背水一战 (bèi shuǐ yī zhàn): lit. fight with one's back to the river ; fig. to fight to win or die
背水一战
lit. fight with one's back to the river ; fig. to fight to win or die
Han Xin drew his army up with the river at their backs so that retreat was not available. For deliberately burning your own escape route in order to force the win.
The same saying in Japanese: 背水の陣