Weather in Qingtaiping Town

In the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Northern Expedition and the Western Expedition were undoubtedly brilliant periods. When the Western Expedition broke Hunan camp, Zeng Guofan was almost forced to commit suicide. The Northern Expedition hit Zhili all the way, causing the whole Qing court to shake. So, why did such a magnificent Northern Expedition end in failure? Please listen to me to analyze it for you.

First, the front is too long and unbalanced.

Chen and Chen, who led the Northern Expedition Army, were excellent generals. They led more than 20,000 people from journey to the south to Jinghai County and Liu Du Town near Tianjin, which is only over 200 miles from Beijing. The Northern Expeditionary Army moved to several provinces, and its strength expanded to 40,000, with a journey of four or five thousand li.

At the same time of the Northern Expedition, the Western Expedition and the anti-encirclement and suppression war on the outskirts of Tianjing also started, which made the Taiping Army's front line too long, resulting in their lack of mobile forces and mutual neglect. The northern battlefield was the most affected.

According to the original plan, there should be a reinforcements to support the northern battlefield. However, because the front line is too long and unsustainable, this post-reinforcement has become an empty talk. In the end, and Chen had to stay in the town and the sea of tranquility, and turned to attack for defense, giving the Qing army a chance to breathe and losing the best opportunity to attack.

Li Xiang Hua tu

Second, the recruits are lax in discipline and have low combat effectiveness.

In the constant war, experienced veterans were killed one after another, so he and Chen had to add new recruits. However, the recruits are undisciplined, unruly and timid in battle. After breaking the city, they often rob property and then flee in groups.

This phenomenon exists not only in the Northern Expedition Army of He Chen, but also in the support army of Qin Rigang. Recruits often turn around and retreat to the south when blocked by the enemy, and then they are defeated by the Qing army. With the failure of Qin Rigang's support, the aid plan to the North was aborted.

Lin Fengxiang Steels

Third, the tactics of the Qing army match the weather.

Facing the aggressive Taiping Army, the Qing army adopted the tactics of "strengthening the wall to clear the wild" and "iron wall". The food and grass supply of Taiping Army was cut off, and Taiping Army was divided into small pieces and gradually swallowed up, and was chased and annihilated by Sanglinqin cavalry.

At this time, the cold weather added difficulties to the Taiping Army. Under the severe cold, the Taiping Army was short of clothes and food, and as many as 10,000 people died and froze to death. Finally, they had to live on wild vegetables and bark. The fighting capacity is greatly weakened.

Finally, he was captured and died this year, and Li also died. However, the Northern Expedition gave the Qing army a powerful psychological shock, but after that, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom began to concentrate on governing the south and never conducted the Northern Expedition again.

General of the Qing army, Sengqin.

Fourth, summary.

During the Northern Expedition, the Taiping Army did not have a clear strategic goal, but only fought for the sake of war, which lasted for two years and was finally wiped out. There were big problems in strategy and small problems in tactics, which led to the great defeat of the Northern Expedition.