Thanks to the right military tactics, the ancient Vietnamese defeated the massive invaders of the Qin Dynasty, laying the foundation for military art thousands of years later.
The resistance war against the Qin invaders at the end of the third century BC was the first large-scale territorial defense war of the Vietnamese. Despite facing the most powerful invading army in the world at that time, thanks to unique and suitable military tactics, our ancestors completely defeated the large army of the Qin Dynasty led by General Do Thu. command.
After unifying China in 221 BC to ascend to the throne, Qin Shi Huang on the one hand consolidated the feudal government inside, on the other hand continuously launched wars of aggression to expand the territory outside. .
According to the book Hoai Nam Tu of the Han Dynasty, in order to invade the land of the ancient Vietnamese and merge it into China, Qin Shi Huang sent General Do Thu to bring his army, divided into 5 groups, and dragged down to the South to invade our country. This number, according to Chinese and Vietnamese history books, is 500,000 men.
At that time, after centuries of continuous civil war in the country, military thinking in China was very developed. Blacksmiths of the Qin Dynasty can create high-level iron swords and items. Their potential can mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops for a military campaign.
Portrait of Qin Shi Huang – the first emperor of China.
Many types of war weapons are constantly being invented and upgraded, typically such as rattan ladders used to destroy citadel, bows and crossbows, and weapons continue to be improved, promoting higher efficiency. Military doctrines were formed, many infantry methods of To Vu, Ngo Khoi and Ngo Tu were born. According to many historians, the military art of the Han people reached the highest level in the world at that time.
Meanwhile, the Vietnamese are still in the tribal period, the level of development is still very limited, the main utensils are still made of copper. Experiencing some wars, but mostly on a small scale. The military potential and the ability to organize the battle cannot simultaneously mobilize hundreds of thousands of people.
Historical documents of this period show that the correlation of forces between the Vietnamese and the invading army of Qin Shi Huang was very large, but the Vietnamese still won the victory thanks to the right military tactics with the war. “guerrilla”, “take few enemies more” long-term resistance.
According to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, before the initial strength of the Qin army, “Vietnamese people all went to the forest to live with animals, no one would let the Qin army capture”. It is not an escape from fear or failure, it is a way of fighting the enemy.
The Vietnamese withdrew into the forest to avoid the initial strength of the Qin army, did not want to fight big, did not organize a decisive battle when it was not profitable. According to the book of Hoai Nam Tu, after entering the forest, “together they put the talented man up as a general so that during the day he can hide and fight the Qin army at night”.
Clearly, this is a resilient, intelligent, and organized fight. The Vietnamese knew how to rely on the social structure of their existing tribes and tribes, knew how to take advantage of the mountainous terrain to persevere for a long resistance war, fight small and fight at night to consume troops. the enemy, eliminating the source of the enemy’s food plunder.
According to the History of Sima Thien, the wise and persistent resistance of the Vietnamese made the Qin army “food shortage and shortage, stationed in useless land, unable to advance, unable to withdraw”. The enemy troops were increasingly cornered in a state of tension and danger to the point of despair.
Chinese historians must admit that for three consecutive years, the Qin army could not rest. People had to hang themselves on trees along the way. Dead people overlap.”
Realizing that the enemy army was exhausted in both spirit and strength, the Vietnamese gathered their forces, under the command of talented leaders, typically Thuc Phan , our army organized a massive attack to destroy the enemy’s vitality. , smashed the invasion of the Qin army, killed General Do Thu, causing the Qin army to lose its head like a snake, gradually disintegrating.
According to the book Huai Nam Tu, the losses of the Qin army were enormous. After Qin Shi Huang’s death, the Qin Dynasty, under the reign of Qin Nhi The, was forced to withdraw in 208 BC. The Vietnamese resistance against Qin won a brilliant victory.