Battle of Bạch Đằng (1288)

Timeline

1. 1287–1288Red River Delta, Đại Việt · VietnamKublai ordered the Prince of Zhennan, Toghan, to attack Đại Việt again by land and water. Trần Nhân Tông and Trần Hưng Đạo gave up fighting the Yuan on the plains, evacuated the population, carried out a scorched-earth policy, and lured the Yuan fleet deep into the waterways, creating the conditions for the ambush at Bạch Đằng.
2. 1288Bạch Đằng River channel · Quảng NinhTrần Hưng Đạo had sharpened stakes densely planted in the tidal channel of the Bạch Đằng River, submerged at low tide. This method was the same as that used by Ngô Quyền against the Southern Han fleet in 938 on the same river, but it was an independent Trần operation against Omar's Yuan fleet, not a continuation of the 938 battle.
3. 1288Bạch Đằng River · Red River DeltaTrần forces first used light boats to lure Omar's fleet upriver on the rising tide into the ambush stretch; as the tide ebbed, the ships ran aground on the stakes and could not maneuver, and Trần forces on shore and on the river attacked from all sides. The Yuan fleet was routed, Omar was captured, and the remnants scattered. This was the Battle of Bạch Đằng of 1288.
4. 1288Lạng Sơn to the border · VietnamWith the fleet destroyed, Toghan could not remain long by land and withdrew via the Lạng Sơn line. The Yuan never again launched a conquest war of comparable scale against Đại Việt. The Trần dynasty secured de facto independence in exchange for tributary submission, and Bạch Đằng became the iconic victory of Trần resistance to the Yuan.