Why did Cao Cao's million-strong army suffer a crushing defeat in Battle of Red Cliffs?

The main reason for Cao Cao's defeat in Chibi lies in internal factors, not external factors. When the song "The Duke of Zhou vomited, and the world returned to his heart" resounded through the Yangtze River, Cao Cao was destined to become the background of "laughing and laughing, disappearing". To sum up the reasons for its defeat, it can be summarized as quick success and instant benefit, arrogance and contempt for the world.

(a), quick success.

After pacifying 50,000 and three counties in the north, Cao Cao returned to Yecheng and began to build a "Xuanwu Pool" to train the water army. This move is obviously also preparing to go south to Jingzhou. At this point, Kong Rong just suggested "stopping the army to support the people" for a period of time before fighting, but Cao Cao sacrificed Kong Rong's head and went south under the banner. Kong Rong was also a famous minister in the late Han Dynasty. If he said "kill", it would be too revealing his ambition. This impatience was his mainstream mentality before Battle of Red Cliffs.

Xu Jian said, "In the past, Yuan's family was greatly defeated, but now Hanan is famous and has great military potential; If you take advantage of the old Chu forgiveness to entertain hundreds of officials, comfort the people and make the country peaceful, you can take it from Jiangdong without any effort. " If Mao does not obey, the army will not benefit. -Biography of the Three Kingdoms and Jia Xu

After taking Jingzhou, it seems no problem to directly pursue Liu Bei and control Jiangling without adjustment, but it is too urgent to face the challenge of Soochow rashly. At this time, Jia Xu's suggestion was put aside, and the sentence "Wen He is my Chen Ping" may have been forgotten. This is also the reason why the northern water army got seasick. The commander in chief of Jingzhou did not practice with the northern soldiers. In desperation, he connected the chain of the ship and gave Zhou Yu a flaw in the fire attack. In addition, there was a plague in Cao Cao's army, and Cao Cao was too anxious to wage war without waiting for the epidemic in the army to be controlled.

(2) Pride goes before a fall

Before Cao Cao went south, he never thought Jingzhou would surrender without a fight. Although Liu Biao is old, he is also the overlord. At that time, Sun Jian did nothing to Jingzhou. But when Liu Biao died of illness and Liu Cong surrendered, the victory came too easily, which also made Cao Cao impetuous. The world can decide, just around the corner. In addition, Liu Zhang of Yizhou wrote a letter to Cao Cao at this time, shaking his head and flattering, which further enhanced Cao Cao's proud mentality.

Think about it, too. This is a vast and rich place in Hebei and the Central Plains, and now it has won such a big piece of fat in Jingzhou without bloodshed. Yizhou has begun to have the heart of submission. Then, when it entered Wu Dong and wiped out Sun Liu's troops in one fell swoop, the world was basically solved. It is no wonder that Cao Cao Can shouted out the grandiloquence that "the Duke of Zhou vomited, and the world returned to the heart". This can also understand why Cao Cao, who was suspicious by nature, had no doubt when Huang Gai pretended to surrender, because Jingzhou had lost power and influence, and it was reasonable for Soochow to defect and surrender some generals. This is also the price of pride.

(3), contempt for the world

Cao Cao and Sun Jian are the two most prolific teams in Dong Meng, and Cao Cao also regards Sun Jian as a hero. Yes, Cao Cao said that "children should be like this", but this is just an uncle's boast to the younger generation. Cao Cao will never put Sun Quan on the level of being able to compete with himself. Zhou Yu's fame at that time may not enter the eyes of Cao Cao. After all, when playing Yan Baihu and other governors, Wu Jun played the banner of Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu's efforts and achievements may not reach Cao Cao's ears. Uncle, do you still need to fight to educate the younger generation?

Cao Cao, a person who doesn't like to stick to etiquette, once laughed at Yuan Shao's war, asked Chen Lin to write "Recruit Thieves", and even challenged Wu Dong. "People close to you have been convicted. Yao Hui points to the south, but there is nothing Liu Cong can do. Today, there are 800 water conservancy troops, and Fang and the generals will hunt in Wu. " The purpose of this gauntlet is simple, to scare Sun Quan and give him a chance to surrender. In Cao Cao's eyes, Soochow is not much better than Jingzhou, and surrender is the truth. Here is really a feeling of contempt for Jiangdong, supercilious, and the world is at your fingertips. And in the subsequent tactical choice, the strategy of focusing on water warfare can be said to be based on its own shortcomings and attacking the enemy's strengths. For the strategist Cao Cao, this is undoubtedly a provocation.

Zhou Yu's battlefield choice is far-sighted and premeditated. The special geography and landform of Chibi made the pyrotechnics have a condition that could not appear under the weather conditions at that time, namely "southeast wind". The U-shaped port of Chibi and the tall and straight mountain wall backed by it made the northwest wind turn into southeast wind when it blew here. Cao Cao, who has always paid attention to the choice of battle sites, did not take into account the "strangeness" of this battlefield and was unscrupulous on the other side of the river.

Although Battle of Red Cliffs and Cao Cao were under the strong pressure of five times that of the enemy, their impatience, underestimation and pride made the strategist who was determined to defeat Kun in World War I wet his shoes by the river.