Battle of Changping (260 BC) — General Bai Qi and the execution of 400,000 POWs

400,000 soldiers vanished in a single season. Great battles of world history rarely show the grim reality of Changping. Watch this military history documentary. In 260 BC, the Shangdan Valley became the site of the largest military annihilation in ancient history. This video deconstructs the infantry tactics and the catastrophic command errors that led to the fall of the Zhao kingdom. General Bai Qi, known as "The Butcher," didn't just outfight his enemies—he out-logistics them. After 46 days of starvation and psychological collapse, the final act of this conflict remains one of history’s most chilling strategic decisions. Discover how the burial of 400,000 POWs paved the way for the first Chinese Empire. Subscribe for more in-depth historical analysis. Was Bai Qi’s decision a calculated strategic necessity to prevent a massive revolt, or an unforgivable war crime? #history #ancientchina #militaryhistory #strategy #documentary