Genghis Khan, one of history’s most feared conquerors, built the largest contiguous empire the world has ever known. His military strategies were brutal, cunning, and often unrelenting. To secure his empire, Genghis Khan employed some of the most terrifying tactics ever seen on the battlefield. Here are 15 of the most brutal strategies he used to defeat his enemies:
Psychological Warfare:
Genghis Khan understood the power of fear. Before launching an attack, he would send emissaries to spread terror, telling enemy populations about his ruthless tactics. This often caused cities to surrender without a fight, as the mere threat of facing Genghis’s army was enough to break the spirit of his enemies.
Decoy Tactics:
To confuse and overwhelm his enemies, Genghis Khan would use decoy forces. His army would feign retreat, drawing enemy forces into pursuit. Once the enemy was far from their base, his real forces would ambush them, often catching them off-guard and decimating their ranks.
Use of Spies:
Genghis Khan placed great importance on intelligence gathering. He would send spies into enemy territories to gather information, often disguising his agents as common traders or travelers. These spies gave him a tactical advantage, allowing him to plan attacks based on detailed knowledge of the enemy’s weaknesses.
Total Destruction:
When facing resistance from a city or a fortress, Genghis would use total destruction as a tactic. His soldiers would systematically destroy anything of value, burn crops, and kill civilians, leaving nothing behind. This would serve as both a punishment and a warning to other cities considering resistance.
Siege Warfare:
Genghis Khan was a master of siege warfare, using advanced techniques to breach heavily fortified cities. He employed massive siege weapons, including trebuchets and catapults, which could throw huge stones or even corpses of plague victims to break the morale of the defenders.
Divide and Conquer:
Before attacking a region, Genghis would often sow division among his enemies. He used alliances to pit rival factions against each other, weakening their unity and making it easier to conquer them one by one. This approach minimized the number of enemies he had to fight at any given time.
Mass Execution of Prisoners:
In the event of resistance or rebellion, Genghis Khan did not hesitate to execute large numbers of prisoners to send a message. The massacre at Nishapur, where tens of thousands of people were killed, is one example of how Genghis used mass executions to instill fear in his enemies.
The "Tartars" Psychological Trick:
Genghis would often use a deceptive tactic called the "Tartar Trick." He would send small, seemingly defeated units of his army to give the impression that his forces were retreating, only for them to regroup and launch a full-scale attack when the enemy thought they had won.
The Feigned Retreat:
Genghis Khan often used a feigned retreat to lure enemies into a trap. His soldiers would pretend to flee in disarray, leading the enemy into a vulnerable position. Once the enemy forces were scattered and overextended, Genghis’s troops would turn around and attack with full force.
Scorched Earth Tactics:
Whenever Genghis Khan encountered resistance or opposition, he would use scorched earth tactics to destroy anything the enemy could use. He would burn fields, poison wells, and demolish structures, leaving nothing for the enemy to use in rebuilding or regrouping.
Utilization of Expert Archers:
One of Genghis’s key military advantages was his use of highly skilled mounted archers. These archers could fire arrows accurately at great distances while riding at high speeds. This mobility allowed Genghis’s forces to strike swiftly and retreat before the enemy could retaliate.
Killing the Nobility First:
Genghis Khan targeted the leaders of enemy factions first, as they were the backbone of enemy forces. He often executed the nobility and ruling class early in an invasion, crippling the enemy’s ability to organize any meaningful resistance.
Human Shields:
In battle, Genghis Khan sometimes used captured soldiers or civilians as human shields. These shields would be placed in the front of his forces to protect his soldiers from arrows or other attacks, forcing the enemy to either break their formation or face heavy casualties.
Destruction of Religious Sites:
Genghis Khan would often destroy religious sites and symbols of authority, such as temples or shrines, as a way to demoralize the enemy. This tactic served to break the spirit of those fighting for religious or spiritual reasons and also destabilized the societal structure of his enemies.
Pillage and Rape:
Though horrifying, the practice of pillaging and raping enemy cities was not uncommon among Genghis Khan’s forces. These acts of brutality served as tools to further demoralize the enemy, while also dehumanizing the captured population. It struck terror into the hearts of those who might have been considering resistance.
These tactics made Genghis Khan one of the most fearsome conquerors in history. His ability to combine military brilliance with psychological and strategic warfare enabled him to forge an empire that spanned much of Asia and Europe.