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- Chapter 49
Sinai Peninsula, in the Sinai Desert.
A huge army is running rapidly. The formation looks a bit messy, with long lines, one after another. After the team passed by, waves of yellow sand rolled up and covered the sky, as if the sky had suddenly darkened.
From time to time someone fell behind, from time to time someone was caught in the quicksand, and from time to time a war horse fell to death, but no one paid attention to it. Some people looked back and saw that their companions who were stuck in the quicksand and were shouting for help only stopped for a moment. He received a whip from the team officer.
"Asshole! What else are you looking at? Hurry up!"
The soldiers trapped in the quicksand repeatedly called for help, but could not get any response. They could not help but despair. They could only watch the yellow sand swallowing their bodies and their lives.
Walking in the middle of the team, surrounded by generals, was Mubak, the governor of the Arab Empire's Egyptian province. A month ago, he led hundreds of thousands of troops into the Sinai Peninsula, but he didn't even see the shadow of the Tang army. Having to flee back in embarrassment made Mubak a little depressed. Over the past few days, his violent temper had become more and more serious, and he would whip the soldiers from time to time.
Hamas, who is following Mubak, is also trembling with fear at the moment. These days, Mubak often seeks bad luck for him, either by whipping him or by insulting him.
¡°Hamas!¡±
As soon as Mubak spoke, Hamas's body couldn't help but tremble. What he fears most these days is that Hamas calls his name. Every time Mubak thinks of him, nothing good happens.
"Your Majesty the Governor!" Hamas knew that he could not escape, so he lowered his head and rode up to Mubak.
"Snapped!"
The whip was swung down hard and hit Hamas hard on the face, leaving a bloody mark and burning pain. Hamas didn't dare to make a sound, so he could only grit his teeth and endure it.
Muback¡¯s eyes were blood red and he glared at Hamas angrily, saying: ¡°It¡¯s all you damn bastard. If you didn¡¯t come up with that bad idea, how could I have become like this? It¡¯s all you, bastard!¡±
Hamas originally suggested that Muback rob the Egyptian pharaoh's tomb and throw the mummy into the sea, intending to use the pharaoh's curse to scare the Tang army back. Who knows that the plan failed, but instead aroused resistance from the Egyptian natives.
Originally, Mubak¡¯s army marched eastward, with a total of two to three hundred thousand Egyptian servants under his command, but what about now?
Probably because he saw that the Arab rule in Egypt was declining, when Muback learned that Alexandria was attacked by the Tang army and hurriedly returned to the army, most of the Egyptian servants fled, and now the original Arabs In the army, Mubak also had more than 200,000 people left in his hands. How could he not hate this?
What¡¯s more serious is that Hamadry, who stayed in Cairo, and Hassar, the guard in Suez Port, are both brothers of Hamas. It can be said that Hamas has caused a lot of trouble this time.
Muback cursed: "Hamas! You'd better pray that your brother Hamadry can guard my Cairo, otherwise, I won't let you go, or I'll skin you alive!"
Muback was a cruel man, and the criminal laws enacted in Egypt were very harsh. If his subordinates made the slightest mistake, they would be cramped and skinned. Hamas was so frightened by his words that he almost fainted, but he also What can be done? The youngest brother Hasar lost the Port of Suez, allowing the Tang army to march in, and Hamadry carelessly lost the Port of Alexandria. If Cairo was also lost, even if Mubak did not express his anger, Yezid would probably It can also prevent his family from reincarnation forever.
Mubak cursed for a while and then called Ali over. Now Ali was a big celebrity in front of him. Although it was Ali who proposed the eastward drive to expel the Tang army, the western part of Egypt was empty and Alexandria fell, but it was not Ali's idea. Ali also proposed the responsibility, and the withdrawal of troops and reinforcements was also proposed by Ali. In the next command of the battle, Mubak still has many places to rely on Ali.
"Ali! How long until we can return to Cairo!"
Ali calculated it in his mind and said: "Your Majesty Governor, at the current speed, we will be able to reach Cairo in ten days!"
"Ten days!" Mubak frowned and said, "Damn it! We should think of a way now to get rid of the Tang people behind us. If we let them continue chasing like this, we will not be able to fight at all even if we return to Cairo! "
Ali also frowned and said: "Mr. Governor! What we have to worry about now is not the pursuers behind us, but whether there will be a Tang army blocking the front. Those Tang troops who have already captured Alexandria are likely to block them halfway. If we are surrounded by the Tang army behind us, our situation will be terrible!"
Muback nodded and said, "What good do you have?"Any solution? "
Ali shook his head helplessly and said: "Mr. Governor! We have no other choice now. We can only cross the Oronte River to the west and pass through Kadesh before we can enter the western region of Egypt. As long as we can cross the Oronte River, , I will have a way to avoid the interception of the Tang army and return to Cairo safely!"
The Oronte River!
When Mubak heard this name, his heart couldn't help but tremble. He was not unfamiliar with this name, because in the history of ancient Egypt, a very famous battle had once occurred - the Battle of Kadesh!
The Egyptian pharaoh who presided over the Battle of Kadesh was Ramesses II, whose tomb was dug up by him.
In the history of ancient Egypt, there have been countless pharaohs, recorded and unrecorded, too many to count, but there are only two of them the most famous, and these two pharaohs have been closely connected with Kadesh Together, one is Thutmose III, the pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, and the most famous pharaoh in the history of ancient Egypt.
During the Second Intermediate Period, which was the transition from the Middle Kingdom to the New Kingdom, Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos and fell into pieces. Ahemoth, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, led the war to expel the Hyksos. In the process of fighting together, Egypt regained its unity and, inspired by the martial spirit, developed this national liberation movement into a large-scale external expansion. Starting from Ahmose, passing through Amenhotep I and Thutmose I, Egypt's military front reached the third waterfall of the Nile in the south, and reached northern Syria and the upper reaches of the Euphrates in the north. The Kingdom of Egypt became a cake that grew bigger and bigger. .
During the reign of Thutmose III's father Thutmose II, this short-lived pharaoh did not leave many achievements, but he left behind a capable wife Hatshepsut. She has been in charge of the government for 22 years, and has also officially worn the crown. She is the first female emperor in the world's history. Thutmose III was the child of his father's second concubine, Isis. He had lived in the shadow of Hatshepsut since childhood, and gradually grew up in a complex state of mind of fear, hostility, and a bit of admiration for his aunt.
Although Hatshepsut was very capable in domestic affairs, she had little external achievements. In 1482 BC, the female pharaoh died suddenly and reported it to her father, the god Amun. Thutmose, who was 32 years old, was finally able to take charge. After Thutmose came to power, he immediately launched revenge on his aunt's political enemy, attempting to erase her traces from the land of Egypt and destroying her monumental buildings everywhere. Although he was freed from long-term depression and enjoyed the pleasure of taking power, the situation he faced in the early days was still very serious. The political situation was unstable at the transition between the old and the new in the country, and the Kingdom of Qadesh in southern Syria was trying to organize a rebellion. Egyptian Alliance. After Thutmose stabilized the domestic situation, he immediately launched his first war after taking office, marching into Syria and Palestine. He defied all opinions at the military meeting, risked crossing a canyon, and suddenly appeared under the enemy's stronghold of Megiddo, forcing the Kingdom of Qadesh to surrender, and the paper-made anti-Egypt alliance disappeared.
The perfect victory in the first battle greatly stimulated the ambition of Thutmose III, not to mention that there was still an element of restlessness left by his ancestors flowing in his blood. The focus of foreign expansion during his reign was the city-states of Syria in western Asia.
After winning the first battle, Thutmose spent nearly 20 years on repeated conquests before finally establishing his rule over Syria. His conquest of Syria severely stung Mitanni, a powerful country in West Asia, and the powerful prime minister The collision is inevitable.
The tragedy of the Mitanni Kingdom is that its opponent is Thutmose III, the outstanding military strategist of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, which was in full swing. Egypt achieved overwhelming advantages in several wars. In 1472 BC, Thutmose once crossed the Euphrates River to pursue his opponent.
In the end, Mitanni surrendered and became an ally of Egypt, which shocked the entire West Asia region. Both Assyria and Babylon reconciled with Egypt, and Babylon gave Thutmose a princess as his concubine. For the first time, two of the oldest centers of civilization were united in a marriage.
As Thutmose's reputation faded, more and more local snakes paid tribute to him. His fleet was also invincible, and the Eastern Mediterranean became his sphere of influence. The Aegean Islands, Crete, and Cyprus were all part of his maritime empire.
Since then, Thutmose III has carried out continuous wars, which resulted in the restoration of the rule over Syria and Palestine that had been lost during the Hatshepsut era. He achieved a series of military victories in Megidu, Kadesh, Karhemesh and other places, defeated the Mitanni king, and seized the land of the Mitanni kingdom on the west bank of the Euphrates River. After a long period of conquest, Egypt's southern borders were extended by Thutmose III to the Fourth Cataract of the Nile. He also caused the rulers of Libya, Assyria, Babylonia, Hittite and Crete to pay tribute to him.
In order to consolidateIn order to rule the newly conquered areas, Thutmose III stationed powerful troops in West Asia and sent governors to govern. He also used local indigenous princes to rule. Every time he conquered a country, he would bring the children of its princes to Egypt. On the one hand, he would serve as hostages, and on the other hand, he would let them receive Egyptian education and cultivate their feelings for Egypt. This maneuver was used by conquerors around the world, but Thutmose III was clearly the original.
During the reign of Thutmose III, a total of 15 battles were launched. In order to land on the Syrian coast and establish an operational base there to conquer Kadesh and its interior, Thutmose III built a maritime fleet. During the 6th Battle, his troops landed at Simira, north of Tripoli on the Syrian coast.
Then, he commanded the troops to attack Kadishi City. The city of Kadesh is located on the left bank of the Orontes River, not far from Homs. Since this was a powerful fortress, it took Thutmose III a long time to conquer it. During the 7th Battle, he put down a series of rebellions in his rear. In the eighth battle, about 1445 BC, he invaded the Mitanni kingdom established by the Aryans and seized the land of the Mitanni kingdom on the west bank of the Euphrates River.
Thutmose III was a pharaoh beloved by many people. He possessed all the qualities that a great ruler should possess. Among his great achievements, he never failed in war; in administration, he also surpassed than his predecessors; he was also an outstanding statesman; he was a thoroughgoing jockey, shooter, athlete and discerning patron. The reign of Thutmose III should be said to be due to its own taste and good deeds. Except for his desperate opposition to Hatshepsu, Thutmose III was not a flashy, self-indulgent person. From the records about him, we can feel that he was a sincere and just emperor.
Because of Thutmose III¡¯s illustrious military exploits, some historians call him the Napoleon of ancient Egypt. It can be said that he created an Egypt with unprecedented prosperity.
Thutmose III was great, but there was an even greater pharaoh, Ramesses II, whose body was thrown into the sea by Mubak's order.
Ramesses II was the pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. His reign was the last powerful era of the New Kingdom of Egypt. During his reign, Ramesses II conducted a series of expeditions with the ultimate goal of restoring Egyptian rule over Palestine.
Ramses had a legendary life. He was the most famous pharaoh in the history of ancient Egypt. He was also the most powerful king, an invincible general, an amiable father, and a A tireless builder.
Ramses II, with these haloes on his head, reigned for 67 years. To this day, more than 1,800 years later, he still enjoys a very high reputation. His enemies fear him, his subjects love him, and the gods bless him. Living in ancient Egypt Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty left an indelible mark on human history.
Ramesses¡¯ most commendable feat was the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites. When the young pharaoh's pride almost brought him to defeat, fate favored him. But it was the end result that mattered, at least in the eyes of his subjects.
The cause of the conflict between the Egyptians and the Hittites led by Ramses was the absolute control of Syria. At that time, the powerful ancient Egypt was almost the overlord in southern Africa and the Middle East. However, as the surrounding countries that were originally weak were slowly developing, they gradually gained the ability to compete with ancient Egypt. The Hittite Kingdom was one of them. .
The Hittite Kingdom was founded in the 17th century BC. After establishing its own country, it began to expand outwards. In 1610 BC, they captured Syria and Palestine. A few years later, he captured the city of Babylon, the capital of the Babylonian Empire, and looted the most prosperous city in the world at that time. Occupying Syria and Kadesh is equivalent to blocking a road to prosperity for ancient Egypt. Naturally, ancient Egypt could not let it go, and war was about to break out.
In 1298 BC, the Pharaoh led his army towards the Oronte Valley to conquer Kadesh. Kadesh was an ancient city and fortress on the banks of the Oronte River. It had been the capital of the Hittite Kingdom since the early 14th century BC.
Ramesses had 20,000 soldiers and 200 chariots, while his opponent was King Muwatalish, who had 10,000 soldiers and more than 3,500 chariots.
Due to poor organization across the Oronte River, the movements of several Egyptian army columns were out of sync. The first detachment, led by the Pharaoh, had arrived at Kadesh at noon and camped in the northwest of the city. The second detachment was still marching after crossing the river, and the other detachments Still in the middle of the crossing, contact between the various detachments was lost.
This is when Ramses II¡¯s army captured two Bedouins who claimed to be Hittite deserters but were actually Hittite agents. They said they had important information to pass on to the Egyptians.
The two men were taken to LaMeses came before him and told him that Muwatarish's troops were far away from here and the Pharaoh could easily capture the city.
Ramses already regarded Kadesh as a treasure at this time. Before the large army could be assembled, he led a force alone to rush to the plain area northwest of Kadesh and camped here.
Only when his guards captured two soldiers from the enemy's vanguard did he realize that he had been surrounded by the enemy, but by then it was too late.
The Hittites hiding in the castle suddenly launched an attack. The unprepared Pharaoh's army collapsed and fled in all directions. Only Ramses led his personal bodyguards to resist the Hittite attack.
Thanks to two unexpected things, Ramses was able to escape unscathed. First, after the Hittite soldiers invaded the Egyptian army's camp, they were immediately busy robbing the property, but they forgot about pursuing the enemy in victory. The back of the head. Secondly, the Pharaoh's follow-up troops rushed up in time to rescue Ramesses and his soldiers.
At this time, the entire battle situation was completely reversed. The Hittites, who should have easily won, were in danger. Near dusk, the two sides ceased fighting. In the evening, soldiers from other detachments of Egypt came to reinforce the Pharaoh.
In the Battle of Kadesh, both sides suffered heavy losses and were unable to fight again. Moreover, both sides had some other problems, such as Assyria's threat to Hittites and Egypt, and the internal difficulties of the two countries. Therefore, the Battle of Kadish actually marked the basic end of the war for hegemony between Egypt and the Hittites.
However, Ramesses II used his own propaganda to turn this battle that almost ruined his future into a heroic feat under the leadership of a great leader.
Ramesses engraved this battle on many temples. He brought a new style of performance. In the reliefs depicting the Battle of Kadesh in the Temple of Abu Simbel, the surface that was previously layered with striped decoration is now used to represent exciting scenes, creating a more dramatic and dynamic scene.
The image of Ramesses and the chariot depicted in the relief can give people an idea of ??this new style, and people have many different interpretations of the "four arms" in the details of the picture.
The conflict between the Egyptians and the Hittites continued until the death of King Muwatalish. In 1283 BC, the 21st year of the reign of Ramses II, the new Hittite king Artusilis proposed a treaty to Egypt and sent a draft of the contract to Egypt. Ramesses II agreed to conclude a peace treaty, thus officially ending nearly a century of war for supremacy between the two countries.
Ramesses II died in 1213 BC. After 70 days, his body was mummified and buried in the most solemn way a great pharaoh could enjoy. At that time, his son Monipta, the heir to the throne, took a royal boat and led a large fleet along the Nile River to send his father's body to Thebes.
Along the way, all the subjects shed tears to pay tribute to this great Pharaoh who brought them peace and prosperity. After the fleet arrived in Thebes, the funeral procession headed towards the tomb excavated in the Valley of the Kings. In addition to the coffin of Ramses II, there were also the remains of Ramses II in the underworld. Endless treasures that can lead to a wealthy life, and finally the door of the tomb is sealed so that the Pharaoh can rest peacefully.
But things went against expectations. More than 1,800 years later, because of a suggestion from Hamas, an Arab, the tomb of Ramses II was robbed, the treasures buried in the tomb were looted, and the mummy of Ramses could not rest in peace. , was thrown into the Red Sea on Mubak's order, and eventually disappeared without a trace.
There was also a pharaoh who also disturbed the undead by Mubak, that is, the invincible Thutmose III. The two pharaohs whose graves were dug up by him were all connected with the place of Kadesh. A shadow suddenly cast over Mubak's heart.
Mubak is a devout Muslim, but he is not unfamiliar with the mysterious and strange rumors about the Pharaoh's curse that are widely circulated among Egyptian people, and he does not find it ridiculous at all.
Because just before, all the Arab soldiers who participated in the excavation of the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh were infected with a strange disease. Within a few days, they died of the disease. The one who was still alive was Mubak who gave the order, and the other one who proposed This suggestion, and supports the looting of Hamas.
Although Kadesh has long been turned into ruins with the destruction of the Hittite Kingdom, it was once the place where two of the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian history became famous. Who knows what those two pharaohs were doing? , will they return to their old place? If they see Mubak, the bastard who defiled their bodies, and if the punishment is imposed, it will be over.
"Is there any other way through the Oronte River?"
Ali obviously guessed Mubak¡¯s worries, but he really had nothing to do.Fa: "Mr. Governor! It's the flood season now. Crossing the Oriente River from the direction of Kadesh is the only option. The water level there is shallow and people can directly cross the river! From other places, if you want to cross the Oriente River, Hundreds of thousands of people have to cross the river, and we don¡¯t have enough boats and rafts!¡±
Hearing this, Mubak¡¯s face became even more gloomy, he waved his whip at Hamas again, and said loudly: ¡°Speed ??up the march, the army is heading to Kadesh!¡±
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Kadeshite!
The once magnificent castle has long since disappeared, leaving only ruins for people to pay their respects to.
The armies led by Du Xuewen and Xue Ne also stationed here early. Originally, according to Xue Ne's suggestion, they should be stationed on the west bank of the Oronte River, waiting for the Arab army to cross the river, and attack halfway across the river.
But after Du Xuewen thought for a while, he still rejected Xue Ne's proposal. One of the key reasons is that the number of troops they have at their disposal is too small. In addition to the garrison stationed in Suez Port, Alexandria Port and Cairo, plus the war Dead, there are only 35,000 troops left under Du Xuewen's command.
It is simply impossible to defend the long river bank with 35,000 troops. Once the Arab army is allowed to cross the river, they will soon disappear into the vast and endless desert. By then, even if they want to pursue, they will be unable to do so. Finally, Du Xuewen chose Kadeshite after asking the guide. As long as Kadeshite was guarded, the Arabs would have nowhere to escape.
Although this way, they will also face the dilemma of fighting with their backs against the wall, but they have no choice.
"Brother! This place is too dilapidated and there is no danger to defend it. If it is true as the prisoners said, Mubak really has more than 300,000 troops under his command, how can we fight on the plains with just the people like us now? Can you win!?"
Du Xuewen was inspecting the terrain when he heard Xue Ne coming over complaining, and couldn't help but laugh: "What's the matter? Dingshan! Are you still afraid!?"
When Xue Ne heard this, his face immediately turned red, and he quickly defended: "Who is afraid? I was just wondering if there was a better way to avoid losses! No need to make unnecessary sacrifices!"
After hearing this, Du Xuewen just smiled faintly, said nothing, and continued to look around.
Xue Ne waited for a long time, but did not see Du Xuewen's words. He couldn't help but said: "Brother! Do we really want to stop Mubak's army here? This~~~~~~~ is still too dangerous!"
Du Xuewen said calmly: "Dingshan! This is our only choice. I also know that it will be very dangerous to fight against an opponent ten times our size here, and the opponent is an elite cavalry, but we must not There is no choice. As soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, we must be ready to sacrifice our lives for this empire at any time. This is the fate of soldiers! We cannot escape!"
When Du Xuewen said these words, he couldn't help but think of his father Du Rui. When Du Rui went on an expedition to the Three Koreas, Du Rui used himself as bait to lure the Japanese army into a tight siege, and was finally wiped out.
" Du Xuewen didn't believe that Du Rui really had no plans, and he was sure that nothing would happen to him. The reason why Du Rui did that was just for the final victory of Datang.
What Du Xuewen wants to do now is the same as what Du Rui did back then. The reason why he wants to stop Mubak's army at Kadesh is for the final victory of the Tang Empire.
As a soldier, you can pay any price, including your own life, for victory.
"Dingshan! The dangers of fighting 300,000 people against 300,000 people are not something I have ever thought about, but in the face of the interests of the Tang Empire, nothing is more important. As long as the final victory belongs to the Tang Empire, I There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t give up!¡±
Hearing this, Xue Ne couldn't help but be stunned by Du Xuewen's heroic words. When he thought that compared to Du Xuewen, he was still worried about safety issues, he couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Brother! Why don't I stop the enemy here? My brother will lead another army to set up defenses along the Oronte River, and then set up a second line of defense to ensure that nothing goes wrong!"
What he said was foolproof. To put it bluntly, Xue Ne was going to die on behalf of Du Xuewen. He stayed at the front and asked Du Xuewen to set up the second line of defense. What was the meaning of existence? It was not until Xue Ne had finished everything. , to buy Du Xuewen time to respond.
Du Xuewen still looked calm, shook his head, and said: "No need! Dingshan! We already have few troops in our hands and it is not appropriate to spread them out any more. If we really want to die, you and I will die together, man." , A true man, how happy it is to be able to die in battle and be wrapped in horse leather!"
Xue Ne knew that Du Xuewen had made up his mind. Du Xuewen and Du Rui were both stubborn, although they were both good at listening to other people's opinions.?But once a decision is made, no one can change it.
"Okay! Let's die together!"
Du Xuewen nodded and continued to observe the surroundings. Although he was determined to die, who really wanted to die? He was observing here, looking for that glimmer of life.
In fact, he didn't have to do this at all. According to the previous strategy, all he had to do was to keep all the Arab troops in Egypt. However, after Du Xuewen thought about it, he suddenly felt that instead of leaving the Arab army in Egypt, it would be better. It would be better to annihilate them all in Egypt than to let them escape back to Syria.
As he was watching, Du Xuewen's eyes suddenly lit up, and he remembered a battle example that Du Rui told him. Maybe that was their chance of survival.
Du Xuewen admires his father Du Rui and takes Du Rui as his goal. However, his real idol is not Du Rui, but a Western general Du Rui told him when he was a child, a Carthage named Hannibal. people.
Hannibal, a famous general and military strategist from the ancient North African country of Carthage. When he was young, he marched into Spain with his father Hamilcar, and swore a lifelong oath in front of his father to be the enemy of Rome for life. He received strict and arduous military training since he was a child, and he performed outstandingly in military and diplomatic activities.
Hannibal's childhood was during the first "Punic War". Because the Romans called the Carthaginians Punic, the wars between them were called the Punic Wars.
Hannibal has been trained by the flames of war since he was a child. When he was nine years old, his father ordered him to kneel in front of the altar and swear that when he grew up, he would become Rome's sworn enemy.
At the age of twenty-five, young Hannibal became the supreme commander of the Carthaginian forces in Spain. Although young, he grew up to be a strong-willed and military-talented man under the nurture of his father.
Since he has followed his father since he was a child and has been tempered by many years of military camp life, he has perseverance and hard-working spirit, is courageous, and is good at using soldiers.
In peacetime, he lived a simple life and shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers; in wartime, he took the lead and was deeply supported by the soldiers.
Someone once described him this way: "No kind of labor can make him physically tired or mentally depressed. He can bear it no matter the heat or the cold. Whether in the cavalry or the infantry, he always keeps others at a distance. Leave behind, be the first to enter the battle, and after the battle, be the last to withdraw from the battlefield.¡±
Du Xuewen regards Hannibal as his idol entirely because of the roughly same growth trajectory and Hannibal¡¯s strategic thinking.
First: Isolate the enemy diplomatically.
Hannibal was proficient in various languages, especially Greek and Latin, as well as Gaulish. This was not only to command his mercenaries of different nationalities and customs, but also to form an alliance with Rome's surrounding countries and nations and isolate Rome diplomatically.
Isolate enemies diplomatically and try to win possible allies!
This idea was the first time Hannibal implemented it purposefully and plannedly. Before the war, Hannibal reached an alliance with the Greek city-states to attack Rome together. He also sent a large number of messengers to reach an alliance with the Gauls who had just been conquered by Rome. Therefore, as soon as the war started, the Romans started fighting in Sicily, Greece, and Iberia at the same time. Fighting on three fronts made it difficult for the Romans to concentrate their forces and win victory on one battlefield.
Second: This is the most amazing masterpiece of Hannibal. The blurred national boundaries, the army is the border of the country. Hannibal considered the damage the war would do to the national economy and the harm to civilians, so he did everything possible to lead the war to Rome itself, thus maximizing the weakening of the Romans' war potential and reducing Carthage's losses.
Guided by this idea, Hannibal completed that unprecedented large-scale march. Even though the troops continued to flee, the number of troops was severely reduced, the roads were blocked, and the indigenous harassment continued, Hannibal did not give up, thus achieving a surprise victory.
Third: differentiation and disintegration. The difference from diplomatic isolation is that its targets are its current enemies instead of possible allies. This has never happened in the West where "enemy is enemy and friend is friend" before, and it will rarely happen in the future. He used spies, prisoners, and planned and targeted marches to divide the relationship between Rome and the Roman Alliance, causing the Romans to distrust their vassal legions and allied legions for a time. In the end, Hannibal's strategy worked, and the Second Italian Empire The great city-state of Capua fell to Hannibal.
Fourth: Acquisition of information and application of espionage. The reason why Hannibal was able to win every battle and travel for 16 years in a foreign country and on the doorstep of other people's hometowns was because Hannibal realized the importance of information. Before the war began, Hannibal sent a large number of spies to Rome and sent a large number of messengers to contact surrounding countries.
And Hannibal also sentA large number of spies and messengers entered Rome to spy on military affairs and drive a wedge between the Romans and their allies. Hannibal's march route in Italy was incredible even to the Romans. That was because Hannibal knew the road that the Romans did not know. This is the role of spies.
The much-talked-about Battle of Lake Trasimirro was able to follow Hannibal's deployment because Hannibal had skillfully crossed the grassland, crossed the road heavily guarded by Roman troops, and left the Roman legions behind. In the back. Therefore, the Romans were afraid that Hannibal would march into the weak Rome, so they had to chase closely behind and eagerly seek battle, thus falling into the battlefield carefully designed by Hannibal.
Fifth: One of the biggest features of Hannibal's wars was that he had many mercenaries in his army. Long before his expedition to Italy, Hannibal had recruited an excellent mercenary force in Spain that was good at fighting. Serve strategic goals.
Before Hannibal's expedition to Italy, he only had about 2,500 soldiers who were Carthage citizens. The other soldiers were hired from all over Europe and Africa. It should be said that Hannibal was the first in the world to use mercenaries on a large scale. The military commander who takes part in the battle.
Although the use of mercenaries can reduce the casualties of the Carthaginians, using a large number of mercenaries also has its drawbacks. Some mercenaries fled because they could not stand the hardship on the way to Rome. Therefore, when they arrived at their destination, the Han Dynasty Nibal's expeditionary army was already less than half.
In addition, mercenaries cost a lot of money. When the Carthage government could not provide it to Hannibal, in order to maintain the huge expenses of mercenaries, Hannibal had to conquer cities and seize property in Rome. Such plunder will naturally cause dissatisfaction among the local people.
But in any case, the mercenaries were actually the Carthaginian clone army of that era. In addition, Hannibal attached great importance to the role of strategy. The "Fire Bull Strategy" he used reflected the thinking of how people at that time used all war resources.
Hannibal attaches great importance to winning people's hearts. Sometimes, he pretends to be a god from heaven to make the superstitious local chiefs believe what he says. When leading an unprecedented mercenary force in history, Hannibal often distributed slaves captured after winning battles to the Gauls in his army, giving them the opportunity to make a profit and become more dedicated to fighting for him.
Hannibal's several victories led to an increasing number of allies on the Italian peninsula. Some of them hoped that Hannibal could destroy Rome so that they could get more benefits from it. This was the earliest "war dividend" "Driving psychology.
Even Du Rui admired Hannibal very much. Many of his ideas and combat methods have the light of idealism. It can even be said that he is the father of the "high frontier" strategic theory of later generations.
Du Xuewen regards Hannibal as his idol instead of his father Du Rui, entirely because Hannibal's strategic thinking is more unconstrained and unbelievable.
Just like this moment, Du Xuewen remembered the battle that could be a glimmer of hope for the Tang army - the Battle of Cannae!
Seeing Du Xuewen suddenly laugh, Xue Ne hurriedly said: "Brother! But what's the plan?"
Du Xuewen smiled and said: "Maybe this time, you and I, brothers, will become famous all over the world!" - Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report
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