During the Sui and Tang dynasties, three regimes emerged on the Korean Peninsula, namely Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje, which were not dynasties established by the surrounding nomads, but real agricultural civilizations, and these three countries were in a three-pronged state for a long time, full of contradictions and constant wars.
Great Tang Junwei
However, these three regimes have been vassals of the Central Plains Dynasty since ancient times, and have been careful to pay tribute to the Central Plains Dynasty and accept canonization, but since the time of Emperor Wen of Sui, Goguryeo began to challenge the status of the Sui Dynasty's suzerainty, and even sent troops to western Liao, south to conquer Silla and Baekje, constantly expanding, challenging the vassal state system of the Central Plains Dynasty, which naturally attracted the attack of the Sui Dynasty.
Goguryeo during the Northern Qi period
Several generations of emperors starting from the Sui and Tang dynasties have carried out many expeditions, but almost all of them have been fruitless, especially the three conquests of the Sui Emperor, the result not only did not weaken the other party, but left a large number of materials to strengthen Goguryeo, but also became the turning point of the Sui Dynasty from prosperity to decline, to the Tang Dynasty, Tang Taizong also went to Goguryeo, but failed to completely destroy the country, but only completely destroyed during the Tang Gaozong period, why did the famous Tang Taizong fail to extinguish, but Tang Gaozong completed this war? The biggest reason for this is that Goguryeo's leading party completely buried Goguryeo due to infighting.
Goguryeo's past and present
At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, the Buyeo people Jumeng in eastern Liaoning established a regime, because of the establishment of a state in Goguryeo County, Xuanjing County of the Han Dynasty, so it was called Goguryeo, and in the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Goguryeo was changed to Goryeo, and its monarch was also canonized as King of Goryeo by the Central Plains Dynasty, and this Goryeo had nothing to do with the future Wang family Goryeo.
Xuanjiang County of the Han Dynasty
As a vassal state, Goryeo (hereinafter referred to as Goryeo, because the history books of the Sui and Tang dynasties use abbreviations) has always been a tribute to the Central Plains Dynasty and accepted canonization, but with the continuous development of national strength, by the time of Emperor Wen of Sui, Goryeo, which had been developing obscenely, began to challenge the status of the suzerainty of the Sui Dynasty and constantly expand its territory.
As early as the period of Emperor Wen of Sui, Emperor Wen of Sui sent 300,000 troops to destroy Goryeo, but because of the plague epidemic, food and grass and other problems before the battle lost a large number of Sui troops, had to withdraw, by the time of Emperor Sui, Emperor Sui personally conquered Goryeo three times in a row, the first of which sent a million-strong army, and the number behind was also quite large, but all three expeditions returned, and left a lot of materials, but strengthened the power of Goryeo.
During the Sui Dynasty, Goguryeo was already very powerful
Emperor Taizong of Tang's benevolence and righteousness set out to fight
After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Goryeo uncharacteristically sent an envoy to the above table, blessed Tang Jeongshuo, and promulgated the Tang Dynasty calendar in the country, and Tang Gaozu also canonized Goryeo, Silla and Baekje respectively, but by the end of Wudeok, Goryeo not only frequently obstructed Silla and Baekje's overland tribute to Tang, but even sent troops to invade Silla and Baekje many times, at this time Tang Taizong had just succeeded to the throne and suffered the shame of Weishui, the great trouble of the Tang Dynasty was Turkic, Tang Taizong was unwilling to start the war lightly, and could only mediate the relationship between the three countries.
Because of the face of the Tang Dynasty, Goryeo had a posture of apology and reconciliation on the surface, secretly always fiercely fighting and actively preparing for war, and even built a Great Wall of more than a thousand miles on the border of the Tang and Goryeo, Tang Taizong saw it in his eyes and remembered it in his heart, because at this time, the main places and western regions of the Tang Dynasty could not free up his hand to pay attention to the situation in Liaodong for the time being, and then conquer Goryeo when the time was ripe.
Goguryeo during the early Tang Dynasty
In November of the sixteenth year of Jeongguan (642), a coup d'état occurred within Goryeo, and the eastern governor Yeongai Suwen killed the king Gao Jianwu, and Gao Jianwu's nephew Gozo succeeded him, but he himself grasped the imperial government and became the de facto ruler of Goryeo.
But just when Emperor Taizong of Tang was preparing to send troops, there was a crisis of the prince inside, and the dynasty was unstable, and at the same time, he had just repented of his marriage to Xue Yantuo in Mobei, and if he didn't do it, he had to fight with Xue Yantuo first, so the conquest of Goryeo could only be put on hold first, otherwise it would fall into an unfavorable situation of fighting on two fronts, after all, it was to destroy the country.
In September of the seventeenth year of Jungguan (643), Baekje allied with Goryeo, Baekje sent troops to capture more than forty cities in Silla, Silla was in danger, and asked the Tang to send troops, Tang Taizong first mediated, but the mediation failed, and finally Tang Taizong prepared to conquer Goryeo and pacify Goryeo!
In the spring of the nineteenth year of Zhenguan (645), Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered Fang Xuanling to stay in Chang'an, and the crown prince Li ruled the country and drove the imperial conquest, but Goryeo was a regime established by agricultural civilization, establishing many cities, and if you want to destroy the country, you must attack city by city, one by one pull out the nails in the territory of Goryeo, and in order to attack the heart, Tang Taizong ordered the army to maintain the image of a benevolent division at all times, not only not plundering property, but also entertaining the people of the captured city, which brought great pressure to the logistics of the Tang army.
Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered the army to maintain the image of a benevolent division at all times
In June of the nineteenth year of Zhenguan (645), the Tang army attacked under the city of Baiyan, and the city lord Sun Daiyin said that he would surrender, and Emperor Taizong of Tang naturally agreed with his mouth, and promised to do nothing against the people in the city, which Li Wei did not agree to, after all, the soldiers risked their lives to attack the city in order to capture and plunder the city, and now repent, it will greatly discourage the enthusiasm of the Tang army.
Tang Taizong also understood the importance of morale, but had agreed, but the soldiers could not be treated badly, so he took out money from his own treasury to treat the soldiers, as for the people in the city, he also sent food, and even rewarded the elderly over 80 years old, as for the defenders, Tang Taizong also sent them money and food, so that they could go back freely, of course, the purpose was to publicize the image of the benevolent master of the Great Tang.
According to Tang Taizong's idea, he appeared as a benevolent master, and the soldiers and civilians of Goryeo should obediently turn their hands and unload their armor and surrender with Lilly, but Goryeo did not, especially the three big cities of Xincheng, Anshi and Jian'an, the Tang army never conquered, until September, Tang Taizong saw that the situation was unfavorable and prepared to bypass Anshi and attack Jian'an first, and even some people established a direct raid on Wugu and Pyongyang, but gave up this plan under persuasion.
Attack city by city
After all, the cities along the way were not captured, and the commanders of the army drove straight in and were easily cut off from logistics, which was what the Sui Emperor did back then, Liaodong did not capture and sent the Ninth Route Army to drive directly to Pyongyang, worried that the logistics would be cut off, they could only bring their own dry food to march, and when they arrived in Pyongyang, seeing that the city of Pyongyang was so strong and there was nothing to eat, the direct army was distracted and collapsed.
In September of the nineteenth year of Zhenguan (645), the logistics of the Tang army reached the limit, and it may collapse if it attacks again, after all, Tang Taizong's fighting style is too expensive to eat and drink, plus the weather is starting to be cold, Tang Taizong can only retreat, but before leaving, Tang Taizong still brought something back, otherwise it was not a trip for nothing, in the attacked city, Tang Taizong took away countless horses, armor, weapons, and captured more than 70,000 people.
The Korean TV series "Morning of the Empire" is a completely fabricated image out of thin air
At the same time, Emperor Taizong of Tang also knew that he could not swallow Goryeo, so after the unfavorable eradication of the city, he began to adopt raiding tactics, sending cavalry to destroy the opponent's grain production, resulting in the collapse of the opponent's economy, and also made the strength of Goryeo begin to decline, laying the foundation for Emperor Tang Gaozong to destroy Goryeo.
Goryeo civil strife, Tang Gaozong completely solved the Liaodong problem
In the period of Tang Gaozong, although he wanted to conquer Goryeo, but only set the destruction of Goryeo as a long-term strategic goal, after all, the failure of Su Dingfang to besiege Pyongyang a few years ago, but also made Tang Gaozong understand that Goryeo can only continue the exhaustion of Tang Taizong's period, and at this time, Tang Gaozong carried out a consecration ceremony, and the Goryeo prince Gao Fu Nan actually came to make a show of goodwill, probably thinking that Tang Gaozong at this time did not have a clear plan to destroy Goryeo.
In the first year of Qianfeng (666), Yuangai Suwen died, and the eldest son Yuannian, the second son Yuannianjian, and the third son Quannan began internal strife, all wanting to take power, and this time was also a fortuitous event, after all, they had not torn their faces at that time, especially when Yuannan went on patrol, he left his two younger brothers in Pyongyang and did not send his own son to garrison, which shows that there were not too many contradictions at that time.
Buyeo people Yuan Gai Suwen
But there is never a lack of villains around those in power, all want to rely on the person in power to ascend to heaven step by step, especially when Yuan Boy went out on patrol, someone told him that the remaining Yuan Nanjian and Quan Nanshan said that their eldest brother wanted to kill them, it was better to start first, but Yuan Nanjian ignored it, and there were also people around Yuan Boy who happened to be on patrol who also said that his two younger brothers wanted to seize power, so Yuan Boy sent a crony back to see, it just so happened that this crony was also seen by Yuan Nanjian and Quan Nansan, and after making up a series of plots, he directly staged a big drama of brothers on the wall.
The Yuan boy outside obviously can't beat the two younger brothers who have the city and logistics, and directly chose to invite the Great Tang to send troops to help him fight his younger brothers, of course, Tang Gaozong didn't believe it at first, after all, there is such a good thing, and as a result, after the Yuan boy sent three envoys to show his heart, Tang Gaozong completely believed, of course, the basis of trust is that the Yuan boy sent his son to send a big gift, that is, his son Xiangcheng (that's the name) to send "more than 100,000 households in six cities in China, books through the gate, and three cities such as wooden bottom" and so on to the Tang Dynasty.
The place occupied by the Yuan boys
Faced with this opportunity, Emperor Gaozong of Tang immediately sent Li Wei and Xue Rengui to lead the army into Goryeo, join the Wonboys, and named him the Grand Governor of the Pyongyang Province March, the Grand Governor of Liaodong, the Duke of Xuanjing County, and a series of titles.
Xue Rengui
It is necessary to know that the domestic city is one of the three capitals of Goryeo, with a large number of nobles left, it is the highest status among the northern cities of Goryeo, and it is also a city that the Tang army has been unable to conquer many times, and now the city and more than 100,000 households are all handed over to the Tang army, which can be said to tear a big hole in the northern defense line of Goryeo.
As for the important Dark Bone City was also occupied by the Yuan Boys, when Tang Taizong conquered the White Rock City, there were more than 10,000 Goryeo reinforcements from the Dark Bone City, which shows the importance of the city, and now it is also in the hands of the Tang Army, it can be said that the land sacrifice of the Quan Boy gave a fatal blow to the Goryeo defense system.
With the leading party of the level of Yuan boy, the battle behind the Tang army went extremely smoothly, such as the direct surrender of the new city that Tang Taizong could never conquer, seeing the dishearted Goryeo of the army, how smooth and smooth the Tang army fought, Xue Rengui took 3,000 soldiers and horses to attack Buyeo City, not only successfully captured, but also surrendered with more than forty surrounding cities.
In September of the first year of Zongzhang (668), Li Wei's troops came to Pyongyang City, and the capital city Li Wei, which Su Dingfang besieged for half a year and could not conquer, was solved in a month, as for the princes and nobles in the city, they had long seen that the general trend had gone, and they came to lead the way, first Wonnanjian surrendered with the puppet king, and then Yuannanjian's henchmen opened the city gates, so that Goryeo officially perished, and also solved a major hidden danger in the northeast of the Central Plains Dynasty.
Li Wei finally destroyed Goguryeo for the veteran
Of course, it is also fortunate that people of the level of Yuan boy led the way, which captured Goryeo from the inside, after all, in this situation of internal strife and external enemies, before the demise of Goryeo, it still organized a 200,000-strong army to counterattack, fortunately, the Tang Dynasty gathered stars at this time, and it was also the moment when the Tang Dynasty was strong, which completely destroyed Goryeo.
It can be seen that if there is no Yuan boy, it will take more than ten years or even decades for Tang Gaozong to destroy Goryeo, and it can also be said that Tang Gaozong can complete the cause that Tang Taizong failed to complete, and the most important reason is that it is a good time to encounter Goryeo internal strife, after all, fortresses are broken from the inside.