Battle of Bach Dang (1288)

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Silk painting by Năng Hiển.

Date	1288
Location	Bach Dang, Dai Viet
Result	Dai Viet Victory

Combatants

Dai Viet

Yuan Mongol Army
Yuan Mongol Navy

Commanders

Tran Hung Dao
Tran Khanh Du

General Omar

Strength

200 000

500 000

Casualties

Unknown

The Mongol Invasions
Central Asia – Georgia and Armenia – Kalka River – Volga Bulgaria – Ryazan – Rus' – Sit River – Köse Dag – Legnica – Mohi – Baghdad – Ain Jalut – Korea – Japan (Bun'ei – Kōan) – Vietnam – Xiangyang – Ngasaunggyan – Yamen – Pagan – Bach Dang – Syria – Kulikovo – Vorskla – Ugra River

The Battle of Bach Dang took place near Halong Bay in present-day Vietnam, it was part of the Third Yuan Mongol Invasion (1287-88).

1 The plan
2 The battle
3 Legacy
4 See also
5 References

[edit] The plan

In 1288 after the evacuation from the capital Thang Long or present-day Hanoi, 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 organise the battle.

The Bach Dang river ran through Yen Hung district (Quang Ninh) and Thuy Nguyen (Haiphong) before reaching the sea. This is where the well-known battle of Ngo Quyen against the Nanhan 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.

[edit] The battle

As was foreseen, the Mongolians in Thang Long suffered acute shortage of food. Without any news about the supply fleet Toghan found himself in a tight corner and had to order his army to retreat to Van Kiep. It was when Dai Viet's Army began the general offensive by recapturing of a number of locations occupied by the Mongol invaders. Groups of partisans were given order to harass the enemy in Van Kiep, putting them at a loss. Toghan had to split his army into two and retreated home.

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 sunken. 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.

[edit] Legacy

The Battle of Bach Dang went down as one of the greatest victories in Vietnamese military history and is a well-known event in Vietnam.

In 1959 during excavation works in Yen Giang commune, Vietnamese archaeologists found the sharpened stakes that were used during the campaign in 1288.