Bloody Battle of CHANGPING (450,000 men got killed and buried alive)

The Battle of Changping (長平之戰) was a military campaign that took place during the Warring States period in ancient China. It concluded in 260 BC with a decisive victory by the State of Qin over the State of Zhao, greatly weakening Zhao. Bai Qi ordered the captured soldiers to be executed, presumably by being buried alive;[1] the local population was hostile to Qin rule, and he was afraid the captured soldiers would revolt. 240 of the youngest soldiers were released to spread terror in Zhao. Sima Qian claimed over 450,000 Zhao soldiers were killed during and after the battle. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (685-762) later built a temple over a collection of some of the human remains, and bones continue to be discovered on the site.[2] [dead link] Prior to the campaign, Zhao had been one of the most powerful of the Warring States. The campaign addressed the immediate Qin threat, as three years of war financially and domestically exhausted both states. However, Zhao never recovered from the defeat, which allowed Qin to gain military dominance over the other states. In 221 BC, Qin would use this dominance to unify China.