Yang hu guarded Jingxiang for ten years. As a famous minister, he made great contributions to pacify Dongwu and unify the whole country. In the Song Dynasty, yang hu, Guan Zhong, Sun Wu, Guan Yu and Zhou Yu were all entitled to enjoy the Wu Temple and enjoy the worship and memory of feudal emperors and later generations. According to the standards of the ancients, the conditions for enjoying the Wu Temple are much higher than those for painting heroes, and they should be the most prestigious and outstanding military figures in all previous dynasties. His military thought is worth studying by later generations.
First, with the goal of destroying Wu, strive for reunification and establish a core military strategy
Yang hu is a visionary strategist. In order to unify the whole country, he first proposed to destroy Wu. According to Zhang Huachuan in the Book of Jin, when Emperor _ and Yang Hucheng plotted to attack Wu, most ministers thought it was impossible, and only China agreed with his plan. Du Yu's Biography of the Book of Jin: At that time, the emperor had a plan to destroy Wu, which was often violated by the DPRK. Only Yu, yang hu and Zhang Hua agreed with the emperor. At his initiative, Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty, appointed Yang Hucheng as the commander-in-chief of Jingzhou Army in the first five years, and began to prepare for the destruction of Wu. Later, he was appointed as General Cheung Nam and the third division of Kaifu Yitong, and spent ten years in Xiangyang. From the beginning of leaving Xiangyang, Yang Hucheng took destroying Wu as his own responsibility, made detailed and comprehensive preparations for destroying Wu, and devoted all his wisdom to it until the end of his life.
Internally, he talked about the monarch and subjects in the upper reaches of the imperial court and wrote many times in order to unify his understanding of Wu's demise. Reclaim land in border areas to grow grain and prepare for war. Externally, attack Germany with virtue, appease Wu Dong, accumulate strength, and find the best attack opportunity. These internal and external policies constitute an integral part of his strategic objectives. Its real purpose is twofold: first, to paralyze the enemy and weaken his fighting spirit in the case of strength comparison between the two sides; The second is to strive for more development time, so that the balance of victory will gradually tilt towards yourself.
All Yang Hucheng's actions at home and abroad are carried out around the core strategic goal of reunifying the whole country, based on suppressing Soochow at an early date in the future, ending the long-term separatist situation and realizing national reunification. It is Yang Hucheng's greatest contribution in his life to conform to the historical trend and devote himself to the cause of national reunification. Yang Hucheng devoted himself to the reunification of the country and died, which reflected his love for the country and his yearning for a unified order and left an eternal reputation in the history of the Chinese nation.
Second, repair a single soldier, operate the rear, and make full preparations for construction.
Jingxiang area is located at the junction of Jin and Wu, with a long border and a global geographical relationship, which is a battleground for military strategists. When talking about the importance of Jingxiang, Lu Kang, a famous Soochow player, said: Xiling and Jianping are the exotic sides of the country, both in the upper and lower levels. If the enemy is rowing down the river and the stars rush into the sky, it will not help other departments to save the upside down. This is an opportunity for national security; It is also a minor harm for non-disciples to invade the mausoleum. If it is in danger, it should be contested. Although the geographical location is important, the local economy and culture are relatively backward. Because of the continuous war and the depression of people's livelihood, the people have suffered from displacement and are strongly war-weary. At the same time, another garrison commander at that time was the famous Lu Kang, who had a strong strategic talent, which yang hu thought should not be taken lightly. At the beginning of his tenure, after careful evaluation, Yang Hucheng clearly realized that it was very difficult to cross the natural barrier of the Yangtze River and win Soochow by force at that time.
According to the actual situation, yang hu has taken several measures to rapidly expand its own strength. Militarily, pay close attention to military training and prepare for war. Take advantage of the short chance of peace on the border, seize the opportunity, strengthen the daily training of soldiers, replenish weapons and equipment, carefully study the border between the two countries, and generals, foot soldiers and people with generals at all levels should always be vigilant and prepare for war. Economically, it will stabilize people's hearts, reduce taxes and save your strength. Actively develop according to the characteristics of local backwardness, and prepare for long-term border defense and the future destruction of Wu.
Later, Yang used a trick to let the border guards retreat, reduced the number of Jin Jun on the 700-mile-long border by half, reclaimed land with the reduced foot soldiers, developed production, greatly enriched the manpower, material resources and financial resources in the rear, and accumulated abundant materials and food. According to the Biography of the Book of Jin Yang Hucheng, from beginning to end, the army had no food for a hundred days, and by the end of the season, it had accumulated for ten years. It consolidated the material foundation of the war. Culturally, Yang Hucheng set up a school in the local area, which opened the wind of etiquette education. It made the officers and men have a harmonious relationship with the local people. Bude trusted them and quickly won Jianghan's heart.
After a period of hard work, Jianghan area presents a new scene: production development, social stability and people living and working in peace and contentment. In this situation, the people supported the court more, which laid a solid mass foundation for suppressing Dongwu in the future. The strength contrast between Jin and Wu is quietly changing.
Third, soften the enemy, be aggressive and pay attention to political offensive.
While developing production and preparing for war, Yang Hucheng adopted a policy of appeasement to the military and civilians, and strived to cultivate honesty and cherish Wu people. Political work strategies such as psychological warfare and public opinion warfare are adopted, and the heart is the highest and the benevolence is wide. These historical examples are vividly described in historical biographies and novels, such as Biography of the Book of Jin Yang Hucheng, Popular Romance of Jin Dynasty, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, etc.
In the process of defending the border, conflicts often occur between Jin and Wu. Yang Hucheng adopted a more open-minded policy towards the defeated and surrendered prisoners or Wu people who came back: he emphasized faith and let them go or stay as they wished. Once, a soldier brought back two children from the border of Wu Dong, and yang hu ordered them to be sent back immediately. His father was so grateful that he led the troops to surrender the next day. Deng Xiang, a general of the State of Wu, invaded Xiakou, was captured alive by the Nomads and sent to yang hu. Yang hu enlightened him and let him go. Deng felt his kindness and led his troops to surrender. The generals and Pan Jing of the State of Wu were worried about the State of Wu and invaded the border of Jin many times. Yang hu ordered his men to go after him, then informed his family members to meet the funeral and gave them a generous pension. Yang Hucheng's army went out to walk on the territory of the State of Wu, cutting millet as rations. He told his men to remember the quantity they took and send silk to repay them afterwards. Yang hu sometimes leads troops to hunt, but only in Jin area. If the animals were killed by the Wu people first, and then captured by the Jin soldiers, they must be returned to the Wu people. Therefore, the people of Wu were very happy and called Yang Gong, but they refused to call him by his name.
According to historical records, when Yang Hucheng and Lu Kang confronted each other at the border, the two sides still sent envoys to each other, and there were constant exchanges. Lu Kang gave yang hu wine, and yang hu drank it without a doubt. After Lu Kang knew it, he admired it deeply, and thought that although Le Yi and Zhu Gekongming could not pass it, they only had a few virtues. Later, Lu Kang fell ill and asked for medicine before making medicine with him. His subordinates advised Lu Kang not to eat it in case of poisoning. Lu Kang said seriously: yang hu is a disgrace! He also said: he is committed to virtue, and I am committed to violence, and I will defeat the enemy without fighting. It is just a dividing line between insurance companies, not for small profits. So the border between the two sides is peaceful.
In the eighth year of Taishi, Wu Xiling entered the Jin Dynasty and was attacked and killed by Lu Kang. In order to recover the negative impact of the defeat of Xiling, yang hu launched an offensive: to seize the fertile land of Wu, and to seize the capital of Wu, all of which are gold to the west of Shicheng. Naturally, people come and go in an endless stream. In this favorable situation for Jin, Yang did not take the lead, but continued to fight with the Wu people in detail. Whenever the two countries go to war, Yang Hucheng must set a date, and should not engage in small moves such as sudden attack and interception, let alone engage in protracted war. Successfully lifted the psychological defense line of Wu people, which made people grateful and paved the way for smooth suppression in the future.
Fourth, assess the situation, lobby the monarch and ministers, and carefully plan strategic steps.
In the second year of Xianning, Lu Kang, commander-in-chief of Wu Jun, died of illness. After careful investigation and demonstration, yang hu thought that he had the conditions to attack Wu. He wrote to Liang Wudi to put forward the proposal of destroying Wu, which coincided with the rebellion of northwest ethnic minorities and the suspension of the action of cutting Wu. In the third year of Xianning, Yang wrote to ask Sima Yan to cut Wu Shu. In addition to analyzing the advantages of the comparison and defeat of the enemy's forces, he also drew up a specific operational plan to clarify that there is no doubt about the attack, so as to strengthen the confidence and determination of Emperor Wu of Jin to attack Wu.
First of all, Yang Hu compared Wu Dong with the exterminated Shu Han: Jianghuai is difficult today, but Jiange is also; The danger of mountains and rivers is only Korea; Sun Hao's violence was wasted in Liu Chan; Wu people are more sleepy than Bashu. It is also pointed out that Jin's soldiers are many and wide, and his weapons and equipment are far better than before. Therefore, it is entirely possible for 8 jin j to win. Secondly, he further analyzed the unfavorable factors: objectively speaking, it seems that Wu's backing on the Yangtze River is an advantage, but in fact, the Jin army can attack along the Yangtze River, so it can only be tired of coping. Once 8 jin j into the river, Wu Jun will no way back. Subjectively, Sun Hao's decadent and brutal rule alienated the people of Wu from Germany, and the monarch and his subjects doubted each other. On weekdays, officers and men are playing their own abacus. Once in Enemy at the Gates, who will risk their lives to protect each other? There will be countless anti-war insurgents. In terms of weapons and equipment, it is superior to the imperial court in water strategy, while other weapons such as bows and arrows are far inferior to the 8 Jin Army. According to the analysis, Wu Dong can be described as unfavorable, discordant and immature. On this basis, Yang Hucheng made a specific plan to send troops: if Liang Yi's soldiers go hand in hand with land and water, Jingchu's soldiers will enter Jiangling, Pingnan and Yuzhou will point to Xiakou, and Xu, Yang, Qing and Yan will join forces in Moling, how can a small Soochow resist these eight-faced soldiers? It must have been fractal at that time, and everything was urgent. Jin Jun can use this opportunity to make Bahan Raiders appear empty. If you capture a place, the kingdom of Wu will fluctuate up and down, and the victory of 8 Jin Army will be just around the corner. Finally, he also made a detailed analysis of the water war that the rulers were at a relative disadvantage and the ruling and opposition parties were worried about. He believes that the water war pays attention to quick decisions. Once the war breaks out, the prepared upstream nomads will suddenly go down the river, and their advantages will no longer exist. Then attacking the city and seizing the land, street fighting and hand-to-hand fighting are our advantages. So the court is sure to win.
When Xianning was seriously ill for four years, he still said with anxiety: Wu people abused politics a lot, but if Sun Hao unfortunately did not fight, Wu people would have an edict. Although millions of people can't cross the Yangtze River, it's a future trouble! I'm worried that if Sun Wu had a wise monarch, the present excellent situation would be in vain. Only Du Yu and Zhang Hua agreed to yang hu's plan to destroy Wu, but it was temporarily stranded because of many opponents.
A series of remarks expressed in several letters show yang hu's concern for the country and people and his excellent strategic thinking. In his mind, he has established a detailed plan to suppress Wu Dong, and later history also confirmed yang hu's foresight.
Five, rule the army by virtue, know people and be good at their duties, and attach importance to the selection of military generals.
Yang hu himself is honest and devoted to public service. In commanding the army, he also paid attention to running the army by virtue and was good at selecting and cultivating talents. He set an example, cared for the soldiers and won the love of the officers and men. He pays attention to the establishment of the image of the troops, and thinks that the troops guarding the border not only represent the troops themselves, but also represent the court and the country, and their every move is of extraordinary significance. Yang Hucheng commanded the border guards, not focusing on the success or failure of the incident, but on the overall situation of the great cause of reunification.
The story of yang hu's recommendation of talents is widely circulated, especially the selection and appointment of effective generals. One is to promote and reuse Wang _ to repair ships and water; Secondly, when he was seriously ill, Du Yu was recommended to succeed him as the commander-in-chief of Jingzhou military affairs and plan the specific matters of destroying Wu.
Wang _, widely rumored in the Book of Jin, is a man with mixed reputation. Chigo is aloof, and many people think that it cannot be entrusted with a heavy responsibility. But yang hu appreciates his talent very much and thinks he is very talented. If appointed properly and the time is ripe, he can be used. Therefore, the above table retains Wang _ and entrusts him with an important task. Sure enough, Wang, a 70-year-old veteran, took the lead in the Wu War, and with years of shipbuilding experience, he outwitted the enemy's iron locks and iron cones, enabling the Jin army to advance eastward smoothly and win the initiative on the battlefield. He conquered Wuchang, won Jianye, personally accepted Sun Hao's surrender, and made great achievements. At that time, people praised Yang Hucheng as a discerning person and good at employing people.
Du Yu was a famous minister and good general in the early Jin Dynasty, with profound knowledge, outstanding talent and numerous strategies. After Yang was seriously ill, Du Yu, a knowledgeable man, was recommended to take his place and continue to crusade against Wu, which was adopted by Emperor Wu. In the fourth year of Xianning, after Du Yu took office, he stepped up preparations for cutting Wu. By deviant tactics, the Lord Wu was forced to replace the generals who were familiar with the border situation, which made Wu Jun soldiers unfamiliar with each other and failed in command, and then repeatedly wrote to request the Emperor Wu of Jin to send troops to attack Wu immediately. In the battle with Wu, Du Yu, as a frontline commander, was able to take care of the overall situation, let the king who was in front and under his control take the lead, and won the first chance to defeat Wu.
What is especially rare is that after yang hu recommended Du Yu and others, he burned the recommendation letter because he didn't want the recommended person to know and thank himself. He thinks I don't want to worship and be grateful to God for my private life. It was originally an official position granted by the state, but he was asked to thank the private people. This kind of thing can't be done. Romance of the Three Kingdoms and others have wonderful descriptions of this. Yang Hucheng's noble character of serving the public wholeheartedly, knowing people and being good at their duties is even more valuable in the Wei and Jin Dynasties when morality was lacking and the world was corrupted. It has been praised by people for thousands of years.
In four years of Xianning, yang hu died of illness. In the first year of Taikang, Emperor Wu of Jin transferred more than 200,000 soldiers. According to yang hu's plan to attack Wu, the soldiers were divided into six ways and attacked Wu on a large scale. In less than four months, Jianye was conquered, Wu died, and China was briefly unified.
At the celebration, the courtiers congratulated Emperor Wu of Jin, but Emperor Wu of Jin raised his glass with tears and said: This sheep is a great teacher.