Asia ,Vietnam history outline
This post to write out societal environment of ancient China and Vietnam , how Vietnam’s characters had changed to be like Chinese . Next posts , I outline the Indosphere then go to analyze interesting things of each nation : Japan , China , Vietnam , India and similar cultures , Cambodia ( I lived there 17 years ) , Indonesia with Malaysia . I can’t write about remaining countries in East Asia if I know them only through internet knowledge , don’t have true experiences or study from boyhood . Copying knowledge from internet wastes your time as you can do as same .
Chinese civilization began from birthplace in basins beside Yellow river . She expanded territory both South and North . North territories often added by the successful invaders who reigned China then been assimilated by the immortal Chinese culture . Jin , Mongol , Manchu ethnicities defeated China , ruled her then been Sinicized to become native Chineses . 🙂 . South territories had been conquered then annexed .
Only Vietnam’s territory was reigned by China nearly 1,000 years but then revolted to gain independent at year 938 AD .
The cradle of Vietnamese civilization based on valley of Red river ( Red river Delta ) , plains suitable to plant rice , still today as Vietnamese main diet . The foremost indigenous Vietnamese first crossbred with immigrants from south like Indonesian , Malaysian … and around . Later Chinese emigrated southward ( all are tribes sharing suffix Viet , the word later labeled this country ) , married Vietnamese indigenous to create current Vietnamese ethnicity . Legend says that indigenous Vietnamese has a distinct to prove being genuine : the big toes curve away from the remaining four , creating gap . If not , had been crossbred with Chinese ethnicity . It’s legendary , any Vietnamese has such distinct is one having toe arthritis 😄 .
The first Kings of Vietnam were mentioned in a book written 14,000 years later . I feel mythical . My opinion is each was like leader of a most powerful tribe that influenced the rest , or leader of a group of tribes sharing same interests . There’s a tale of Hung dynasty with 18 monarchs , naming country Van Lang before overthrown by the evidential first ever King : An Duong Vuong of Au Lac tribe . He stated country’s name as Au Lac .
There were many tribes sharing a suffix Viet ( Việt by Vietnamese language ) in South China , especially Yunnan , GuangXi , GuangDong provinces at that time . 3rd BCE , a Viet tribe named Au Viet ( Âu Việt ) emigrated to dwell in Vietnam . The before tribe of Hung King is Lac Viet ( Lạc Việt ) . An Duong Vuong belonged to Au Viet tribe , he wanted pleasing indigenous population so matched two identified words to be name of country .
- Through history , country spirit of Vietnam stays only around Red river Delta . One time at 207 BCE , Zhao Tuo , general of Chinese Qin dynasty , rebelled to have independent power . His territories consisted of current Chinese QuangDong , QuangXi approximately , creating a kingdom named NanYue = Nam Việt ( above map ) . Later he defeated An Duong Vuong to annexed Au Lac . Vietnamese opportunistic patriotism movements often exploit the event to claim Vietnam had once had sovereignty over Chinese territories . It’s like chauvinistic Cambodians currently claim South Vietnam belong to Cambodia , even time Vietnamese expanded southward exploring deserted lands , Khmer lived scarcely letting soils uncultivated . Khmer people concentrated only around Phnom Penh ( Angkor compound lost to Thai then being abandoned ) , Khmer Royal didn’t show sign of attention to lands eastward . Deliberately blinded patriotism had been used in Asia to assert power over others , retribute ethnic enmities , rob lands once letting wasted that others had to labor to freshen , or simply satisfy chauvinism .
111 BCE , Chinese Han defeated NanYue , segregating Vietnam as a regional entity . Beginning period Vietnam under Chinese sovereignty .
938 AD , after several half-won insurgencies , at last the Vietnamese had won a decisive naval battle , by Great General Ngo Quyen to thwart any Chinese later ideas of invading Vietnam to reimpose power . Ngo Quyen went to proclaim country sovereign , declared himself King .
There are ups and downs authority strength in independent period with a small time China ruled over Vietnam ( 1407–1427 ) .
16th century onward started as age of World exploration and colonization by some European prominent powers . Vietnam was eyed by French who at first wanted to have trade cooperation . Vietnamese royal court , likening Sinospheric culture , reacted radically to strange encroachments of tradition-opposed ideas , new religious faith and new style of economy ; refusing to relation with countries other than known neighbors . Diplomatical uncooperation from counterpart , French resorted to violence to subdue the Royal court , commencing 1858 at Da Nang port , the chief route for foreign naval relations . Step by step through strikes with frequent uphand gains , 1883 France caused Vietnamese royal government to sign a treaty recognizing French protectorate ( a new kind of ruling in colonial period . Because of being far away , the ruling power can’t annex . Instead , it ruled through local governments by its deputies . The colonial power was responsible for liquidating insurgencies to protect local governments with personnel , doing businesses or setting taxes to enrich itself . The local governments enjoyed rewards from its boss through governing on behalf , often helping suck its own citizens ) .
At 1945 , exhausted France by WW II created an opportunity for Vietnamese communist faction to be more powerful , ousting French rule to bring back Vietnam independence . As my definition , any nations is called unsovereign when state of governance is of foreign power or controlled , helping suck citizens for foreign benefit . An independent nation is : has a full-authority government which doesn’t accept under influence of any foreign powers , administrating for its nation’s benefit . Conflicts inside are called civil war or war to defy foreign interferences . French rule over Vietnam endures 87 years ( 1858–1945 ) . Fights with French before or after are defianceship .
Memories of WW II slowly drifted into the past , fleeing French army in face of German counterpart came back by helps of Allies to restore French sovereignty . And French is French , a caitiff has tendency of kowtowing before Men of Power concurrently trampling on the Weak , France planned to grab back old colonies , Vietnam was among . To quell menace of being reined again by foreign powers , the communist faction , with helps first by Chinese comrades had called on entire population to stand up against another imminent French rule . A lot of intellectuals , members in the elite class supported .
The first international supporter was Chinese communist helping altruistically by communism motto : international proletarians unite ! About 1950 , Stalin anticipated East-West ideological conflict be irreconcilable , he recognized Vietnam communist to get more allies . Since on , Soviet Union is a richest entity in communist bloc so sponsor gets biggest proportion . But China is unique by altruistic , instantaneous sponsor response ( till 1968 ) , a crucial element in any wars to fill the gap of unbalance .
At 1954 the French had a fatally wrong strategy , even I don’t understand logic and incentives ( World’s thorough explanations are just superficial . Too difficult to understand every aspects then deduce ) . France created a military stronghold in center of Dien Bien Phu valley where enemies can place artilleries on mountains around to barrage shells wherever they want . Moreover , a valley , France had a unique route to supply : airborne . What happens if enemies have advantageous positions with challengeable anti-aircraft systems ?
The Chinese advisory group , leader is Wei Guoqing , had contributed so much intellect for Vietnam communist elementary army .
The 1954 Dien Bien Phu triumph is forever significant on World liberation movement , exciting other third world countries to stand up against colonists for self-governance to independence . All European colonist powers felt the kick in ass , slowly recognizing right of sovereignty among all nations .
The period since after 1954 till 1975 is hard to clarify here ( butthurt sensitivity ) . In my opinion , it is a civil war : North side fights solely for proving the ideology they inspired is advance , worth to dedicate for - South side fights without ethereal ambitions ; corrupt is prevalent because citizens are all small-minded , personal gain is main theme in social affairs through time , USA sponsors both material and militarily but many idiotically see as invaders , intellectual class is destructive as ever in Asian history ( They are professional in fawning the authority , parroting voices of the Strong , loving simulations and hating criticism ) .
April 30 , 1975 , country unification is celebrated . The lost side runs to reside in USA . The destructive intellectual class shut mouth in front of reality which absolutely out of their fancy , some sneak to Western civilization then promote trivial lessons as living ideals , some cooperate with new government to exploit for personal gain , some beg mercy , all can’t define what by nature an intellectual is .
This post will annoy readers . A truth is never accepted by majority . And almost all of humans justify a show-out by encased sentiments , shaped ideas , especially Sinospheric people .
Thanks for reading . If you feel annoyed , your fault , not mine . Truth never seek self transformation to please anyone . I can’t help you but continue to write .