MILITARY TALENT OF LORD NGUYEN HOANG

Abstract

In researching life and career of Nguyen Hoang, it is apparent to realize that he was a prominent politician as well as a military genius. In his over 60 years in the military, Nguyen Hoang won numerous battles without a single defeat. His victories were acknowledged by the Le Emperor and the Trinh lords of Kiem and Tac, and conferred to the title of Right hand General (18), Grand Duke Doan (Hữu tướng Đoan Quốc công). Right from the very first battles, his military ability was proven. That Talent was increasingly being challenged, trained, and made him the best general overtime. He mastered both naval and army warfare. His fought on diverse battle sites with enemies ranging from Vietnamese to Westerners. All of the victories earned him the fame of “invincible hero”. Nguyen Hoang was not merely a field general but also a military thinker. He knew how to maximize the advantages including natural landscapes and his troops’ spirit. He also used psychological techniques and exploited divisions among the enemies in order to skillfully escape from the Trinh’s control. Nguyen Hoang’s Southward territorial expansions proved himself a military man with strategic vision as well. Nguyen Hoang’s vision can be observed clearly in his consideration of his headquarters’ locations so that it could be well defended against rivals’ attacks. The headquarters’ Southward relocations reflect his gradual awareness of local strategic landscapes as well as the possibility of the Trinh’s invasion from the North, which he thought of very much ahead in time. Nguyen Hoang’s testament to his heir served as a guideline for the rule of the Nguyen in the South. The Nguyen lords put much effort on the early settlements, sustained with the Trinh in the North, and expanded Dai Viet frontier further Southward as far as Ca Mau.