The Battle of Changping should be the largest number of participants in the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, the State of Zhao sent 450,000 troops, the State of Qin sent 500,000 troops, the strength of both sides is close to one million, is the earliest and largest battle in Chinese history, the war finally ended in the defeat of the State of Zhao.
After the State of Qin implemented the strategy of long-distance and close attack, Korea was accepted by the State of Qin, and was finally willing to take out Shangdang County to offer to the State of Qin. Surprisingly, the people of Shangdang County were not happy and collectively surrendered to the Zhao state. King Zhao Xiaocheng was also a simple-minded lord, and when he thought of going to the 17 cities in Dang County, he sent it to the door himself, and he didn't want to accept it.
As a result, the Battle of Qin and Zhao was about to erupt. King Xiaocheng of Zhao sent the famous general Lian Po to Shangdang County to organize a defense, and in the face of the menacing Qin army, Lian Po was also under great pressure. He was still a famous defender of Lianpo, and he still had a great advantage in defensive warfare, but successive defeats made King Zhao Xiaocheng very unhappy, and he repeatedly rebuked Lianpo twice.
Lian Po is also very wronged, and it is not easy to fight like this. However, King Xiaocheng of Zhao was not satisfied, and finally sent Zhao Kuo, who was talking on paper, to replace Lian Po, just in time to win the favor of the Qin army. In order to show himself, Zhao Kuo soon after taking office clashed with the Qin army, and the Qin army general Bai Qi ordered a pretend retreat. When Zhao Kuo saw the Qin army retreating, he immediately ordered the army to press up, but instead he was caught in the Qin army's treacherous plan.
After leading the Zhao army to the ambush site, the Qin army quickly surrounded the 450,000 Zhao army and sent cavalry to split in two. Zhao Kuo was also confused for a while, and asked people to go back to move the rescue troops, but they were cut off by the Qin army and could only do the battle of trapped beasts. Zhao Kuo was killed by random arrows from the Qin army when organizing the breakthrough, and finally 400,000 Zhao troops became prisoners of Bai Qi.
After the collective surrender of the Zhao army, it was not treated well, and only the massacre of the Qin army was ushered in, and a total of 400,000 Zhao troops were killed by the Qin army, which also became a point that Bai Qi was criticized in history. In fact, a careful analysis shows that it is not unreasonable for Bai Qi to do so, and it is naturally impossible to let these prisoners of war go home. The Qin army was fighting a transnational war at that time, and if the 400,000 Zhao army was collectively incorporated, once the unexpected consequences occurred on the way back to China, the supply of the Qin army could not bear 40 prisoners of war.
Another point is that the Qin state was experiencing the Shang martingale transformation method at that time, soldiers were rewarded according to the head, the more heads were rewarded, the more rewards, but if the 400,000 Zhao army became prisoners, then the Qin soldiers could not get a single reward, morale would be damaged, as a general also had to take care of the soldiers' feelings, so this was the best choice for baiqi at that time!