Volume III Engagement

【Tips】

The title of this article is "Engagement", and the purpose of this article is to explain how to conduct diplomatic activities in line with military struggles. It believed that in war, it was necessary to make friends with neighbors through humble words and courtesy, and to win them over as its allies. In this way, when we launch a frontal attack on the enemy, it can pin down the enemy from the flank and rear, and we will be able to achieve victory. The phrase "Qudi is a joint relationship" quoted in the article is from "The Art of War: Nine Places". Qudi refers to the area bordered by many countries. Friendship, friendship also. The whole sentence is that fighting in a region bordered by many countries requires diplomatic activities and allies who think they are helping. The development and change of things in the world is always carried out by the basic law that the internal cause is based on the external cause, and the external cause is the condition, and the two complement each other and are indispensable. War as a special form of movement of things is no exception. In order for a country to win a war, it is true that it mainly depends on the material strength within the country and the unity of the whole people, but external assistance from the international community (including human and material support) is also an indispensable and important condition. This article is undoubtedly correct in recognizing the importance of foreign aid in winning a war and proposing to cooperate with military struggles through diplomatic means.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao united with Sun Quan to relieve the danger of Fancheng being trapped, which is a successful example of using diplomatic means to achieve military goals. At that time, Cao Cao faced the unfavorable situation of Guan Yu's siege of Fancheng, and once had the idea of moving the capital to Hebei. Later, due to the timely advice of Sima Yi and others, the correct policy of "linking Sun Po Liu" was adopted. According to Sima Yi's analysis and pointed out the actual situation: "Liu Bei, Sun Quan, foreign relatives and internal alienation", he sent people to Wu, and used "Xu cut Jiangnan to seal power" (see "Three Kingdoms, Wei Shu, Jiang Ji Biography") as a bait, and destroyed the alliance between Sun and Liu. After that, Sun Quan was induced by Cao Cao to send troops to attack and occupy Jingzhou behind Guan Yu, forcing Guan Yu to abandon Fan, and the danger of Fancheng being trapped was solved.

[Original]

Whoever fights with the enemy and with his neighbor should be humbled and bribed, and think that he will help him. If we attack the enemy before he is followed by him, he will be defeated. Fa said: "Qudi is a joint relationship." ”

The Three Kingdoms Shu general Guan Yu, surrounded Wei Caoren Yu Fan, Wei sent the left general Yu Ban to save him, the Han River broke out, and Yu sent 30,000 horses to Jiangling with boat soldiers. At that time, the capital of the Han Emperor was Xuchang, and Wei Wu thought that he was a thief and wanted to migrate to Hebei to avoid his front. Sima Yi admonished: "The ban is not lost by water, it is not lost by the war, and there is no loss in the country's plan, but the capital is moved, which not only shows that the enemy is weak, but also the people of Huai and Wei are uneasy." Sun Quan, Liu Bei, relatives outside and sparse inside, Yu Jin is proud, and Quan will not want to. can be decreed, and after the order, Fan Wei will be relieved. Wei Wu obeyed him, sent an envoy to tie up power, and then sent Lü Meng to attack the public security, pull it out, and Yuguo abandoned Fan.

[Notes]

Neighboring countries: Wang's original work is "neighboring countries".

Containment: Containment.

Qudi is a joint friend: the words of "Sun Tzu's Art of War: Nine Places".

Jiangling: Now Hubei.

Xuchang, the capital of the Han Emperor: Emperor of the Han Dynasty, that is, Liu Xie, the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In September of the first year of Jian'an (196 AD), Cao Cao dedicated the emperor from Luoyang to move the capital to Xuchang (now Xuchangdong, Henan).

Wei Wu: That is, Cao Cao. After Cao Cao's death, his son Cao Pi was called the emperor of the Han Dynasty, was Emperor Wen, founded the country as Wei, and posthumously honored Cao Cao as Emperor Wu, so history called Cao Cao Emperor Wu of Wei.

This historical example is from "The Book of Jin: Emperor Xuan", and also "The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, the Book of Wei, and the Biography of Jiang Ji".

【Translation】

Whoever fights against the enemy, and with regard to the neighboring country adjacent to the theater of war, he should befriend him with humble words and heavy goods, and strive to make it his own ally and aiding country. If we attack the front of the enemy in battle, and the allies hold the enemy behind, we will surely be able to defeat the enemy. As the Art of War says: "When fighting in the 'Qudi' at the junction of many countries, you should make allies as backups." ”

During the Three Kingdoms period, Guan Yu, the general of the Shu State, besieged Cao Ren, the general of Wei Zhengnan, in Fancheng, and Cao Cao sent the left general Yu Ban and others to lead the army to the rescue, just in time for the Han River to surge, Guan Yu commanded the sailors to meet the battle, captured 30,000 cavalry such as Yu Ban, and then escorted them to Jiangling. At that time, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty established the capital in Xuchang, and Cao Cao thought that Xuchang was too close to the enemy and wanted to move the capital to the north of the Yellow River to avoid the threat of Guan Yu's troops. However, the general Sima Yi dissuaded: "Yu Ban and others were really submerged by the flood, not a defeat caused by ineffective combat, and there is no loss to the overall situation of the country." If the capital is moved rashly because of this, it will not only show weakness to the enemy, but also cause panic and anxiety among the people in the Huai River and Han River basins. Although Sun Quan and Liu Bei became allies, they were actually close on the outside but jealous on the inside. Guan Yu is now proud, and Sun Quan will be unhappy. According to this, you can send someone to tell Sun Quan to order him to contain Guan Yu from behind, so that the siege of Fancheng will naturally be lifted. Cao Cao took Sima Yi's advice and sent an envoy to Eastern Wu to marry Sun Quan. Sun Quan then sent Lü Meng to lead his army west to attack and occupy Gong'an and Nanjun, and Guan Yu really gave up the siege of Fancheng and retreated.