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The Taiping Army consisted of only a few tens of thousands when they first revolted. How were they able to achieve a string of victories against the far larger Qing army? |
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See answer below. |
In early November of the Gengxu (庚戌) year, 1850, Hong Xiuquan issued several decrees to his followers. It was recorded in the Book of Heavenly Decrees and Proclamations: the first called for obedience to the Taiping Rules and Regulations; the second mandated segregation of the sexes; the third warned that the slightest violations would not be tolerated; the fourth instructed all to work for the communal good in harmony and submit to the authority of the commanders; and the fifth was an order to work together for the cause and a ban on deserting.
The Taiping Rules and Regulations laid out rules for proper troop conduct in camp and in the field. They included: obeying heavenly commands; being well-versed in the heavenly regulations; keeping separate camps for men and women; learning the meanings of bugle and drum calls by heart; no preferential treatment or covering-up for each other; no undermining of the communal interest by operating outside of one’s own camp; no concealing of weapons and no transmission of false orders. The ten field rules include: keeping uniform and gear neat and orderly; killing enemies on command; no disrupting of the formation; no foraging in villages; no destroying of civilian buildings; no pillaging, and no needless killing of the old and infirm.
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The Taiping Army consisted of only a few tens of thousands when they first revolted. How were they able to achieve a string of victories against the far larger Qing army? |
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The key reasons are as follows: The Qing army was in a state of decline at that time. The backbone of the imperial military, the Eight Banners (八旗) and Green Standard (綠營) troops were cowardly, riddled with corruption, and inadequately trained. They tended to flee the battlefield at the first sign of the Taiping Army’s approach, allowing the rebels a free run of many regions. This eventually forced the Qing government to rely on militias raised by local Han officials and gentry for quelling the rebellion. The Taiping Army, on the other hand, was able to capitalise on several advantages. In the early days of its formation, it had a high degree of unity and morale; military disciple was strict, and the troops abstained from harassing civilians. These practices helped them win over the populace wherever they went. Mired in poverty and under constant oppression by Qing officials and troops, civilians flocked to join the Taiping Army to overthrow the regime, which helped swell the Army’s ranks and fuel the steady increase in its combat prowess. These factors all helped the Taiping Army achieve initial phenomenal success within a short period of time. |
