三國(guó)末年，晉武帝司馬炎滅掉蜀國(guó)，奪取魏國(guó)政權(quán)以后，準(zhǔn)備出兵攻打東吳，實(shí)現(xiàn)統(tǒng)一全中國(guó)的愿望。他召集文武大臣們商量滅大計(jì)。多數(shù)人認(rèn)為，吳國(guó)還有一定實(shí)力，一舉消滅它恐怕不易，不如有了足夠的準(zhǔn)備再說(shuō)。
大將杜預(yù)不同意多數(shù)人的看法，寫(xiě)了一道奏章給晉武帝。杜預(yù)認(rèn)為，必須趁目前吳國(guó)衰弱，忙滅掉它，不然等它有了實(shí)力就很難打敗它了。司馬炎看了杜預(yù)的奏章，找自己的最信任的大臣張華征求意見(jiàn)。張華很同意杜預(yù)的分析，也勸司馬炎快快攻打吳國(guó)，以免留下后患。于是司馬炎就下了決心，任命杜預(yù)作征南大將軍。
公元279年，晉武帝司馬炎調(diào)動(dòng)了二十多萬(wàn)兵馬，分成六路水陸并進(jìn)，攻打吳國(guó)，一路戰(zhàn)鼓齊鳴，戰(zhàn)旗飄揚(yáng)，戰(zhàn)士威武雄壯。第二年就攻占了江陵，斬了吳國(guó)一員大將，率領(lǐng)軍隊(duì)乘勝追擊。在沅江、湘江以南的吳軍聽(tīng)到風(fēng)聲嚇破了膽，紛紛打開(kāi)城門(mén)投降。司馬炎下令讓杜預(yù)從小路向吳國(guó)國(guó)都建業(yè)進(jìn)發(fā)。此時(shí)，有人擔(dān)心長(zhǎng)江水勢(shì)暴漲，不如暫收兵等到冬天進(jìn)攻更有利。杜預(yù)堅(jiān)決反對(duì)退兵，他說(shuō)：“現(xiàn)在趁士氣高漲，斗志正旺，取得一個(gè)又一個(gè)勝利，勢(shì)如破竹（像用快刀劈竹子一樣，劈過(guò)幾節(jié)后竹子就迎刃破裂），一舉攻擊吳國(guó)不會(huì)再費(fèi)多大力氣了！” 晉朝大軍在杜預(yù)率領(lǐng)下，直沖向吳都建業(yè)，不久就攻占建業(yè)滅了吳國(guó)。晉武帝統(tǒng)一了全國(guó)。
故事出自《晉書(shū)?杜預(yù)傳》。成語(yǔ)“勢(shì)如破竹”，形容戰(zhàn)斗節(jié)節(jié)勝利，毫無(wú)阻擋。

in the last years of the three kingdoms period,sima yan conquered the kingdom of shu and seized the state power of the kingdom of wei, and became emperor wudi of the jin dynasty. then he planned to send his troops to attack the kingdom of wu so as to unify china. he called his civil and military officials to discuss the plan to destroy the kingdom of wu. most of the them thought that it would be difficult to try to destroy the kingdom of wu with one action because the kingdom of wu was still powerfou. so it would be better to wait until fuller preparations were made. however,general du yu did not agree with them, so he wrote a memorial to the throne. according to du yu, it would be better to destroy the kingdom of wu as soon as possible, because it was still weak at that time. it would be more difficult to defeat the kingdom of wu later if it became stronger. after reading it, emperor wudi to send troops to attack the kingdom of wu as early as possible, so as to avoid future trouble. so emperor wudi made up his mind, and appointed du yu the grand general for conquering the south . in 279, sima yan, emperor wudi of the jin dynasty, mustered more than two hundred thousand troops who were divided into six army divisions to proceed by both land and water to attack the kingdom of wu. battle drums thundering and the colours fluttering, the soldiers were full of power and grandeur. the next day, jiangling city was captured, and a general of the kingdom of wu was killed. and the jin army pushed on in the flush of victory. hearing this, the troops of the kingdom of wu south of the yuanjiang river and the xiangjiang river were overwhelmed with fear, and they opened the gates of cities and surrendered one after another. sima yan ordered du yu to advance to jianye, capital city of the kingdom of wu, by e feared that the yangtze river might have a sharp rise and thought it more advantageous to withdraw the troops for the time being and wait until winter came. du yu resolutely opposed the idea, saying ," now our army's morale is high,and our army is winning one victory after another, just like a sharp knife splitting a bamboo. it won't be too strenuous to conquer the kingdom of wu with one action. " under du yu's command , the jin army charged at the capital city jianye, occupied it ,and thus destroyed the kingdom of wu. in this way, emperor wudi of the jin dynasty unified the whole country. this story appears in "the life of du yu "in the history of the jin dynasty. later the set phrase" like splitting a bamboo" is used to refer to irresistible force or victorious advance.
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