Why did Guan Yu lose in the "Battle of Xiangfan"? What are the specific circumstances of the "Battle of Xiangfan"?

Why was Guan Yu defeated in the "Battle of Xiangfan"? What were the specific circumstances of the "Battle of Xiangfan"? I have brought a detailed article for your reference.

The Battle of Xiangfan in the traditional sense refers to Guan Yu’s northern expedition to Xiangfan from Jingzhou in July 219 AD. In fact, the Battle of Xiangfan started half a year to a year ago. From 218 to early 219, when Liu Bei participated in the Battle of Hanzhong, it had already begun.

The reason why I say this is because there is very obvious evidence, that is, the junction line between the three counties of Jingzhou guarded by Guan Yu and Nanyang County guarded by Cao Ren and Lu Chang should be near Dangyang, but Guan Yu 219 During the Northern Expedition in July of that year, he had already appeared in Xiangfan.

This shows that Guan Yu spent a long time advancing northward, fighting from Dangyang to the north. Judging from the later participation of Guan Yu and naval forces in the war, Guan Yu advanced both by water and land. , gradually advanced along the Han River to the Xiangfan area to launch a war.

Guan Yu’s total force for launching the Battle of Xiangfan should be 50,000, including all the troops later transferred from Jingzhou to the north. Otherwise, it would be impossible to surround and defeat the two cities of Xiangyang and Fancheng. There were more than 30,000 people in the Seventh Army who were imprisoned.

The reaction of Cao Wei should be like this:

Lu Chang, the prefect of Xiangyang, guards Xiangyang City. Xiangyang City is on the south bank of the Han River. Lu Chang There were about three to four thousand troops. Cao Ren, the general who conquered the south, was stationed in Fancheng. Fancheng was on the north bank of the Han River, separated by the Han River. It was called Mianshui at that time. Cao Ren had about three to four thousand troops, plus Yu Jin and Pang De. The Seventh Army had more than 30,000 people. Cao Wei's total force invested in the Battle of Xiangfan in the early stage was about 40,000.

Guan Yu has 50,000 people and Cao Wei has 40,000 people. Guan Yu does not have a huge advantage, just a slight advantage. In addition, Guan Yu needs to besiege Xiangyang and Fancheng. These two cities will not be defeated until the end of the Battle of Xiangfan. Guan Yu didn't even capture it. At the same time, Guan Yu divided his troops to deal with Yu Jin and Pang De's seven armies. Finally, Guan Yu still had a naval force active in the Han River.

Although Guan Yu has an overall advantage in military strength, he does not have any advantage in local areas. It takes at least five or six thousand men to siege a city. Xiangyang and Fancheng are both besieged, and Guan Yu must at least invest More than 10,000 people besieged the city.

Excluding the navy, Guan Yu’s army to deal with Yu Jin and Pang De was about 35,000, which was almost the same number as Yu Jin and Pang De’s seven armies. In the confrontation between Guan Yu and Yu Jin , and there is no advantage in military strength.

Guan Yu was able to capture and defeat more than 30,000 Yu Jin and Pang De's Seventh Army because of the weather, strategy and the enemy's mistakes. The so-called weather meant that it was in the rainy season and it rained non-stop. Guan Yu's strategy is to make correct use of the weather. The weather is fair to both the enemy and us. It depends on who can take advantage of it.

The so-called enemy's mistake was Yu Jin and Pang De's mistake in setting up camp. They did not consider the impact of the weather on their own side, which caused the camp to be flooded. If Guan Yu must have an advantage, there is no doubt that Guan Yu's advantage was that he had a naval force and the power to control water, while the Wei army had no navy, or the navy was completely defeated by Guan Yu.

After Guan Yu captured Yu Jin, Pang De and more than 30,000 Wei troops, Guan Yu achieved a temporary absolute victory. The situation on the battlefield was extremely favorable to Guan Yu. Before Cao Wei's reinforcements arrived, Guan Yu still failed Taking Xiangyang and Fancheng was the reason for Guan Yu's final failure.

The main reason why Guan Yu failed to capture Xiangyang guarded by Lü Chang and Fancheng guarded by Cao Ren was because of the persistence of Lü Chang and Cao Ren. The secondary reason was that Guan Yu lacked siege methods. You must know that Xiangyang and Fancheng are in It was an absolutely fortified city at that time. Later, when the Mongols attacked the Song Dynasty, it took Guangxiangyang City six years to conquer.

Once Xiangyang and Fancheng were not captured, Guan Yu was doomed to fail. By the time Xu Huang led the 12th Battalion of soldiers to come to support, Guan Yu was already at the end of his powerful crossbow and could not penetrate Lu Sui. Failure was only a matter of time. , even without Lu Meng in white clothes crossing the river to attack Jingzhou, Guan Yu would have failed.

Although Guan Yu captured more than 30,000 people in Yu Jin, these 30,000 people did not add any advantage to Guan Yu. Instead, they became a burden for Guan Yu's army. He had to be responsible for food for these 30,000 people. He also had to send people to guard these 30,000 people to prevent rebellion. Instead, these 30,000 people became Guan Yu's disadvantage. Even if they were taken to Jiangling City in the rear, they would be a time bomb at any time.

When Xu Huang led more than 30,000 people to confront Guan Yu, Guan Yu's 50,000 soldiers had been fighting for more than three months. They were exhausted physically and mentally, lacked food, and had no reserve team. Even Xu Huang's With 30,000 new soldiers, it would be difficult for Guan Yu's 50,000 soldiers to win.

For soldiers, fighting depends on morale and military spirit. For more than three months, although Guan Yu has shocked China and achieved success all the way, as far as the war is concerned, Fancheng and Xiangyang City have not been captured. Failed, or made no progress.

So when Guan Yu's 50,000 exhausted soldiers faced Xu Huang's 30,000 new soldiers, they seemed to lack confidence. In addition, news of Lu Meng's sneak attack on Jingzhou came from behind, making Guan Yu's Jingzhou army even more confident. Losing fighting spirit, Guan Yu would be in an extremely dangerous situation if he could not capture the two cities. He would face the risk of being attacked by the Wei army from both inside and outside, and the entire army would be annihilated.

So it was not surprising that Guan Yu was defeated by Xu Huang. It was wise for Guan Yu to retreat, but what was unwise was that Guan Yu still wanted to lead these 50,000 people to retake Jingzhou. Little did he know that Lu Meng had already laid a dragnet. Waiting for Guan Yu to be fooled, the final outcome is that all three counties of Jingzhou will be occupied by Soochow, 50,000 Jingzhou troops will die or surrender, and Guan Yu will die.