HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Mongols were powerful force in East Asia in the Middle Ages. The Mongol conquest of Southern Song dynasty in late 13th century was a dramatic event – Southern China was the economic, cultural, and technological center of the world, if not of Asia. The Southern Song dynasty possessed the world strongest naval forces – many ships were equipped with compass and ordnance. It appears almost as miracle that Kublai Khan, a nomadic prince, conquered and subdued entire China. No one, not even the native Han Chinese, was able to unite the country for several centuries before him.
Khublai’s achievements up to the failed invasion of Japan were almost a perfect record of successful accomplishments. After Khubali learned about the failure of his plan to invade Japan in 1281, he began to plan for the third invasion of the Island nation. However, many of his officials opposed the plan – the people also showed their opinion by revolts. Khublai eventually decided not to invade Japan, but many ships had been already built – He decided to focus on invading Vietnam instead. Khublai decided to send both the land and naval forces in 1288. The Mongols had been interfering with politics in Southeast Asia for some time. This was not the first time that the Mongols invaded the country. One must note this was the last time that the Mongols attempted conquest of the country and also the way Vietnamese defeated the Mongol fleet is significant for the nation’s history.
Initially, the Mongols fought well. They were able to reach the capital without much resistance. However, the real battle for the invaders was to come after the fall of the capital. The Vietnamese quickly evacuated the capital without much food for the enemy to plunder. The Vietnamese made sure that the supplies did not reach the capital and the Mongols had to fight the occasional guerrilla fighters. With approaching summer heat and no food, the Mongols had to leave the capital with much time and resources wasted. They took the Bach Dang River as the way out from the country.
A Satellite Image of the Battlefield (The River is 1 mile wide)
As the Mongols approached the safety of open sea, the Vietnamese forces were hiding and waiting for the opportunity to arrive. Led by General Tran Hung Dao, the Vietnamese had already planted wooden stakes along the river banks of Bach Dang River. Using the difference in tides, they planned to lure the enemy fleet into a trap. It is recorded that as the tide ebbed, the Mongols found themselves suddenly surrounded by wooden stakes that prevented them from moving their ships, and at the same time, Vietnamese troops appeared and attacked them, capturing or destroying 400 ships. It was a total victory for Vietnamese, aided by a witty strategy.
An Artists Reconstruction of the Battle
The Vietnamese general, Tran Hung Dao, is still regarded as one of the greatest military hero in Vietnam. Almost every town in Vietnam has a street named after the General – just like George Washington in U.S. Also, numerous shrines and temples are dedicated to him, and he is worshipped as a “deity.” It is interesting to note that the Japanese believed that they defeated the Mongols by a divine invention while the Vietnamese defeated the enemy by human ingenuity – only later this figure (Tran Hung Dao) became equal with the rank of gods. The legend of Tran Hung Dao has a direct connection to the modern world. He has written a military manual which still exist today. The manual has captured many of the great Generals in Vietnamese history, including Vo Nguyen Giap – the modern hero who led the Vietnamese into victory at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The tactics that Tran Hung Dao conceived are still current, even in the Modern warfare as we saw during the Vietnam War (American War).
A Local Temple Getting Ready for Tran Hung Dao Festival
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH PRIOR TO INA’S INVOLVEMENT
The worship of Tran Hung Dao may appear peculiar to the outsiders, but it is easy to understand why Vietnamese people venerate him once one realizes the historical significance of the battle – the Battle at Bach Dang saved the Vietnam from becoming part of the larger Chinese Empire. Tran Hung Dao (and the battle) is a symbol of independence and a symbol of cultural identity. The worship of Tran Hung Dao is especially strong around the modern day town of Yen Giang – where the battle took place. Many shrine and temples are spread over the landscape dominated by flat rice paddy fields. Each shrine has its own legends and myth regarding the battle and deeds of Tran Hung Dao.
A Photo from Excavation conducted by Vietnamese Archaeologists
A chance discovery was made in the 1950s and 60s when dikes along the Bach Dang River was constructed. A large number of wooden stakes were discovered beneath the mud along the river and people thought that these wooden stakes maybe from the battle 700 years ago. Vietnamese archaeologists conducted an excavation, and combined with the result of C14 dating, it was determined that the site was indeed related to the battle 700 years ago. The site is now known as Bai coc Yen Giang, and tourists are free to visit the site. Since this discovery, people began to report the presence of wooden stakes in the area. However, these stakes were found within a large area (perhaps 2 km by 10 km stretch of land) and found not near the river but further inland. Several archaeological surveys and excavations took place and more stakes were discovered. Another cluster of well-preserved stake yards, called Dong Van Muoi, was excavated. The presences of these stake yards present a mystery. Why there are so many stakes placed in a large area, and why located inland? So far, no artifacts related to the invasion have been found.
Bach Dang Stakes Displayed at National Museum in Hanoi
So, how did INA got involved with this site? Please Wait for the Next Blog Entry to find out!