In 938, the Battle of Bach Dang was fought between the Annamese under Ngo Quyen against the Southern Han under Liu Hongcao during the Sino-Annamese War.
Why did it happen?
Between 111 BCE and 907 CE, northern Vietnam was under the control of the Chinese emperors of the Han, Sui, and Tang Dynasties. Although several revolts occurred between that time, such as the revolt of the Trung sisters in 43 CE, Vietnam remained under Chinese domination until the collapse of the Tang Dynasty in 907. As China entered the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960), the southern portion closest to Vietnam became Southern Han in 917. Its first emperor, Liu Zhi, began military campaigns against Annam (northern Vietnam) from 930 onwards. In 937, General Kieu Cong Tien of Annam assassinated the military governor, Duong Dinh Nghe, and seized power for himself. He was opposed by Ngo Quyen, who mobilised troops and quickly killed the usurper, but not before Kieu Cong Tien had sent an envoy to Southern Han appealing for help. In the winter of 938, the Southern Han sent a large fleet under Liu Hongcao to conquer Vietnam.
Who was involved?
The Annamese forces at Bach Dang numbered 3,000 men. The Annamese warships primarily consisted of war barges, dugout canoes designed for river fighting. The Annamese plan at Bach Dang was for the Annamese warships to provoke the Chinese navy into chasing after them before the stakes inserted into the riverbed immobilised the Chinese vessels as the tide went out. Once this happened, the Annamese infantry and archers on the shore would ambush and attack the disorganised Chinese forces. The Southern Han forces at Bach Dang numbered 20,000 men. The Chinese warships consisted of both Tower Ships, three-storey battleships with fortified upper decks, and war junks, smaller one-storey warships propelled by oarsmen. Both warships had trebuchets and crossbowmen on their decks and sidewalls, respectively. As recounted by Quang Minh, “The Southern Han emperor and his son were determined to conquer Viet Nam, defeat its new independent government, and destroy the Vietnamese people’s achievements which had required enormous sacrifices” (Minh, 2014, p.4).
What happened?
At high tide, the Annamese general Ngo Quyen sent small warships out towards the Southern Han fleet to harass them with arrow fire. When the Annamese warships retreated up the Bach Dang River, the Southern Han fleet pursued them. As the tide fell, the Southern Han warships became immobilised on the iron-tipped stakes that the Annamese had driven into the riverbed. With the Southern Han forces thrown into confusion, the Annamese infantry and archers arrayed on both sides of the riverbank attacked the immobilised fleet, killing 10,000 Southern Han soldiers, including their leader, Liu Hongcao.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Bach Dang was a decisive Annamese victory. In the immediate aftermath of the battle, Liu Zhi withdrew his forces from the border of Annam and gave up trying to conquer the country. In 939, Ngo Quyen founded an independent government and proclaimed himself king over Hanoi. Although his dynasty only lasted until 967, Vietnam would remain independent from China until 1406. The Battle of Bach Dang is significant in Vietnamese history because it ended one thousand years of Chinese control. As stated by Quong Minh, “Throughout history, there are few countries that have regained independence by their own strength after nearly a millennium of foreign domination” (Minh, 2014, p.9). In 1288, Tran Hung Dao used the same tactics Ngo Quyen used in 938 to defeat a Mongol navy at the Second Battle of Bach Dang.
Bibliography
50 Dollars Army. “China vs Vietnam: Ancient Naval Battle At Bach Dang River - The Defeat Of The Chinese Navy in 938 AD.” YouTube video, 6:38. July 31, 2012. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fibuxb4cvxg
Anonymous. “Bach Dang, viewed with geography.” Greater Haiphong. Last revised June 28, 2011. www.greaterhaiphong.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/bach-dang-giang.jpg
Grant, R.G. 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History. London, Cassell Illustrated, 2011.
Grant, R.G. Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat. London, Dorling Kindersley, 2005.
Minh, Quang. Some Historic Battles in Viet Nam. Hanoi, Gioi Publishers, 2014.
Turnbull, Stephan. Fighting Ships of the Far East (1): China and Southeast Asia 202 BC-AD 1419. Oxford, Osprey Publishing, 2002.
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