In the ancient history of China, the Three Kingdoms period was an era filled with wars and strategic manoeuvres. Among them, the wars and diplomatic relations between the Wei Kingdom, Shu Han, and Wu Kingdom were intricate and complex. Why did the Wei Kingdom choose to attack Shu Han first instead of Wu Kingdom? The reasons behind this strategic choice deserve our in-depth discussion.

Firstly, from a geographical perspective, Shu Han was located in the western part of China, while Wu Kingdom was in the east, and the Wei Kingdom was situated in the Central Plains. Under the situation of the three kingdoms standing against each other, Shu Han and Wu Kingdom posed a threat to the Wei Kingdom from both the east and the west. However, Shu Han occupied a strategically advantageous position with steep mountains and long distances, posing a relatively smaller threat to the Wei Kingdom; whereas Wu Kingdom possessed the advantage of the Yangtze River and a strong navy, posing a greater threat to the Wei Kingdom. Therefore, in this situation, the Wei Kingdom chose to attack Shu Han first, aiming to alleviate the pressure from the west and create favorable conditions for subsequent confrontations with Wu Kingdom.

Secondly, from a military perspective, although Shu Han had a group of outstanding generals such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, its overall strength was relatively weak, especially after the death of Liu Bei, when internal conflicts in Shu Han intensified and the political situation became unstable. In contrast, Wu Kingdom had stronger national strength and excellent generals like Zhou Yu and Lu Xun, making it difficult to conquer. Therefore, when the Wei Kingdom chose a strategic direction for its offensive, it tended to attack the relatively weaker Shu Han first.

Thirdly, from a diplomatic perspective, although Shu Han and Wu Kingdom had once formed an alliance, their relationship was unstable, with frequent frictions. The Wei Kingdom, through clever diplomatic means, successfully lured Sun Quan, ensuring that Wu Kingdom did not provide support to Shu Han during critical moments. This provided a favorable diplomatic environment for the Wei Kingdom to attack Shu Han.

Lastly, from the perspective of the war process, the Wei Kingdom demonstrated its strong military strength and efficient command capabilities during its attack on Shu Han. The outstanding performance of generals such as Zhong Hui and Deng Ai enabled the Wei Kingdom to rapidly achieve victory in the war. However, when attacking Wu Kingdom, the war process was relatively slow due to the comparable strength of both sides. Therefore, in this situation, the Wei Kingdom's choice to attack Shu Han first also aligned with its strategic interests.

In conclusion, the Wei Kingdom's decision to attack Shu Han first instead of Wu Kingdom was primarily based on considerations of geographical location, military strength, diplomatic relations, and the war process. This strategic choice enabled the Wei Kingdom to gain a crucial advantage in the Three Kingdoms rivalry and left a rich historical lesson in wars and strategic manoeuvres for later generations. Through exploring this period of history, we can gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between war strategies and national interests during the Three Kingdoms period, as well as the wisdom and responsibility demonstrated by historical figures.

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