Produced by Yen Dangthingoc - Xuan Son secondary school’s
co-ordinator teacher, Dong Trieu-Quang Ninh-Vietnam.
Bach Dang River is a river in northern Vietnam,
located near Ha Long bay. It is 32 km long.It starts
at Rung ferry – Hai Phong and ends at Nam Trieu
door-Hai Phong. It flows through Yen Hung
district of Quang Ninh province as well as the
Thuy Nguyen district of Hai Phong.
Bach Dang River has been the site of three
important battles in Vietnamese history: in 938
resulting in Vietnamese independence, in 981,
and in 1288, where General Tran Hung Dao
employed tactics used in 938 to drive out Mongol
invaders.
History of Bach Dang River
At the Battle of Bach Dang River in 938 the Vietnamese
forces, led by Ngo Quyen, defeated the invading forces of
the Southern Han of China and put an end to centuries of
Chinese imperial domination in Vietnam. It took place at
Bach Dang River, near Ha Long bay in northern Vietnam.
Battle of Bach Dang in 938
• The Battle of Bach Dang (981) was an important battle
in the history of Vietnam's struggle against the
domination of China to their north. It took place at the
Bach Dang River, near Ha Long bay in northern
Vietnam.
For centuries China had treated Vietnam as a province
of China In a preceding battle, the Battle of Bach Dang
rivers (938), China had attacked Vietnam.The
Vietnamese forces were led by Ngo Quyen. He
embedded spikes in the river with iron tips that sank the
enemy's boats, thus defeating China and first ending
China's domination of Vietnam.
Bach Dang Stake - Yard
Location: Located in the marshy
zone of Yen Giang Commune,
Yen Hung District, Quang Ninh
Province, that borders the Chanh
River.
Characteristics: The stake-yard
is the site where Tran Hung Dao,
a national hero of the 13th
century, is forever honoured.
Bach Dang’s stake field
In the Battle of Bach Dang in 981 CE, the invasion
troops of China's newly-founded ruling dynasty, the Song
Dynasty, attacked Dai Co Viet with both a navy at Bach
Dang River’s 's mouth and an infantry force at Chi Lang
(Lang Son).Le Hoan arranged two ambushes at these
sites.The first ambush in Bach Dang destroyed most of
the Song navy and the second wiped out the remaining
Song army and ended the invasion.
• The Battle of Bach Dang, which took place at the Bach
Dang River, near Ha Long Bay in present-day northern
Vietnam, was a battle between Dai Viet and the invading
army of the Yuan Dynasty. It's considered part of the
Third Mongol Invasion(1287-88).
• In 1288 after the evacuation from the capital
Thang Long (present-day Ha Noi), Dai Viet's
Grand Commander Tran Hung Dao decided to
launch an offensive against the Mongolians on
the Bach dang river and immediately set to
organize the battle.
• The Bach Dang River ran through Yen Hung
district (in Quang Ninh province) and Thuy
Nguyen (in Hai Phong) before reaching the sea.
This is where the well-known battle of Ngo
Quyen against the Southern Han(Nam Han) took
place in 938 A.D. It was from March, Tran Hung
Dao was already there to prepare the battlefield.
He borrowed the same tactic that Ngo Quyen
used against the Chinese in 938. He studied the
tidal law, had beds of stakes planted under the
water and arranged ambushes in a unified plan
of campaign.
• As was foreseen, the Mongolians in Thang Long suffered an acute
shortage of food. Without any news about the supply fleet, Prince Toghan
found himself in a tight corner and had to order his army to retreat to Van
Kiep. This was when Dai Viet's Army began the general offensive by
recapturing a number of locations occupied by the Mongol invaders.
Groups of partisans were given orders to harass the enemy in Van Kiep,
putting them at a loss. Toghan had to split his army into two and retreat.
• In early April the supply fleet led by Omar and escorted by infantry fled
home along the Bach Dang river. As bridges and roads were destroyed
and attacks were launched by Dai Viet's troops, the Mongols reached
Bach Dang. Dai Viet's small flotilla engaged in battle and pretended to
retreat. The Mongols eagerly pursued Dai Viet troops and fell into their
pre-arranged battlefield. Thousands of Dai Viet's small boats from both
banks quickly appeared, fiercely launched the attack and broke the
combat formation of the enemy. Inflicted with a sudden and strong attack,
the Mongols tried to withdraw to the sea in panic. Hitting the stakes, their
boats were halted, many of which were broken and sunk. At that time, a
number of fire rafts quickly rushed toward them. Frightened, the Mongolian
troops jumped down to get to the banks where they were dealt a heavy
blow by a big army led by the Tran king and Tran Hung Dao.
• The Mongolian supply fleet was totally destroyed. Omar was captured.
• At the same time, Dai Viet's Army made continuous attacks and smashed
to pieces Toghan’s army on its route of withdrawal through Lang Son.
Toghan risked his life making a shortcut through forests to flee home.
Bach Dang victory historical site
Located in the marshy zone of Yen Giang Commune, Yen Hung District,
Quang Ninh Province, that borders the Chanh River, the stake-yard is the
site where Tran Hung Dao, a national hero of the 13th century, is forever
honored.
It was officially recognized as one of Vietnam’s historic vestiges on March
22, 1988; the 700th anniversary of a great victory at Bach Dang against
Mongol invaders.
Bach Dang Victory in 1288 was a glorious victory, which marked in the
Vietnamese history against the invaders, and the Stake – Yard in Yen
Giang Lagoon was an evidence of the glorious feat of arms and force of
7,000,000kg rice food led by Truong Van Ho went to Thang Long by road
and water way.
The ruling Tran Court organized a plan of strategic withdrawal, and
established guerrilla warfare to wear down their enemy. The invading
forces dwindled, tried by both the climate and the constant attacks and
were forced to withdraw. Tran Hung Dao had his men plant steel-tipped
wooden stakes in the bed of the Bach Dang River to create a line of
defense blocking the Mongol retreat.