208 AD
Battle of Red Cliffs
An allied victory at Red Cliffs halted Cao Cao’s advance into southern China.
- Time period
- 208 AD
- Region
- China
- Theme
- Military
- Civilization
- Eastern Han
The Battle of Red Cliffs took place on the Yangtze River during the winter of 208–209 AD, near the end of the Han dynasty. The allied forces of Sun Quan, Liu Bei, and Liu Qi defeated Cao Cao’s larger army. Their victory blocked his southern expansion and helped lay the foundations for the Three Kingdoms.