S01E32 Taiping Rebellion: Zeng Guofan Perfects His Strategy In this episode, we see Zeng Guofan start to get a grip on the task of fighting the Taiping Rebellion. He has to balance between the political necessities of showing his troops that fighting far from home is a way to protect home and achieving strategic results for the emperor. Zeng Guofan additionally is promoted to regular positions in the Qing hierarchy that give him control over competing regular army units and local militias and sources of supplies for his troops. Old Chinese saying, “When the general is outside the capital, the ruler’s orders won’t be followed.” Zeng Guofan was following the emperor's big picture orders, but he tactfully declined to fulfill orders that took him off his main goal: capturing Nanjing. Books Referenced in Today's Episode The Army and Vietnam by Andrew Krepinevich Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom by Stephen R. Platt If You'd Like to Support the Podcast Subscribe, share, leave a rating. Give once, give monthly at www.buymeacoffee.com/crpodcast Subscribe to the substack newsletter at https://chineserevolutions.substack.com/ Also... Please reach out at chineserevolutions@gmail.com and let me know what you think!