What you see, what you hear, but the surface. The truth may be revealed in one hundred years or never.
Modern period
Sino-Vietnamese War: the Chinese entered northern Vietnam and captured some of the bordering cities. On March 6, 1979, China declared that the gate to Hanoi was open and that their punitive mission had been achieved. Chinese forces retreated back across the Vietnamese border, into China. Both China and Vietnam claimed victory
Sino-Soviet border conflict: on March 2, 1969, a group of Chinese troops ambushed Soviet border guards on Zhenbao Island.
Sino-Indian War: unable to reach political accommodation on disputed territory along the 3,225-kilometer-long Himalayan border, the Chinese launched simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line on 20 October 1962, coinciding with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Chinese troops advanced over Indian forces in both theatres, capturing Rezang la in Chushul in the western theatre, as well as Tawang in the eastern theatre. The war ended when the Chinese declared a ceasefire on 20 November 1962, and simultaneously announced its withdrawal from the disputed area.
Korean War: after secretly crossing the Yalu River on 19 October, the PVA 13th Army Group launched the First Phase Offensive on 25 October, attacking the advancing U.N. forces near the Sino-Korean border. Though the Chinese clame that the UN forces crossed the border into China, this is denied by the US.
Qing Dynasty
Sino-Burmese War (1765–1769): China under the Qianlong Emperor launched four invasions of Burma between 1765 and 1769, which were considered as one of Qianlong's Ten Great Campaigns. The war ended with Burmese independence.
Ming Dynasty
Ming–Kotte War: leading 2000 marines, Chinese Adm. Zheng He took the capital of Kotte and captured Minister Alakeshwara. The king, along with the queen and others of the aristocracy, were taken captive and sent to China. They were returned in 1414 with a Chinese puppet nominee to the throne, but it wasn't long before he was eliminated.
Ming–Hồ War: a military campaign by the Chinese Ming empire to invade and conquer Vietnam, then known as Đại Ngu and ruled by the Hồ Dynasty. A few years earlier, Hồ Quý Ly had violently taken the Trần throne, which ultimately led to the intercession of the Ming court to reestablish the Trần Dynasty. However, Hồ's forces attacked a Ming convoy escorting a Trần pretender, who was killed during the attack. After this hostile event, the Yongle Emperor appointed Marquis Zhang Fu and Marquis Mu Sheng to prepare and lead the Ming armies for the invasion of Đại Ngu. The war lasted from 1406 to 1407, resulting in the Ming conquest of Đại Ngu and the capture of the members of the Hồ Dynasty.
Fourth Chinese domination of Vietnam: a period of the history of Vietnam, from 1407 to 1427 during which the country was ruled by Ming dynasty administrators. It was the result of the conquest of the region by invading Ming armies in 1406 to 1407.
Ming–Turpan conflict: the Ming Dynasty annexed Hami in 1404 and turned it into Hami Prefecture.[1] In 1406 it defeated the ruler of Turpan.
Tang Dynasty
Silla–Tang War: after the fall of Goguryeo in 668 AD, the Tang Emperor created the office of Protectorate General to Pacify the East and attempted to place the entire Korean Peninsula, including its erstwhile independent ally Silla, under its rule. The Silla-Tang alliance subsequently fell apart as the Tang tried to establish dominion over the Korean Peninsula through this new office and its former ally Silla resisted these efforts.
Goguryeo–Tang War: the Goguryeo–Tang War occurred from 645 to 668 and was initially fought between the Goguryeo kingdom and the Tang empire. During the course of the war the two sides allied with various other states. Exhausted from numerous attacks, Goguryeo and Baekje succumbed to a two front attack by Tang and Silla.
Emperor Taizong's campaign against Xueyantuo: the major Tang general Li Shiji temporarily came to protect Eastern Tujue against Xueyantuo and defeated the Xueyantuo forces in 641.
Emperor Taizong's campaign against Xiyu states: in the year 640, Emperor Taizong sent the military commander Hou Junji to defeat and annex Gaochang—the first attempt by any Chinese dynasty to set up permanent military and political presence in the region since Fú Jiān in the 4th Century.
Emperor Taizong's campaign against Tuyuhun: Emperor Taizong of Tang (r. 626-649), the second emperor of Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, throughout most of his reign, faced challenges from Tang's western neighbor, the state of Tuyuhun, whose Busabuo Khan Murong Fuyun constantly challenged Chinese authority in the border regions. In 634, Emperor Taizong launched a major attack, commanded by the major general Li Jing, against Tuyuhun, dealing Tuyuhun forces heavy defeats and causing Murong Fuyun's subordinates to assassinate him in 635. Tuyuhun, thus weakened, no longer remained a major power in the region, and while Tang, ironically, played the role of protector for Murong Fuyun's son, the Gandou Khan Murong Shun, and grandson, the Ledou Khan Murong Nuohebo, Tuyuhun was never able to recover, particularly with its southwestern neighbor Tufan constantly attacking it. By 672, during the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Tang was forced to move Tuyuhun remnants into its own territory, ending Tuyuhun.
Emperor Taizong's campaign against Eastern Tujue: early in Emperor Taizong's reign, he placated the Eastern Turkic Khaganate's Jiali Khan Ashina Duobi, but, preparing for several years for a major offensive against the Eastern Turkic (including forming an alliance with the Eastern Turkic Khaganate's restless vassal Xueyantuo, which was ready to throw off the Eastern Turkic yoke), he launched it in winter 629, with the major general Li Jing in command, and in 630, after Li Jing captured Ashina Duobi, the Eastern Turkic Khaganate was destroyed.
Sui Dynasty
Goguryeo–Sui War: the Goguryeo–Sui War were a series of campaigns launched by the Sui Dynasty of China against the Goguryeo of Korea between 598 and 614. It resulted in the defeat of Sui and contributed to the eventual downfall of the dynasty in 618.
Third Chinese domination of Vietnam: the third Chinese domination refers to the time in Vietnam from the end of the Anterior Lý Dynasty in 602 to the rise of the Khúc family by Khúc Thừa Dụ in 905 or until 938, following the expulsion of the Southern Han invaders by Ngô Quyền. This period saw two Chinese imperial dynasties rule over an area of northern Vietnam roughly corresponding to the modern Hanoi region. From 602-618, this area was under the late Sui dynasty, under three districts in the Red River Delta. From 618-905, the Tang dynasty became the new Chinese rulers of Vietnam.
Han Dynasty
Han–Nanyue War: a military conflict between the Han empire and Nanyue kingdom. During the reign ofEmperor Wu, the Han forces launched a punitive campaign towards Nanyue and conquered it in 111 BC.
War of the Heavenly Horses: in 102 BC the Emperor Wu of Han received reports of the tall and powerful horses ("heavenly horses") in the possession of the Dayuan, which were of capital importance to fight the nomad Xiongnu. The refusal of the Dayuan to offer them enough horses along with a series of conflicts and mutual disrespect resulted in the death of the Chinese ambassador and the confiscation of the gold sent as payment for the horses. In response, the Emperor sent out Li Guangli, the brother of his favorite concubine, he was given 6,000 horsemen and 20,000 infantry soldiers. Li's army had to cross the Taklamakan Desert and his supplies soon ran out. After a gruesome march of over 1,000 miles he finally arrived to the country of Dayuan, but what remained of his army was exhausted and starving. After a severe defeat, Li concluded that he was not strong enough to take the enemy capital and returned to Dunhuang. Emperor Wudi responded by giving Li Guangli a much larger army along with a huge number of oxen, donkeys and camels to carry supplies. He lost half his army during the march, but after a 40 day siege the Chinese had broken through the outer wall and cut off the water supply. The nobles of Ershi killed their king and sent his head to Li Guangli, offering the Chinese all the horses they wanted. Li accepted the offer, appointed one of the nobles to be the new king and withdrew with a tribute of 3,000 horses in 100 BC.
Second Chinese domination of Vietnam: a period when Vietnam fell into Chinese control for a second time, between 43 AD and 544 AD. The late Han Dynasty of China strengthened its control over the region in 43 and Chinese governors ruled the area . Even with the fall of the Eastern Han Dynasty in 220, Chinese control remained unchanged with the establishment of the Three Kingdoms. A female rebel named Triệu Thị Trinh briefly pushed the Chinese rulers out in 248, but was soon overthrown. Then Vietnam was under the Jin Dynasty and the first half of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The domination ended by 544, when Lý Nam Đế came to power.
Gojoseon–Han War: The Gojoseon–Han War was a campaign launched by the Han empire against Wiman Joseon of the Gojoseon kingdom between 109 and 108 BC. It resulted in the fall of Gojoseon.
First Chinese domination of Vietnam: In 111 B.C. Chinese armies reconquered Vietnam and incorporated it into the expanding Han Empire. The Viet resisted the Chinese government's efforts to introduce Chinese literature, arts and agricultural techniques. They not only guarded their national identity but also fought fiercely to preserve it. This finally ended in 39 AD when the most famous of several early Vietnamese revolts was led by the Trung Sisters, both widows of local aristocrats. Their revolt was successful and the older sister, Trung Trac, became ruler of an independent state for three years.
Qin Dynasty
Qin's campaign against the Yue tribes: in 214 BC, the Qin Dynasty undertook a military campaign against the southern tribes to conquer the territories of what is now southern China and northern Vietnam. In 214 BC Qin Shihuangdi secured his boundaries to the north with a fraction (300,000 men) of his large army, and sent the majority (500,000 men) south to seize still more land. At that time southern China is known for its fertile land, elephant tusks and jade production. Prior to the events leading to Qin dominance over China, they had gained possession of much of Sichuan to the southwest. The Qin army was unfamiliar with the jungle terrain, and was defeated by the southern tribes' guerrilla warfare tactics with over 100,000 men lost. However in the defeat Qin was successful in building a canal to the south, which they used heavily for supplying and reinforcing their troops during their second attack to the south. Building on these gains, the Qin armies conquered the coastal lands surrounding Guangzhou, and took the provinces of Fuzhou and Guilin. They struck as far south as Hanoi. After these victories in the south Qin Shi Huang moved over 100,000 prisoners and exiles to the newly conquered area to colonize them.
