Lê Lợi

Vietnamese rebel leader who defeated Ming China using guerrilla warfare

Lê Lợi (1384–1433) masterminded Vietnam's Lam Sơn Uprising against Ming occupation (1418-1428). His innovative hit-and-run tactics in mountainous terrain exhausted China's superior forces, culminating in the Battle of Tốt Động–Chúc Động where Ming casualties reached 70,000.

Unlike previous rebels, Lê Lợi combined military strategy with psychological warfare - composing poems that became resistance anthems. His Proclamation of Victory established Vietnamese literary tradition while legitimizing Lê Dynasty rule.

The emperor's land reform policies redistributed Ming collaborators' estates to peasants, stabilizing the nation. His mandala system of decentralized governance became model for Southeast Asian kingdoms. Modern Vietnam's military still studies his guerrilla tactics used against US forces.