A Quick Summary Of Vietnamese History Over 4000 Years

Vietnam's history spans 4,000 years, with records originating from ancient Vietnamese texts dating back to 2879 BC. This period includes the Spring and Autumn, as well as the Warring States periods, during which the ancient Vietnamese faced pressures from Northern China and the So Tan Kingdoms. These external forces led to the gradual loss of territory by Vietnamese tribes, with some being assimilated into Chinese culture. The alliance of the Bach Viet tribes eventually disintegrated, leading to the establishment of the Van Lang Kingdom by the Hung kings in 257 BC. An Duong Vuong, the leader of the Au Viet tribe, founded this kingdom, with Co Loa as its capital.

In 208 BC, a general from the Qin Dynasty, Trieu Da, was dispatched to conquer An Duong Vuong's Au Lac Kingdom. Despite resistance, the Qin Dynasty's influence expanded. Eventually, Trieu Da established the Nam Viet Kingdom, with its capital at the city of Xuan, equating its power with the Han Dynasty by 111 BC. Han Wu later sent over 100,000 troops to Vietnam, resulting in the annexation of the region into the Han Dynasty, marking the beginning of a millennium of Northern domination.

By 540, dissatisfaction with harsh rule prompted Hai Ba Trung to lead a rebellion, claiming numerous citadels in the Linh Nam area. Despite initial successes, the uprising was swiftly suppressed. In 541, Ly Bi rose against the colonial rulers, successfully repelling the Liang forces. Proclaiming himself Emperor Ly Nam De, he established the Van Xuan Kingdom in 544, with Long Bien as its capital. The Ly Dynasty controlled much of what is now Northern Vietnam and parts of China until 545.

After Emperor Ly Nam De's death, Trieu Quang Phuc took command in 550, successfully defending the kingdom against the Luong Dynasty and establishing himself as King Trieu Viet. His reign continued until 571. Following this, the Sui Dynasty emerged in China, and by 602, Sui forces invaded Vietnam, leading to another period of foreign domination. The Tang Dynasty eventually took control, and in 713, Mai Thuc Loan led a rebellion against their rule, declaring himself Mai Hac De. Although he initially succeeded, the Tang forces regrouped and ultimately regained control by 722.

By 763, the Tang Dynasty had become weak, losing control over many regions. This instability led to various peasant uprisings, including the Phung Hung Uprising, which lasted from 766 to 795. Despite facing challenges, the Tang Dynasty briefly regained control and changed its name to Tinh. However, by the end of the 9th century, their power had significantly weakened. In 905, a local Vietnamese leader named Khuc Thua Du declared himself the Governor of the Navy province and took over the capital, Dai La, marking the beginning of Vietnamese autonomy. In 930, the Southern Han army invaded Vietnam, and Khuc Thua did not resist, which resulted in his capture and transfer to Southern Han. His family then led several resistance efforts. In 931, Duong Dinh Nghe successfully led a rebellion and was recognized as the Governor of the Temperance. In 937, Kieu Cong Tien assassinated Duong Dinh Nghe to seize power. Ngo Quyen, who was married to Duong Dinh Nghe's daughter, sought revenge against Kieu Cong Tien and called for assistance from Southern Han. In 938, the Southern Han army approached via water, intending to ally with Kieu Cong Tien to overpower Ngo Quyen. However, before the Southern Han army could launch their attack, Ngo Quyen thwarted their plans, setting an ambush at the Bach Dang river mouth. The Southern Han forces were defeated, and their leader, Hoang Thao, was killed in the battle.

The Han officially invaded Vietnam after Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han invaders in 938. Following his victory, he declared himself King of Ngo and set his capital in Co Loa, ending a thousand years of foreign rule. After losing his brother-in-law, Duong Tam Kha, Ngo Quyen faced rising discontent, leading various regional leaders to refuse submission and fight among themselves for power. This chaotic period lasted over 20 years, concluding in 967 when Dinh Bo Linh united the 12 Warlords he had defeated. In 968, he was named King Dinh Tien Hoang, establishing the country as Dai Co Viet and making Hoa Lu his capital. After Dinh Tien Hoang and his eldest son were killed, the throne passed to his 6-year-old second son, Dinh Toan. During his childhood, power lay in the hands of Empress Dowager Duong Van Hoa and General Le Hoan. When the Song Dynasty learned of Dinh Tien Hoang's death, they invaded with support from the Empress. In 980, Le Hoan took the throne and called himself the great emperor. In 981, he skillfully led troops to defeat the Song army during a major attack. His contributions ensured stability in the region. In 1005, Le Long Dinh became king but his unpopular rule ended with his death in 1009. Ly Cong Uan, gaining widespread support, then ascended as Emperor Ly Thai To. In 1010, he moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La, renaming it Thang Long. The Ly dynasty lasted 216 years, a notable stability compared to previous dynasties. Under Ly Thai To, the country began expanding its territory, including raids in 1014 into areas like Tuyen province. King Ly Thanh Tong later renamed the country Dai Viet in 1069. He achieved military successes against the Champa king and secured regions in Quang Binh and Northern Quang Tri by 1072. Following the loss of his crown prince, he became king at just 7 years old. In 1077, General Ly Thuong Kiet led a successful defense against a massive Song invasion from the north.

Thuong Thien selected the critical battle site at Nhu River. Nguyet established Khuyen's defenses on the southern bank, but the Song army faced resistance at Nhu Nguyet River. The battle endured for an extended period, with the alliance's strength diminishing daily due to shortages of food and weapons. Ultimately, the Song army retreated in reconciliation in 1223, following the death of Tran Tu Khanh, leading to power transitioning to his cousin, Tran Thu Do. In 1224, Tran Thu Do compelled King Due Tong to become a monk, allowing Ly Chieu Hoang, who was just seven years old at the time, to marry Tran Canh, the eight-year-old nephew of Tran Thu Do. In 1225, Ly Chieu Hoang issued a decree handing over the throne. Subsequently, she formally renounced her royal title and convened her followers. This marked the end of the Ly Dynasty after 216 years and initiated the Tran Dynasty era. In 1258, the Mongols invaded Dai Viet for the first time, but this initial conflict lasted only about half a month, resulting in significant losses for the Mongols. Approximately 27 years later, during the second invasion ordered by Yuan emperor Kublai Khan, the war extended from two to six months. The Yuan army initially experienced success but soon faced severe logistical challenges due to its larger size compared to the previous invasion. The scorched earth tactics prevented the Yuan army from sourcing food from local populations. The Dai Viet army quickly reorganized and launched a counterattack about two months following the invasion, achieving victories including at the Han Gate and liberating Thang Long in 1285. Learning from past experiences, the Yuan army attempted another assault by sea with ships laden with livestock, only to be decisively defeated at the Bach Dang River before reaching the ocean. Following the third victory over the Mongols, Dai Viet enjoyed a lengthy period of stability and growth. However, from the reign of King Tran Du Tong, signs of agricultural decline began to emerge. The Tran Dynasty faced increasing threats from foreign tribes and neighboring nations, leading to the rise of Ho Quy Ly as a distinguished political figure. Amidst the turmoil of the Tran Dynasty, Ho Quy Ly ascended to power and renamed the country to Dai Ngu, establishing the capital in Thanh Hoa in 1401. He later abdicated in favor of his son, Ho Han Thuong. In 1406, under the pretense of aiding Tran Diep Ho, the Ming Dynasty launched an invasion against Ngo. In 1407, Ho Quy Ly and his son were captured and killed, leading to the Ming reestablishment in the Giao Chi district.

Vietnam was re-colonized by China after 500 years of independence and self-governance. The harsh and brutal rule of the Ming dynasty generated significant resentment among the Vietnamese people. In 1418, the hero Le Loi, alongside his distinguished scholars, initiated a rebellion in the Nam Son Thanh Hoa region, achieving a major victory over 150,000 Ming troops by 1427. By 1428, he was crowned as Emperor Le Thai To. His reign was followed by five kings until the decline began under King Le Uy Muc and continued through King Le Chieu. The power struggle intensified when Mac Dang Dung, whose ambitions were evident, took control. In 1527, he forced the Le royal family to abdicate, establishing the Mac dynasty in 1533. The former leader of the Later Le dynasty, Nguyen Kim, resisted the Mac rule and established his own forces in Thanh Hoa, ultimately supporting Le Trang to restore the Le dynasty. Following Nguyen Kim's death in 1546, his son-in-law, King Le Phong, consolidated power by sidelining the Trinh faction. In 1558, Nguyen Kim’s son, Nguyen Hoang, fearing for his safety, sought refuge in Thuan Hoa and later expanded his influence into Quang Nam, which was retained by the Nguyen family. Although the Le royal family remained nominally in power, the Nguyen Lords effectively controlled the Thuan Khuang region, earning the title of Lord Nguyen. They constructed fortified citadels, such as Truong Duc, to defend against Trinh military campaigns while gradually pushing southward. Meanwhile, Lord Trinh used the name of King Le to reclaim Thang Long citadel, eventually retreating north during the Mac Dynasty, supported by his family in Cao Bang. Both the Trinh and Nguyen lords operated under the façade of serving the Later Le Dynasty.

Le and Dan were both regions governed by the Later Le Dynasty, but over time, they established their own powers. The ruler of the Later Le Dynasty had lost significant authority and could not prevent the separation between the Trinh and Nguyen families. In 1627, the Nguyen Phuc family married into the Trinh line and stopped paying taxes. This led to a military mobilization in a prolonged conflict. Consequently, Dai Viet experienced a division that lasted over 150 years, with the boundary set at Songs Anh in 1771. In 1778, Nguyen Nhac, along with his brothers Nguyen Hue and Nguyen Lu, launched a rebellion in Tay Son, promoting the redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor. Their uprising succeeded, and Nguyen Nhac proclaimed himself the Thai Duc emperor, marking the beginning of the Western Dynasty. This era was marked by chaos and complexity. Nguyen Phuc Anh, the son of Nguyen Phuc Luan, sought to reclaim the Nguyen Lordship legacy. After escaping, he sought assistance from the Siamese king to combat the Tay Son dynasty in 1784 and early 1785. Nguyen Hue orchestrated a decisive victory at Rach Gam Xoai Mut in 1786, and without direct orders from his brother Nguyen Nhac, he led an attack on Thang Long, purporting to restore the Le dynasty and dismantle the Trinh's control over vast areas of Vietnam. A conflict erupted among the Tay Son brothers. In 1788, during a turbulent period, Nguyen Hue ascended to the throne as Emperor Trung, utilizing his military prowess to defeat 290,000 invading Qing troops while Nguyen Nhac dealt with instability in the Bac Ha citadel and Gia Dinh region under Tay Son influence. The Tay Son's governance became increasingly isolated from local inhabitants, many of whom supported Nguyen Anh. Gradually, Nguyen Anh reclaimed territory in Nam Ha, starting in 1792. Following the death of Quang Trung Nguyen Hue, the Tay Son dynasty weakened rapidly. Ultimately, in 1802, Nguyen Anh triumphed over the Tay Son forces, assumed the throne as Gia Long, and officially named the country Vietnam, establishing the Nguyen dynasty, which remained in power until 1945. Vietnam achieved territorial unification after nearly 300 years of civil conflict. However, from 1858 to 1945, French colonialists invaded Vietnam, exploiting its human and natural resources. This led to widespread uprisings, though the later Nguyen kings had little authority to influence national policies.

The leaders of the past were merely figureheads, taking advantage of the population through heavy taxation. In 1945, under the guidance of President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people successfully overthrew the French colonial government and dismantled the feudal Nguyen Dynasty, establishing the Democratic Republic. The decisive victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 marked a significant defeat for the French, compelling them to withdraw their forces from Indochina while the United States stepped in to support a new puppet regime in South Vietnam. This regime faced numerous unsuccessful military engagements until 1973, when the Paris Agreement facilitated the U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam. By 1975, the Southern Liberation Army launched a major offensive and uprising in Saigon, leading to the unification of Vietnam in 1976 under the name Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Vietnam Labor Party was renamed the Communist Party of Vietnam, with Hanoi designated as the capital and Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

In 1977, Khmer Rouge forces invaded Vietnamese territory, seizing parts of An Giang province and committing atrocities against civilians, resulting in a state of war by the end of the year. On December 31, 1977, six divisions of the Vietnam People's Army conducted an incursion into Cambodia, withdrawing by January 5, 1978, with several key Cambodian figures, including future Prime Minister Hun Sen, captured. The Vietnamese government proposed a diplomatic resolution to establish a demilitarized zone along the border, but the Khmer Rouge, supported by China, rejected this and escalated hostilities beginning on December 13, 1978, mobilizing around 50,000 to 60,000 troops.

In early 1979, Vietnam launched a comprehensive counteroffensive across the Cambodian border, collaborating with Cambodia's revolutionary forces to liberate the country from genocide by March 1979. In response, China launched a surprise attack on Vietnam’s northern border, employing mass troop tactics that caused significant destruction. However, after enduring heavy casualties over two weeks of conflict, Chinese forces retreated and proclaimed victory. In 1991, diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China were normalized, leading to a cessation of hostilities. By 1995, the United States and Vietnam also established normalized relations, allowing Vietnam to integrate into the global community. Today, Vietnam enjoys a unified peace following a tumultuous history of conflict. Nevertheless, hostile forces continue to threaten the nation's sovereignty and economic stability, underscoring the need for collective efforts to preserve independence and territorial integrity. Your thoughts on this post are welcomed in the comments below.