What are some stories in history that broke out in a cold sweat after careful consideration?

Let’s talk about Zuo Zongtang’s recovery of Xinjiang. If Zuo Zongtang hadn’t suggested setting up a province in Xinjiang, abolishing the original military system, and implementing the same administrative management as in the mainland, if he had followed Li Hongzhang’s advice at that time I suggest that if we temporarily abandon Xinjiang and implement coastal defense, it will obviously be impossible to regain Xinjiang in the future!

Revolving around Xinjiang, there were four debates in the late Qing Dynasty: the abandonment of the four western cities, the dispute between coastal defense and fortress defense, the dispute over the abandonment of southern Xinjiang, and the dispute over the establishment of the province. Zuo Zongtang was a participant in the three debates.

At that time, civil strife continued in the Qing Dynasty, and both Britain and Russia coveted the Chinese territory of Xinjiang. In 1865, with the support of the United Kingdom, the army commander of the Kokand Kingdom in Central Asia, Agub, led his troops to invade southern Xinjiang. , established himself as a "Khan", and then invaded the vast areas north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. In 1871, Russia also took advantage of the civil strife in the Qing Dynasty to send troops to occupy Ili, Xinjiang. Xinjiang was in danger of being invaded by Britain and Russia!

Li Hongzhang and others believe that Xinjiang has bad weather and not many people living there, so it will not have a great impact on the country. In addition, their opponents include Russia and the United Kingdom behind Agub. There is not much chance of winning against them, and the roads are difficult to navigate, the transportation is inconvenient, and the current national strength cannot keep up.

Therefore, Li Hongzhang put forward seven major suggestions: open coal and iron mines, build electric wires, build railways, add foreign-style Gezhi academies in each seaport, send Guo Song as an envoy to various countries to take charge of foreign affairs, establish a navy, stop the Western Expedition, Temporarily abandon Xinjiang to strengthen coastal defense! For China in the 19th century, the enemies at sea were indeed very powerful. In addition to Japan, countries such as Britain, the United States, Russia, and France were all eyeing the sea!

And Zuo Zongtang proposed: Those who regain Xinjiang must protect Mongolia, and those who protect Mongolia must defend the capital. Zuo Zongtang believes that no inch of land can be lost, no matter what the land is like, and although this land is barren, it is the country's border fortress!

At that time, most of the governors and senior officials supported Li Hongzhang. In their eyes, it was not worth the gain to confront Tsarist Russia, the largest military power in Europe, for the "barren land" of Xinjiang.

Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang had conflicts over the Xinjiang issue, which made it difficult to resolve the issue. In order to oppose Zuo Zongtang’s sending troops to Xinjiang, Li Hongzhang contacted his allies everywhere, and the United Kingdom and France also attacked China. He expressed disapproval of sending troops to Xinjiang. Li Hongzhang also told Shen Baozhen that Zuo Zongtang was old and he would be lucky to be able to solve the Shaanxi-Gansu problem.

On the issue of regaining Xinjiang, Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang had conflicts and made sad songs, but Empress Dowager Cixi sided with Zuo Zongtang. Now think about it, if Cixi also sided with Li Hongzhang, then when would Xinjiang, which accounts for one-sixth of China's territory and a land of one hundred thousand square kilometers, be recovered?

In 1875, the Qing government officially appointed Zuo Zongtang as the imperial envoy to supervise the military affairs of Xinjiang. This time, the Qing government was desperate. Zuo Zongtang faced the situation at that time and implemented the strategy of "slow advancement and quick decision" , spent a year and a half raising military pay, hoarding food, mobilizing troops, training soldiers, and making full preparations. Zuo Zongtang also established a policy that strictly prohibited the killing of prisoners!

In April 1876, Zuo Zongtang moved from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, to Suzhou. The vanguard of the Western Expeditionary Army had already entered the Hami and Barkol areas of Xinjiang. After hearing the news, Agubai decided to use Ma Rende and Bai Yanhu to Defend Urumqi and other places in northern Xinjiang. In mid-August, the Qing army captured Urumqi and Manas City in November, pacifying the entire northern Xinjiang region. In April 1877, Liu Jintang regained Turpan and other places, and Agubai committed suicide. Agub's son Heigula led his troops to flee west.

On July 7 of this year, the British requested a ceasefire from the Qing army for the second time. At the same time, drought occurred in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan and other places. However, Zuo Zongtang exposed the British "mediation" conspiracy and continued the Western Expedition.

In October, Liu Jintang's troops recaptured the four eastern cities in southern Xinjiang with great force. From mid-December to January 1878, the Qing army successively regained the four western cities in southern Xinjiang. Zuo Zongtang then deployed to march into Yili. , Tsarist Russia was frightened by the power of the Qing army, and after many negotiations, agreed to return the Ili area.

Zuo Zongtang was already gray-haired at that time, but he still had the courage to sacrifice for his country and not be afraid of trouble. This battle became the only victory in the late Qing Dynasty's foreign war! Liang Qichao therefore called Zuo Zongtang "the greatest man in five hundred years."

In 1884, the Qing government established a province in Xinjiang and strengthened the management and defense of the northwest frontier!

It was not easy for Zuo Zongtang to regain Xinjiang despite the corruption and incompetence of the late Qing government. This is why Zuo Zongtang still enjoys high prestige and is remembered by future generations!