Lý Thường Kiệt

Lý Thường Kiệt (; 1019–1105) was a Vietnamese general and admiral during the Lý Dynasty in Vietnam. He penned what is considered the first Vietnamese declaration of independence and is regarded as a Vietnamese national hero.

Lý Thường Kiệt was born into a Ngô family in Thăng Long (now Hanoi), the capital of Đại Việt (ancient Vietnam). His real name was Ngô Tuấn. His father was a low-ranking military officer. In 1036, he served the Emperor as a cavalry captain and later the commander of the imperial guard. Because of his demonstrated bravery, intelligence and loyalty, he was granted a royal name, Lý Thường Kiệt, and given an important position in the Court.

In 1075, Chancellor Wang Anshi of China under the Song Dynasty told Emperor Shenzong that Đại Việt was being weakened by Champa and was an easy pick for a Chinese take-over. With less than ten thousand soldiers remaining, so argued Wang, Đại Việt would be in a vulnerable position, and it would be a great opportunity for China to annex its age-old enemy. In response, Shenzong mobilized troops and passed decrees which forbade all of China's provinces to trade with Đại Việt, in effect imposing an embargo on the country in the same way that the United States would do nine centuries later. Upon hearing this, the Lý ruler sent Lý Thường Kiệt and Nùng Tôn Đản with more than 100,000 troops to China to carry out a pre-emptive attack against the Song Dynasty. In the ensuing 40-day battle near modern-day Nanning, Đại Việt troops were victorious, capturing the generals of three Song armies.

In 1076, the Song formed an alliance with the other enemies of Dai Viet, Champa and the Khmer Empire and all three sent troops to invade Đại Việt. Đại Việt Emperor Lý Nhân Tông again sent General Lý Thường Kiệt to lead his forces. Being one of the many great military strategists of Vietnam, Lý Thường Kiệt placed spikes under the Như Nguyệt riverbed before tricking Song troops into the death trap, killing more than 1,000 Chinese soldiers and sailors and forcing the rest of Chinese forces to retreat.

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