Preface
Cao Cao, a controversial great ruler in Chinese history. His name is often associated with conspiracy, military affairs, and politics, and his frequent personal conquests have sparked numerous conjectures and discussions among historians.
Why does a commander with a strong subordinate always lead his troops in person? Is it because he is not worried about the loyalty of his subordinates, or is it because he thinks his subordinates are incompetent?
This article will delve into the truth behind Cao Cao's personal conquest, revealing the inner struggles and strategic choices of the King of Conspiracy, as well as the dilemmas and challenges he faced in the process. Now, let's uncover the mystery of Cao Cao's personal conquest and explore the profound historical enlightenment.
A tough start: from a small warlord to a big prince
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, and the heroes rose together. The most prominent of these is Cao Cao. This commoner's son after being a eunuch, with his extraordinary political skills and military talent, gradually grew from a small warlord to a great prince who dominated the north.
In 190, Cao Cao raised troops in his hometown of Chenliu, with only a few hundred people. His army was initially small in size, but gradually gained a certain prestige and strength through the crusades against the Yellow Turbans and other sporadic battles. In 196, Cao Cao defeated Lü Bu and obtained the official position of Assassin of Yuzhou, which can be regarded as truly becoming a warlord.
During this period, Cao Cao's army grew from a few hundred to tens of thousands, but his generals were still small soldiers with little experience and limited ability. In order to stabilize his foundation, Cao Cao had to personally command the army. In every battle, he had to risk his life and go deep into the enemy's territory to direct the battle.
Cao Cao did this for several important reasons:
First, he was born into a commoner, not a child of a large family, and was wary of the loyalty of his subordinates. At that time, Yuan Shao, Sun Jian, Lu Bu and other princes and warlords also personally led their troops to fight. Cao Cao needed to maintain the morale of the army through personal conquest and ensure that his generals would not betray.
Secondly, in the early days, Cao Cao's generals, such as Xiahoudun and Cao Ren, although they also had certain military talents, were far from being comparable to Cao Cao. They alone commanded a force of several thousand men, and were not yet able to lead a large army against hostile forces.
Moreover, Cao Cao's own military talent was indeed outstanding. He is good at using his troops and strategy, coupled with his tenacity and courage, he can often turn the tide of battle on his own. Therefore, he preferred to go into battle himself rather than hand over the army to his men.
In the past ten years, Cao Cao has personally conquered again and again, constantly strengthening his military strength. His military talents and political skills were gradually honed, and he finally defeated Yuan Shao, the biggest opponent in the north, in the Battle of Guandu. This victory marked the peak of Cao Cao's position in the north, and also laid a solid foundation for his later unification.
Getting better: Cao Cao's military prowess and political skills
After the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao's power expanded further, and he officially began the process of establishing his own power. At this stage, his military talents and political skills were further developed.
Cao Cao's victory in the Battle of Guandu not only strengthened his military power, but also greatly increased his prestige. Although he was heavily defeated in the Battle of Chibi next, he still firmly held the right to speak in the north. After that, he moved to the northwest, eliminated the threat of Ma Chao and other forces, and basically unified the Central Plains.
At this stage, Cao Cao paid more attention to cultivating his generals. He began to let Xiahoudun, Cao Ren and others independently defend one side and command a larger army. However, Cao Cao was still wary of these subordinates, and preferred to reuse his relatives, characters like Xiahou Yuan.
In the military, Cao Cao's talents have also made great progress in the past ten years. From the initial small-scale guerrilla warfare, it gradually evolved into the use of integrated regiments to carry out large-scale operations. His strategic planning and tactical command have made a qualitative leap. For example, in the Battle of Tongguan, he was able to accurately predict the enemy's movements, and finally defused the threat from the northwest.
At the same time, Cao Cao became increasingly skilled in political skills. He was good at using public opinion and propaganda, and in the name of "supporting the Han", he won the support of many scholars and the people. Although there were many ministers within the court who opposed his actions, he managed to defuse these resistances.
During this period, although Cao Cao still had to personally lead the army, he had already begun to train a number of outstanding generals, such as Zhang Liao, Zhang He, Xu Huang and others. In the later battles, these people all showed outstanding commanderial skills and made great contributions to Cao Wei's territorial expansion.
It can be said that Cao Cao at this stage is not only an outstanding military strategist, but also a politician who is good at scheming. He is not only able to use superb tactical command, but is also good at using various means to consolidate and expand his sphere of influence. This all-round talent also made him one of the most influential heroes during the Three Kingdoms period.
Cao Cao's Worries: Power and Succession Issues
Although Cao Cao had largely unified the north, his ambitions for the great cause of the world were far from being realized. Over the next decade, he will face many hardships and obstacles.
During this period, Cao Cao's military campaigns were more frequent. He invaded Jingzhou, Eastern Wu, and westward into Hanzhong, trying to eliminate the surrounding separatist forces. In these battles, Cao Cao still personally commanded the army and participated directly in the battle.
The reason for this is, on the one hand, because Cao Cao's own military talent is extraordinary, and he can often turn things around on the battlefield. On the other hand, he was still skeptical about the abilities of his generals and was unwilling to fully entrust them with military power.
Cao Cao did have some excellent generals under him, such as Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Yu Ban and others. They do well in their respective regions and are able to command large armies independently. But at the critical moment, they still need Cao Cao to personally go out to win.
For example, when Guan Yu attacked Fancheng, although Yu Ban held his ground, he was unable to repel the strong enemy. Cao Cao had to personally lead his army to arrive before forcing Guan Yu to retreat. For example, in the Battle of Hanzhong, Xiahou Yuan was extremely intelligent, but because of his carelessness, he was beheaded, and the three armies fell into chaos, and Cao Cao needed to arrive in time to save the situation.
These incidents strengthened Cao Cao's doubts about the ability of his subordinates. Although he repeatedly delegated power to his subordinates in order to train a successor, he was still uneasy in his heart.
The reason why Cao Cao is like this, in addition to his distrust of his subordinates, is also related to his own personality. He is extremely focused on the control of power and military power, and is highly vigilant against anything that threatens his central position. In addition, his ambition and desire for merit are very strong, and he is even more unwilling to hand over the critical moment of the great cause of the world to others.
This character trait made Cao Cao have to be cautious politically. He had to guard against not only foreign enemies, but also threats from within the imperial court. For example, when he was opposed for usurping the Han Dynasty, he had to recruit again in person to maintain his political status.
It can be said that Cao Cao's pro-conscription tendency stems not only from his distrust of his subordinates, but also from his own personality and ambition. He wanted to consolidate his power and realize his long-cherished wish to unify the world, so he had to personally supervise the war at all times. This undoubtedly put his life at great risk, but he seemed to have no choice.
The beginning of the "Three Kingdoms".
Cao Cao's life is divided into three key periods: from the minor warlords to the great princes, from the great princes to the unification of the north, and finally to the formation of the Three Kingdoms. In this process, his personal expedition has always been throughout, which has become one of his major characteristics.
In the first decade, Cao Cao's army grew from a few hundred to tens of thousands, but his generals were still inexperienced and limited. Cao Cao had to personally lead his troops to the battle in order to ensure control of the battle situation. This stemmed partly from his suspicion of the loyalty of his subordinates, but also from his own military talent.
After entering the second decade, Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu and basically unified the north. During this period, he began to reuse some capable generals, such as Xiahoudun and Cao Ren, and let them defend one side independently. However, Cao Cao still tended to cultivate his own kinship, such as Xiahou Yuan and other figures.
By the third decade, Cao Cao's territory was more solid, and he could command more troops to fight on multiple fronts. At this time, he was finally able to let some generals such as Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Yu Ban and others take charge of themselves and go out independently. But even so, Cao Cao himself is still the coach who participates most frequently.
At this stage, some truly outstanding generals such as Zhang Liao, Zhang He, and Xu Huang appeared under Cao Cao. They all demonstrated extraordinary command skills at critical moments and made significant contributions to Cao Wei's territorial expansion. But unfortunately, Cao Cao himself is too old to give full play to these talents.
To sum up, the main reasons for Cao Cao's pro-conquest are as follows:
1. Born as a commoner, he is wary of the loyalty of his generals and must personally control the military.
2. In the early days, the generals were weak and could not command the army independently, so Cao Cao needed to personally lead the troops.
3. Cao Cao's own military talent can turn things around at critical moments, so he prefers to go into battle in person.
4. Cao Cao's desire for control and meritorious service is very strong in his character, and he hopes to show his majesty through personal conquest.
This kind of pro-conquest not only reflects Cao Cao's military talent, but also reflects all kinds of worries and contradictions in his heart. He needed to stabilize his foundation and accomplish the great cause of unification, but he was afraid of losing control of power. This contradiction ran through his life and became an important reason why he finally failed to achieve a unified world.
epilogue
Cao Cao's life can be described as magnificent. From a small warlord, to becoming a great prince who ruled the north, to a key founder of the Three Kingdoms, he has gone through a journey that is both thrilling and intriguing.
Among them, the most striking is undoubtedly his frequent and personal leadership of the army. This not only shows his extraordinary military talent, but also reflects the many worries in his heart. He had to maintain the loyalty of his subordinates and achieve the great cause of reunification, so he had to personally sit on the battlefield at all times.
However, this practice also brought a lot of disadvantages to Cao Cao. He was too precautionary and missed the opportunity to train a successor. In the end, although he laid the foundation of Cao Wei's regime, he was unable to fulfill his dream of unification.
Cao Cao's life can be described as a wonderful historical script. His achievements are glorious, and his frustration is embarrassing. He is a contradictory figure, with outstanding political wisdom and military talent, as well as a strong desire for control and meritorious service.