In the 13th century, Genghis Khan of the Mongolian steppes led a Mongol army of only 100,000 troops to launch a military attack on the million-strong Jin state.
This move caused the world to be surprised and puzzled, so why did Genghis Khan dare to take the risk of challenging the golden kingdom with millions of troops?
The core of the Mongol army was cavalry, which was good at horseback archery and mobile combat, and was extremely combative. In contrast, the main force of the Jin State was infantry, and the number of cavalry was limited. Genghis Khan took full advantage of this gap in strength and gained a tactical advantage.
Although the Mongol army was small in number, they were all elite troops that were highly trained and carefully selected. They were known for their excellent horsemanship and combat skills, which allowed them to easily handle the huge army of the Kingdom of Jin on the battlefield.
Genghis Khan skillfully used the tactics of mounted archery, that is, shooting arrows on horseback and maintaining mobility. This tactic effectively weakened the combat effectiveness of the Jin army, since the infantry could not carry out an effective counterattack on the move.
Genghis Khan adopted the strategy of dividing and destroying the enemy army, he divided the Jin kingdom into several theaters of war, and then launched separate attacks in order to drain the Jin kingdom's military strength and spirit.
This strategy of gradual annihilation of enemy forces allowed the Mongol army to effectively deal with the large forces of the Jin state.
Genghis Khan launched his first campaign against the Jin state, and he sent troops to quickly occupy the Hetao region, which dealt a heavy blow to the Jin state.
Genghis Khan led his army to attack the capital of the Jin state, Zhongdu (present-day Beijing), and although it encountered some difficulties, it was finally successfully captured, and the marshal of the Jin state, Wanyan Aguta, was captured.
Genghis Khan continued to advance eastward, conquering the Hebei and Shanxi regions, and the Jin state continued to weaken.
Genghis Khan again sent troops and conquered the Jin fortress Jinyang, leaving the Jin state even more isolated.
Genghis Khan was adept at surprise attacks and surprise attacks, and he used his rapid cavalry mobility to surprise and attack the vital parts of the Jin army, causing great casualties and confusion.
Genghis Khan not only attached importance to military means, but also took an effective approach to politics, reaching many agreements with the Jin state, which consolidated their dominance.
He also seized on the contradictions between the officials of the Jin State and adopted a strategy of division and disintegration, which gave him a political advantage.
Genghis Khan was adept at using psychological tactics, spreading rumors and intimidation in order to demoralize the enemy and boost the morale of his own army.
He also used various means to capture enemy generals and gain information and negotiation advantages, and these tactics provided important support for his military victories.
Although Genghis Khan's Mongol army was small, their combat effectiveness and command ability were outstanding.
In the war against the Jin State, he was good at adopting a variety of tactics and tactics, using the principle of combining strike and attraction, constantly weakening and dividing the enemy, and finally achieved a decisive victory.
Genghis Khan's victory was not only a military victory, but also a demonstration of his leadership wisdom and superior leadership skills. His raid tactics, political maneuver, and psychological tactics provided important lessons for later military strategists.
His success also laid the foundation for the Mongol Empire, which would later become one of the largest countries in the world.