The Ming dynasty's objective was to annex Đại Việt, and while they initially had some success, the Viets ultimately defended their independence.
Due to military failures and the heavy cost of war, the Ming army eventually withdrew from Đại Việt in 1428.
Đại Việt (present-day northern Vietnam) had been politically independent of China since the 10th century, but was strongly influenced by Chinese culture.
The latter incurred the displeasure of the Ming government when he crossed the border in the north and occupied the Siming district of Guangxi.
[1] In October 1404, Trần Thiêm Bình, the prince of the overthrown dynasty, arrived in Nanjing and accused Hồ Quý Ly of betraying the rightful ruler.
When news of the massacre reached Nanjing, the Yongle Emperor, who was already hostile towards the Viets due to their incursions into Champa, Guangxi, and Yunnan, decided to punish them.
Zhang Fu gathered the remaining supporters of the Trầns and organized their petition for Đại Ngu to join the Ming dynasty.
[4] The Yongle Emperor, pleased with the easy victory, officially incorporated Đại Ngu into the Ming dynasty as Jiaozhi Province on 5 July 1407, and began establishing an administration.
[5] On the defenders' side, there was a strong aversion to the new dynasty, low morale, and poor leadership by Hồ Quý Ly.
[5] On the other hand, the attackers had capable generals, particularly Zhang Fu, and well-equipped Ming armies with superior firearms and artillery.
However, the rebels were able to use their knowledge of the environment and gain support from the local inhabitants, successfully defending themselves against Mu Sheng's army.
The Ming court offered him the rank of provincial governor, but Trần Quý Khoáng refused and the war continued.
In early 1411, Zhang Fu returned with reinforcements and defeated the rebels twice, ultimately capturing their capital, Nghệ An (which the Chinese had already lost in 1408).
The eunuch Ma Ji was sent to Jiaozhi,[c] where his demands for excessive benefits and levies caused discontent among the local population.
The leader of the rebellion was Lê Lợi, who had previously fought under Trần Quý Khoáng and now declared himself king.
[14] In 1424, the Hongxi Emperor dismissed Huang Fu, the governor of the province, and replaced him with Chen Zhi, Earl of Yongchang.
[15] Chen Zhi was unsuccessful in his role, facing challenges with supplies and a lack of knowledge about local conditions.
This victory marked a turning point in the war–a shift from guerrilla tactics to a regular army capable of openly confronting the enemy.
The ministers were still divided in their opinions on the conflict, but the emperor accepted Lê Lợi's proposal to restore the Trần dynasty[17] and in the first months of 1428, both the military and civilian personnel of the Ming court left Jiaozhi.
[21] The Chinese occupation of Đại Việt had a significant impact on the restored Viet state, particularly in the military field.
The use of advanced firearms allowed Đại Việt to ultimately win the centuries-long war against Champa in the 16th century.
Additionally, the twenty years of annexation to the Ming dynasty greatly influenced Đại Việt culture and administrative practices.