Choose Your Battles

   When I learned today that a Vietnamese army had defeated a Mongol army on this day in 1288, I said to myself, who cares. Sure it was a big deal to those who took part, but that was over seven centuries ago. I can barely keep track of the history of my own life. I had read earlier that if the Mongols ever did lose a battle, they soon returned with a bigger army and a better general. But in the case of Vietnam, that strategy didn't work.

   At its height, the Mongol empire was larger by far than the Roman Empire. Only the British Empire controlled a greater landmass. The Mongol Empire stretched from the Mediterranean to the Sea of Japan. It covered most of present day Russia and swung across Iran and northern India to China. The Mongols were masters of uncreative destruction. What they mainly wanted was money. 

   Before attacking a city, the Mongols gave its rulers a chance to surrender. If the city surrendered, it would become the center of a vassal state and would pay tribute to the Mongol emperor. They would be left to manage their internal affairs and they wouldn't be killed. This was humiliating and many cities said no. If they refused the offer, the city was burned and the inhabitants were slaughtered. A contingent of refugees was sent on to the next city to provide a graphic example.

   By the time it was Viet Nam's turn, the original Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan had split into four smaller empires ruled by Genghis's grandsons. It was the Mongol Empire in China under Kublai Khan that invaded Vietnam.  The Mongols had initial successes, but the Vietnamese withdrew into the mountains and fought a guerilla war for the next two years.

   When the Mongols sent a larger army, this too was drawn into the mountains where the usually murderous Mongol cavalry was ineffective. The Vietnamese soldiers targeted the Mongol generals with poisoned arrows. The Mongols had to retreat to the sea, hiding their commanding general in a copper box.

   Kublai Khan was now so bogged down in Vietnam, he had to cancel his invasion of Japan. He sent a third and final army of 170,00 men south. But the Vietnamese destroyed the Mongol supply fleet then annihilated the Mongol army as it retreated back to China. Several years later Kublai Khan planned a fourth invasion, but he died before he could send it out. His successor decided enough was enough.

   It's too bad American strategists did not study the plight of the Mongols before mixing us up in fruitless invasions of Vietnam. History clearly states which countries are best left alone. We also neglected to study the history of Afghanistan and are about to join the British and the Russians in the Afghan Hall of Shame.

A nice place for a hike? Or the graveyard of empire?