In 612 AD, Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty decided to launch a large-scale expedition against Koguryo. This was the first comprehensive war against Koguryo in Chinese history and an important step in the Sui Dynasty's external expansion. However, the outcome of the war was disappointing, as the Sui army suffered significant losses and ultimately had to withdraw.

Emperor Yang Guang's strategy primarily focused on military force, aiming to completely destroy Koguryo's military capabilities through a large-scale military operation and achieve the goal of conquest. However, this strategy failed to consider Koguryo's geographical environment and the people's resistance, leading to the war's defeat.

In 645 AD, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty decided to launch a second expedition against Koguryo, with the objective of completely conquering Koguryo and incorporating it into the Tang Empire. Li Shimin's strategic considerations differed greatly from Yang Guang's, as he placed greater emphasis on strategic choices and applications.

Li Shimin's strategy primarily emphasized political means, using diplomatic tactics to ally with countries neighboring Koguryo and create a encirclement situation against it. At the same time, he exploited internal contradictions within Koguryo, inciting internal divisions and weakening its resistance. In military terms, Li Shimin adopted a flexible and diverse strategy, adjusting it promptly based on changes on the battlefield, ultimately leading to victory.

From the expeditions of Yang Guang and Li Shimin against Koguryo, we can observe the differences in their strategic considerations. Yang Guang overly relied on military force and neglected strategic choices and applications, resulting in the war's defeat. In contrast, Li Shimin placed greater emphasis on strategic choices and applications, combining political and military means to achieve victory. This provides us with an important lesson: in war, not only is a strong military force necessary, but also wise strategic choices and applications.

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