Battle of Mobei

Battle of Mobei
Part of the Han–Xiongnu War
DateJanuary – June, 119 BC
Location
Result Han victory
Belligerents
Xiongnu Han dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Yizhixie Chanyu
Worthy Prince of the East
Zhao Xin
Wei Qing
Huo Qubing
Cao Xiang (曹襄)
Li Guang 
Gongsun He (公孫賀)
Lu Bode
Strength

300,000[1]

of cavalries and troops
20,000 troops[1]
Casualties and losses
Entire army[2] Less than 7,000[1] troops 80% of their horses on these expeditions[1]

The Battle of Mobei (simplified Chinese: 漠北之战; traditional Chinese: 漠北之戰; pinyin: Mòběi zhī Zhàn) was a military campaign fought mainly in modern-day Mongolia, in the extreme cold and barren lands of the Gobi Desert. It was part of a major strategic offensive launched by the Han dynasty in the winter of January 119 BC, into the heartland of the nomadic Xiongnu. The campaign was a success for the Han, whose forces led by Wei Qing and Huo Qubing reached as far north as Lake Baikal.[3][4][5][6]

  1. ^ a b c d De Li Shi. The Military History in Qin and Han Dynasty. p. 84.
  2. ^ Shi, Li. "The Military History in Qin and Han Dynasty".
  3. ^ Book of Han, vols. 06, 55, 94, parts 1.
  4. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 19
  5. ^ Lin Gan, "Mobei Zhi Zhan" ("The Battle of Mobei")[permanent dead link].
  6. ^ Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. pp. 35. ISBN 0-8135-1304-9.