chinesegeography

The Battle of Guandu-Ending



Cao Cao was preparing to sleep, when he was told he had a visitor named Xu You. The news sent him into such a state of excitement that he could not wait to put his shoes back on, and ran out barefoot to meet his friend. Sitting in Cao Cao's living room, Xu You asked if Cao Cao had a plan ready to stop Yuan Shao's advance, and how much food remained to sustain his army. Cao Cao gave him a deceptive answer, "Enough to last for another year."



Xu You snickered, "I do not think so." "You cannot be fooled, can you? Yes, I only have enough food for six months." Indignant over all the ambiguity, Xu You retorted: "Do you want to defeat Yuan Shao or what? Then you must be far more straightforward with me than you have been."



"One month," was the final and true answer, "after that, we will starve. So what do you think we can do?"



Xu You told his sly friend that Yuan Shao had his supplies and weaponry stored in Wuchao (today's Yanjin, Henan Province) but the place was badly guarded, and a small cavalry would be enough to raid it and burn all Yuan Shao's supplies so that his former lord could be crushed easily.



Cao Cao did exactly what Xu You told him. It was a thorough job and not a single grain was left for Yuan Shao. The fire at Wuchao sent Yuan Shao's forces into a panic. Some officers betrayed Yuan Shao, while those who did not were defeated in a campaign in which Yuan Shao lost his main force. He died two years afterwards. Another seven years passed before Cao Cao cleaned up northern China of all the pro-Yuan Shao forces, and brought it under his control.



* Cao Cao Enforced the Military Law Strictly



In the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao issued the order "Soldiers who damage wheat will be punished to death" to protect crops. In his several tens of years of military administration life, he issued many orders to punish those who broke laws, committed breach of duty, or deserted in face of battles, and awarded those who made contributions. Moreover, he dealt out the income and production of his own fief to his generals, officials, veterans and the orphans and widows of the dead generals and soldiers.

The Battle of Guandu-Sequel І



The war against Dong Zhuo ended disgracefully, and Cao Cao decided to work alone. He built up his troops again and, advised by his coterie, arranged for the royal family to settle on his lands, thus obtaining an edge in the fight for legitimacy from the fact that he, rather than any of the other competing warlords, was with the emperor. As his power grew and expanded, he came into confrontation with the domain of Yuan Shao, who was already powerful and dominant in northern China. Tensions built up and soon developed into a big clash in Guandu. It was a deadly wrestle for dominance between Yuan Shao the giant and Cao Cao the rising hero. One would have to go, and the winner would take all.



In AD 200 Yuan Shao took an army of100,000 on an expedition to Xuchang, where Cao Cao had the emperor with him. Vanity about an apparent advantage led Yuan Shao into disheartening defeats, first in Baima (today's Huaxian County, Henan Province) and then in Yanjin (in today's Henan Province). Confident that he still outnumbered Cao Cao, he nevertheless had his troops cross the Yellow River to engage the enemy's main forces in Guandu (northeast of today's Zhongmu, Henan Province). Cao Cao was awaiting him there. A month passed without either of them gaining a decisive victory, until one of Yuan Shao's advisors, named Xu You, intercepted information that Cao Cao's troops had overextended their supply line.



Xu You suggested that Yuan Shao launch a surprise attack on Xuchang with a small unit, which could be maneuvered around Guandu. His advice was totally ignored by his commander, who believed he could easily crush Cao Cao's army. Before he could give further explanations, a courier from Yecheng, the base city, entered with a message accusing someone related to Xu You of wrongdoing. Shared blame by association placed Xu You on Yuan Shao's blacklist, and whatever else he said about the current campaign no longer mattered. Humiliated, Xu You deserted Yuan Shao's camp and surrendered to Cao Cao, an old friend of his.