Some netizens asked: Why can a princely state take out 500,000 to 600,000 troops during the Warring States period, and it is very difficult for the dynasties after the great unification to come up with the military strength of a country during the Warring States period?
Seeing such a question, I think this netizen may be imagining it again. Although the battle of Changping brought about 600,000 and 400,000 troops mobilized by each of the Qin and Zhao states, we cannot conclude that any princely state can bring out 500,000 to 600,000 troops.
At the same time, we must know that the Battle of Changping was a strategic decisive battle between the two most militarily powerful princely states in the late Warring States period, and it was a war related to the survival of the country. Because of this, King Zhaoxiang of Qin would carry out a large-scale conscription in the newly occupied areas, and on the condition of rewarding knighthoods, all men over the age of 15 were conscripted into the army, which was enough to gather about 600,000 manpower.
First, the total number of armies of the major princely states was about two million.
According to the demographic statistics of the time, the total population of the major princely states was about 20 million to 30 million, according to the number of conscriptable troops of about one-tenth, so the total number of armies of the major princely states was about two million. Under normal circumstances, countries like Han, Wei, Zhongshan, Yan, Song, qi and other countries can have a combat strength of 100,000 to 300,000. Other larger figures are only theoretically mobilizable limits and cannot be considered real troops.
Secondly, during the Warring States period, logistics transport personnel were usually also counted in the number of troops.
We must know that in the Warring States period, logistics transport personnel were usually also counted in the number of troops. This should be said to be a habit of calculating troop strength at that time. In general, the number of logistics troops transporting grain and grass is about three times that of the number of people on the front line. That is to say, in the Battle of Changping, of the so-called 450,000 troops of the Zhao State, about 300,000 may have been logistics transport troops.
Third, in order to gain prestige, all countries have the habit of exaggerating the number of troops.
For example, in the Battle of Kunyang in the Xinmang period, wang Mang's army in the new dynasty was said to be one million, but in fact it was only 400,000. On the other hand, we can know through the history books that in the qin shi huang period, the final destruction of the chu state, the veteran general Wang Qi and the first emperor want 600,000 troops, before they are willing to go out, Qin Shi Huang feels the difficulty, it can be seen that such a powerful Qin state at this time to take out 600,000 troops is not so easy, not to mention other princely states? Of course, we must also admit that the total number of qin troops at this time must be far more than 600,000, or even 90 to 1 million. However, we must know that at this time, the State of Qin was a great empire that had already destroyed the states of Han, Zhao, and Wei, and occupied almost all the territory of the State of Yan.
In short, judging from the total number of princely states at that time and the strength of the seven strong warring states, even if a country as strong as Qin Zhao wanted to come up with 500,000 to 600,000 combat troops, let alone those relatively weak countries.