang Dynasty was also affected.
In the second year of Zhenguan, China's Yellow River Basin, especially the Hebei area, also suffered from snowstorms, and the disaster was so serious that even if the Turkic Khanate went deep into the Tang Dynasty to plunder, they would gain nothing.
The temperature in the northern hemisphere suddenly dropped, and severe snowstorms and frost disasters caused a large number of Eastern Turkic livestock to freeze to death, resulting in an unprecedented famine. In order to maintain military strength, Jieli Khan had to forcibly collect military supplies from various grassland ministries, but this caused a stir in the Turks. The resistance of most tribes, after all, the Turks are no longer monolithic!
So it was against this background that Li Er launched a war against the Turks. The Turkic Empire had long lost the indomitable fighting power it had back then, so this massive national war was fought so quickly and easy.
After the fall of the Eastern Turks, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict: "Since the last year, we have been paying successive tributes. We do not bother to guard Huo's generals, and do not wait for Jia Chao's strategy. Shanyu Jishou, crossing Gaojie, the name of the king is bound in front of him. Return to Yi Di."
We can also see from this edict that after the Tang Dynasty sent out troops, they encountered almost no decent resistance. Many Turkic tribes surrendered one after another in order to survive. Li Er therefore lamented that the Eastern Turks perished without the use of famous labor generals or strategies.
But now that Li Er plans to launch a national war with the Turks a full year in advance, it is difficult to determine the outcome, because the Turks at this time are still very powerful, at least what Jie Li said on the grassland Still no one dares to disobey! Therefore, Li Zexuan was firmly opposed to sending troops to the Turks in three months' time!
"Your Majesty, I think it is very inappropriate to attack the Turks at this time!"
In the Tai Chi Hall, Li Zexuan solemnly raised his hands after struggling in his heart.
As soon as he finished speaking, the officials were in an uproar!
Everyone in the civil and military circles of the dynasty knew that Li Zexuan was a "militant". They thought that when the prime minister of the Harsha Dynasty came to the Tang Dynasty to propose marriage, he was directly repelled by Li Zexuan and threatened to fight. There was also the previous visit of the Japanese delegation to the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, Li Zexuan was not only on guard at all times, but sometimes even targeted at everything. He was clearly not afraid of causing trouble!
After hearing the news that the Tang Dynasty was about to attack the Turks, such a tough-minded "militant" first reacted not to approve but to oppose? All the ministers wondered if the sun was rising in the west today!
Li Er, who was sitting at the top, frowned when he heard this and asked in a deep voice: "What's wrong? Jieli ignored the Tang Dynasty and me, and dared to send troops to Yanmen Pass. As the master of the Tang Dynasty, I , why can’t you return the favor?”
Anyone who is familiar with Li Er knows that Li Er was a little angry at this time! Because Li Zexuan has always been a junior that Li Er values very much, but today Li Zexuan's statement on the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks made Li Er very disappointed! Thinking that the talent he carefully cultivated turned out to be a timid rat, how could Li Er not be angry? How not to feel sad?
"Your Majesty! Since the Sui Dynasty, when the Turks were divided into East and West Turks, there has been chaos within the Turks. In addition, a snowstorm broke out in the Turks last year, which caused a lot of food shortages in the Turks. These are the harbingers of the decline of the Turks' national power!"
Facing Li Er's disappointed gaze, Li Zexuan cupped his hands with a normal expression.
Li Er said calmly: "In that case, shouldn't I send troops to destroy Jieli at this time?"
Li Zexuan shook his head quickly and said: "That's not the case! Your Majesty, although the Turks have suffered from civil strife and natural disasters, Jieli's strength has been well preserved, and the national power is still stronger than that of the Tang Dynasty! In my opinion," In addition, in the history of the Tang Empire, When they were preparing to go to war with the Turks, the Turks suddenly suffered from ice and snow disasters for two consecutive years. Historical records record that in the first year of Zhenguan, "the country suffered heavy snowfall, and the ground was several feet flat. All the sheep and horses died, and the people were severely hungry." In the second year of Zhenguan, "Jieli Guozhong" , frost in midsummer." How serious is this disaster? In fact, this was not a disaster limited to the Mongolian grasslands, but a major disaster in the entire northern hemisphere, and the Tang Dynasty was also affected.
In the second year of Zhenguan, China's Yellow River Basin, especially the Hebei area, also suffered from snowstorms, and the disaster was so serious that even if the Turkic Khanate went deep into the Tang Dynasty to plunder, they would gain nothing.
The temperature in the northern hemisphere suddenly dropped, and severe snowstorms and frost disasters caused a large number of Eastern Turkic livestock to freeze to death, resulting in an unprecedented famine. In order to maintain military strength, Jieli Khan had to forcibly collect military supplies from various grassland ministries, but this caused a stir in the Turks. The resistance of most tribes, after all, the Turks are no longer monolithic!
So it was against this background that Li Er launched a war against the Turks. The Turkic Empire had long lost the indomitable fighting power it had back then, so this massive national war was fought so quickly and easy.
After the fall of the Eastern Turks, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict: "Since last year, we have been paying successive tributes. We do not bother to guard Huo's generals, and do not wait for Jia Chao's strategy. Shanyu Jishou, crossing Gaojie, is named the king and is bound in front of him. Return to Yi Di."
We can also see from this edict that after the Tang Dynasty sent out troops, they encountered almost no decent resistance. Many Turkic tribes surrendered one after another in order to survive. Li Er therefore lamented that the Eastern Turks perished without the use of famous labor generals or strategies.
But now that Li Er plans to launch a national war with the Turks a full year in advance, it is difficult to determine the outcome, because the Turks at this time are still very powerful, at least what Jie Li said on the grassland Still no one dares to disobey! Therefore, Li Zexuan was firmly opposed to sending troops to the Turks in three months' time!
"Your Majesty, I think it is very inappropriate to attack the Turks at this time!"
In the Tai Chi Hall, Li Zexuan solemnly handed over his hands after struggling in his heart.
As soon as he finished speaking, the officials were in an uproar!
Everyone in the civil and military circles of the dynasty knew that Li Zexuan was a "militant". They thought that when the prime minister of the Harsha Dynasty came to the Tang Dynasty to propose marriage, Li Zexuan directly repulsed him.
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