Hu Hai was the second emperor of Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC). He dispatched Senior General Zhang Han to defeat the rebel army led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, and then attack the State Zhao after crossing the Yellow River.
The king of the State Zhao couldn’t resist the Qin army, and asked the State Chu for support. The king of the State Chu agreed, and appointed Song Yi as the general and Xiang Yu as the assistant to rescue the State Zhao. When the Chu army arrived in Anyang, Song Yi ordered to put up the tents, and refused to march ahead any more.
Afraid to have a decisive battle against the Qin army, Song Yi held troops for 46 days in succession. It was then a severe winter with cold wind and heavy snow. The soldiers were both cold and hungry, but Song Yi just enjoyed himself, regardless of the hardship of his soldiers.
Xiang Yu, an impatient person, didn’t like Song Yi, and then killed him. After taking control of the army, he immediately sent 20,000 soldiers to cross the Zhanghe River to save the State Zhao. However, the army didn’t win a great victory, so Xiang Yu led the army to cross the Zhanghe River in person.
Just coming ashore, Xiang Yu ordered the soldiers to sink all the boats, break all the pots and burn the camps, and carry the dry provision for three days only, telling soldiers they would no way to retreat, unless they won the victory.
Xiang Yu told his soldiers, “We will launch a decisive battle against the enemy.
Either your enemy die or you die. No victory,no return!”
Seeing the boats had been sunken, the pots had been broken and no leeway had been left, all the soldiers were prepared to fight regardless of their lives.
When meeting the Qin army, the Chu army immediately came at the Qin army and shouted aloud with great courage. Though the Qin army had won many battles, they had never seen such a fearless army, and got so frightened to turn around and run away. The Chu army fought very bravely, and defeated the Qin army completely.
This story, which comes from Historical Records: Biography of Xiang Yu,is later used to cut off the way of retreat, forcing oneself to march ahead without withdrawal.
