Battle of Zuunmod

The Battle of Zuunmod (Mongolian), also known as the Battle of Jao Modo, was one of the expeditions by the Qing Dynasty against the Dzungar Khanate to prevent the Dzungars from becoming a threat to the Qing Empire. The battle concluded with a Qing victory.

Battle
In the second half of the 17th century, the nomadic warriors of the Zunghar tribes in Mongolia found an inspired leader in Galdan. In China, the Qing imperial court feared the rise of a new Mongol Empire and decided to take preemptive action. In 1696 three Manchu armies marched westwards. The Qing ruler, the Kangxi Emperor, personally led an army across the Gobi Desert, achieving a remarkable feat of logistical organization to keep them adequately supplied for an 80-day journey. The Qing forces drove the Dzungars back behind the Kherlen River and then brought them to battle at Jao Modo. With Qing artillery playing an important role, the Dzungars were decisively defeated. The Manchus captured 20,000 cattle and 40,000 sheep. Galdan's wife, Anu, sacrificed her live by saving her husband from the encirclement. Galdan fled with his remaining 40 or 50 men and he died near Khovd Province the following year.