This paper is to examine the Goguryeo’s military advancement into East Mongolia in the 650s AD, where literature so far has paid relatively insufficient attention. Upon this reflection, this paper aims to reveal the Goguryeo’s active and dynamic military strategy, while facing external challenges from a war with Tang dynasty. In a war between Tang and Goguryeo, Tang had maintained military initiatives as an aggressor until the 650s. This was a general pattern as seen in a Liaodong campaign in 645, and war of 647～648. However, by the 650s, new strategic environment began to emerge. In the northwestern region of Tang, new adversary, Turks, began to pose threats to Tang, an outcome from relative neglect of the region due to Tang’s military policy that had placed her resources on the conflict with Goguryeo. On the other hand, Shilla could not launch offensives on Goguryeo because of Baekjae’s offensives on herself as well as confusion in domestic politics. At this point, Goguryeo began to take initiatives of the war by advancing into East Mongolia along with Sira-Muren River. Koguryeo utilized the Kitan and began to assume dominant power in the region.
This paper is to examine the Goguryeo’s military advancement into East Mongolia in the 650s AD, where literature so far has paid relatively insufficient attention. Upon this reflection, this paper aims to reveal the Goguryeo’s active and dynamic military strategy, while facing external challenges from a war with Tang dynasty. In a war between Tang and Goguryeo, Tang had maintained military initiatives as an aggressor until the 650s. This was a general pattern as seen in a Liaodong campaign in 645, and war of 647～648. However, by the 650s, new strategic environment began to emerge. In the northwestern region of Tang, new adversary, Turks, began to pose threats to Tang, an outcome from relative neglect of the region due to Tang’s military policy that had placed her resources on the conflict with Goguryeo. On the other hand, Shilla could not launch offensives on Goguryeo because of Baekjae’s offensives on herself as well as confusion in domestic politics. At this point, Goguryeo began to take initiatives of the war by advancing into East Mongolia along with Sira-Muren River. Koguryeo utilized the Kitan and began to assume dominant power in the region.
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