From nothing and facing formidable enemies on all sides, the Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet Cao Cao gradually consolidated his power until he dominated China. He is often portrayed in popular culture as a malevolent and erratic military commander. However, Wars of the Three Kingdoms seeks to rewrite the narrative of Cao Cao's military operations, based on extensive primary sources, offering a fresh and deeper insight into this controversial character. Too often anti-Cao Cao propaganda from rival states and improbable stories have been accepted at face value. Descriptions of the campaigns of Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi, two other famous commanders of the era, extend the period covered from 189 to 238 CE.