Vietnam: About the Monsoon seasons and the Monsoon Wars.
posted by Paul Rowe, 01/05/21, HCMC, Vietnam.
230ish YEARS AGO, at this time of the year,
the Tay Son army had good reason to grow nervous.
During late April/early May the monsoon winds changed direction (blowing northwards),
and for the next few months the Tay Sons could expect a naval attack from the south!
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the Tay Son army had good reason to grow nervous.
During late April/early May the monsoon winds changed direction (blowing northwards),
and for the next few months the Tay Sons could expect a naval attack from the south!
**
The MONSOON WARS
From 1788ish to 1802, the Nguyens based in Gia Dinh (one day to be Saigon/ HCMC),
and the Tay Sons based in Qui Nhon (between Nha Trang and Da Nang),
battled each other across the lower half of what is now Vietnam.
and the Tay Sons based in Qui Nhon (between Nha Trang and Da Nang),
battled each other across the lower half of what is now Vietnam.
ON ONE HAND, the Tay Son army were correct to have felt nervous. Across decades of the devastating war, the Monsoon Wars (Dutton, G. 2006), their enemy, the Nguyens, had amassed a massive fleet of high quality war galleys. These ships were expertly crafted at Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh’s royal shipyard and cannon foundry. (Until recently that area was known as Ba Son.)
This excellent ship building facility; “indeed it may vie with many of the naval establishments in Europe” (Lt. John White 1824), was on the banks of what is now the Saigon River.
This excellent ship building facility; “indeed it may vie with many of the naval establishments in Europe” (Lt. John White 1824), was on the banks of what is now the Saigon River.
ON THE OTHER HAND, when the monsoon winds changed direction, around October, it was the Nguyens turn to be fearful. The Tay Sons employed thousands of loyal, professional Chinese pirates to operate their navy!
The Nguyens could expect to be raided sometime/s across the next seven months of the monsoon season.
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The Nguyens could expect to be raided sometime/s across the next seven months of the monsoon season.
**
TODAY HCMC:
To me the monsoons have little to do with the weather. They are a reminder of a more dangerous time in history.
When the winds change direction, it is easy to imagine 500 galley ships rounding The Point at Vung Tau Island and heading north. Or, maybe a thousand ships with muffled oars sneaking under-cover of darkness, up the jungle-lined river towards Gia Dinh.
History is so much more exciting than today’s monsoon report, “Today, Vietnam’s coastline experienced north westerly winds at 10 knots and recorded 8mm of rain.”
But, as we are talking meteorologically, let’s clear up some misconceptions about the monsoons.
When the winds change direction, it is easy to imagine 500 galley ships rounding The Point at Vung Tau Island and heading north. Or, maybe a thousand ships with muffled oars sneaking under-cover of darkness, up the jungle-lined river towards Gia Dinh.
History is so much more exciting than today’s monsoon report, “Today, Vietnam’s coastline experienced north westerly winds at 10 knots and recorded 8mm of rain.”
But, as we are talking meteorologically, let’s clear up some misconceptions about the monsoons.
The MONSOONS
Monsoon seasons refers to the WIND.
Wet and dry seasons refer to the RAIN.
They are different phenomenon.
In the southern region of Vietnam;
there are two wind related seasons – north east and south west winds (the monsoons),
Wet and dry seasons refer to the RAIN.
They are different phenomenon.
In the southern region of Vietnam;
there are two wind related seasons – north east and south west winds (the monsoons),
and
there are two rain related seasons;
there are two rain related seasons;
and
The monsoon winds which blow to the north east (May - October) carry moisture (the wet monsoon) this results in the eventual arrival of the wet season.
However, the monsoons which blow to the south west (November - April) carry NO moisture, and signal the arrival of the dry season.
When the north east (wet) monsoons start to blow, they may be dry, or intermittently dry winds for weeks before they achieve the wet monsoon regularity they are well known for.
(In other words, just because the wind direction is correct for the monsoons,
it does not necessarily mean it is the wet season.)
To check which way the wind is blowing today, click on the schematic below. (Which monsoon season is it? Is it also the wet season?)
However, the monsoons which blow to the south west (November - April) carry NO moisture, and signal the arrival of the dry season.
When the north east (wet) monsoons start to blow, they may be dry, or intermittently dry winds for weeks before they achieve the wet monsoon regularity they are well known for.
(In other words, just because the wind direction is correct for the monsoons,
it does not necessarily mean it is the wet season.)
To check which way the wind is blowing today, click on the schematic below. (Which monsoon season is it? Is it also the wet season?)
We tend to talk about the monsoons (and the resulting wet or dry seasons) as if they are physically connected to a calendar. They are not.
Monsoons happen when certain parts of the planet heat up to an approximate temperature. Monsoons happen when they happen. Scientists have attempted to capture the timing of these phenomena on calendars. Calendars were composed to attempt to track this weather, not the other way around. The calendar dates are an approximation.
**
Monsoons happen when certain parts of the planet heat up to an approximate temperature. Monsoons happen when they happen. Scientists have attempted to capture the timing of these phenomena on calendars. Calendars were composed to attempt to track this weather, not the other way around. The calendar dates are an approximation.
**
Back to HISTORY (it’s far more exciting!):
Just because the winds change direction, it did NOT mean that fleets could immediately sail in that direction.
Monsoons are dangerous.
Sailors had to read the weather and sail at the appropriate/safe time.
Monsoons are dangerous.
Sailors had to read the weather and sail at the appropriate/safe time.
Monsoons make sailing in a certain direction possible, BUT they come with danger.
The coastline of Vietnam is littered with hundreds of shipwrecks.
The coastline of Vietnam is littered with hundreds of shipwrecks.
“Almost every year Vietnam is devastated by storms, floods and typhoons that kill hundreds people and cause millions of dollars of damage … Vietnam's long 3,200-kilometers coastline is battered every year by up to 10 storms, killing hundreds, even thousands of people” (http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Vietnam/).
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Due to the inherent danger of the monsoons, Dr. Vu in her work The Making of Saigon suggests that sailable days during each monsoon were greatly reduced for each raiding navy.
The Dr. suggests that instead of the Tay Sons having seven sailing months, they may have had only four months, to sail southwards.
And, she proposes that the Nguyens may not have had five sailing months, but more likely only had one month, July, to sail northwards.
The Dr. suggests that instead of the Tay Sons having seven sailing months, they may have had only four months, to sail southwards.
And, she proposes that the Nguyens may not have had five sailing months, but more likely only had one month, July, to sail northwards.
The monsoon seasons gave the Tay Sons a huge advantage over the Nguyens.
The south bound winds blew longer. They were DRY winds, which meant more ideal sailing weather.
The monsoons put the Nguyens at a distinct disadvantage to their fearsome rivals.
The north bound winds blew for less months, and they were WET winds, which made for more dangerous sailing.
The south bound winds blew longer. They were DRY winds, which meant more ideal sailing weather.
The monsoons put the Nguyens at a distinct disadvantage to their fearsome rivals.
The north bound winds blew for less months, and they were WET winds, which made for more dangerous sailing.
**
During the 30 year Monsoon Wars, VICTORY was only temporary. It is estimated that Gia Dinh changed hands five times across the Monsoon Wars.
To the leaders, a LOSS was not catastrophic, because the victors needed to return to their capital with the changing monsoon (leaving only a skeleton crew).
In reality though, the Monsoon Wars produced a massive loss of life, and complete regional devastation, for very little gain.
**
During the 30 year Monsoon Wars, VICTORY was only temporary. It is estimated that Gia Dinh changed hands five times across the Monsoon Wars.
To the leaders, a LOSS was not catastrophic, because the victors needed to return to their capital with the changing monsoon (leaving only a skeleton crew).
In reality though, the Monsoon Wars produced a massive loss of life, and complete regional devastation, for very little gain.
**