An Outline of Vietnamese History
http://www.vietcatholic.net/culture/outline.htm
Having usurped the throne in 1400, Ly reverted to using his ancestral family name of Hoà, and established the Hoà dynasty. The name of the country was changed from An-Nam to Ñaïi-Ngu. After a reign of only one year, Ly followed the former practice of the Traàn and abdicated in favor of his son, although Ly continued to exercise power himself and energetically advanced his programs of reform.
The army was reorganized and enlarged; and Lyù is creditted with the invention of a kind of galley for the use of his fleet. Taxes were revised, and the ports were opened to trading vessels, which were also subject to taxation. The examination system was again modified to require more practical knowledge of peasant life, mathematics and current events, in addition to the Confucian classics which had previously been required. Legal reforms were begun, and a medical service was established. Externally, however, the Hoà dynasty was encountering difficulties in its relations with the Champa and with Chinese Ming dynasty. Before Lyù’s far-sighted policy could take root, the Ming invaded. Lyù’ son had been granted recognition as King by the Chinese who were deceived by the lie that there were no more remaining descendants of the Traàn. The Chinese quickly discovered the trick, and immediately established liaison with those who were still loyal to the Traàn. The Chinese promised to restore the Traàn dynasty.
As the Chinese moved in, they sought to reestablish their former protectorate of Giao-Chæ. When they claimed their right to do so on the grounds that no descendant of the Traàn existed, they immediately found themselves confronted with a dangerous movement of popular dissidence. An attempt to wrest back power from the Chinese was made by a prince of the Traàn family, who raised an army and rallied the people for a time, proclaiming himself Emperor Giaûn-Ñònh in 1407. In 1408 Giaûn-Ñònh won a spectacular victory over a far superior force of Chinese. But his success was short-lived. Giaûn-Ñònh beheaded two generals who had object to his over-enthusiastic zeal in desiring to launch another attack without waiting reinforcements. This act resulted in a considerable loss of support for Giaûn-Ñònh. Although the resistance was kept up for several more years, it was eventually washed away in blood and the country was again placed under direct Chinese rule.
Under the Ming domination, the people were subjected to the worst exploitation and suffering in their entire history. The Chinese attempted, at the same time, to denationalize the local population. The great literary and historical works were removed to China, and Chinese classics were substituted for instruction in schools. Vietnamese women were to wear the Chinese fashioned vest and pats, and men had to let hair grow long in the Chinese style. In fact, all the old customs, even the betel chewing were forbidden, and local religious rites were replaced by the Chinese ones. Forces labor was used to extract all kinds of riches from the earth and sea for shipment to China. In addition, the Chinese, as well as those local officials who cooperated with them, profitted by exorbitant taxes to be levied on everything ranging from salt to silkworm cocoons. The oppressed people, determined to end the harsh Chinese rule, found a leader in a man name Leâ-Lôïi.
Leâ-Lôïi came from a famous and wealthy family of farmers, and was known for his courage, honesty and generosity.
In 1418 he organized a resistant movement in his own village of Lam-Sôn, in Thanh-Hoùa province, proclaiming himself Bình-Ñònh-Vöông (King for National Pacification), he launched a guerilla war against the Chinese which was to last for ten years. Three times he was forced to withdraw to the mountains, which were his safe rear base. Once as he was hunted down by the Ming, he was saved only because one of his leutenants sacrificed his own life by making them believe he was Leâ-Lôïi. After killing the lieutenant, they withdrew, only to be attacked again by the true Leâ-Lôïi.
By following Traàn-Höng-Ñaïo’s guerilla tactics of attacking the weakest targets, and withdrawing before a stronger force, Leâ-Lôïi’s resistance forces gradually eroded the power of the Chinese invaders.
Leâ-Lôïi pioneered another precept of guerilla warfare as well: his forces maintained the strictest discipline, even when they were starving, and were absolutely forbidden to plunder the villages they occupied. Thus he was able to win the support of the population, while the Chinese found themselves in a hostile territory.
He was greatly helped towards this end by Nguyeãn-Traõi, a scholar and patriot, with his clever propaganda and stirring writings. The population was by this time in a state of general rebellion in support of his patriotic endeavors, thus Leâ-Lôïi had time to consolidate his forces, while the Chinese were busy with quelling these rebellions. As a result the subsequent campaigns against the Ming invaders were remarkably successful. Finally, lured into the trap, the Chinese general was embushed and beheaded, and the rest of his army was defeated in later battles of the same year 1427. According to the peace terms, the remaining Chinese troops were evacuated in 1428. But in order to save face, the Chinese exerted pressure to have some descedant of the Traàn dynasty put on the throne. During the negotiation with them, Leâ-Lôïi did deal in the re-establishment the Traàn dynasty by proposing the name of Traàn-Caûo. However, the latter was well aware that he would be a puppet not permitted to exercise the authority due to a king. Therefore he chose to flee away. Pursued, captured and brought back, he was poisoned to death.
Leâ-Lôïi then became the first king of the Leâ, whom posthumous till was Leâ-Thaùi-Toå. The Leâ dynasty thereby founded in 1428 and the name of the country was changed from An-Nam to Ñaïi-Vieät or the Great-Vieät. In the peace accord, it was agreed that the custom of playing a trienneal tribute to China would be retained, but in practice the Leâ ruled independently. Immediately Leâ-Thaùi-Toå devoted himself to the task of reconstructing the war devatated country.
The army was cut from 250,000 to 100,000 men, and a rotational system was established to allow four-fifths of the men at a time to return to the fields thus alleviating the serious problem of food shortages. The judicial system and penal code were reorganized. To develop a body of able administrators, the College of National sons was founded, with admitted students on the basis of merit, thus permitting gifted children from poor families to receive advanced training. Leâ-Thaùi-Toå died in 1433 at the age of 49, and was succeeded by his eleven year old son, Leâ-Thaùi-Toân. Thanks to his intelligence, Leâ-Thaùi-Toân governed with all-round ability despite his young age and hardship of several natural disasters which led to poor harvests.
