Why didn't Vietnam move its capital to Hue?
The capital, the symbol and center of gravity of the country, has a crucial impact on the rise and fall of the country. In 1945, Vietnam was faced with a major choice between its two ancient capitals, Hue and Hanoi, as its new capital.
After careful consideration, the new ** finally chose Hanoi as the new capital. "
Vietnam is a long and narrow country, and Hue is located in the middle, with its superior location and convenient transportation, it seems to be the ideal choice for the national capital. However, why did Vietnam choose Hanoi in the north as its capital?
According to the traditional division method, Vietnam can be divided into Northern, Central, and Southern Quarters. When the French colonized Vietnam, they also followed this dividing custom, calling North Qi as Tokyo, Central Qi as Annam, and South Qi as Cochinchina.
During the French period, Vietnam was divided into three regions: Tonkin, Annam, and Cochinchina. The central cities of these three regions are Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.
Located in the Red River Plain, Hanoi was formerly known as Thang Long, covering an area of 3,300 square kilometers and a population of more than 7.5 million. Hue is located in Thua Thien Hue province and is the capital of the province, with an area of only 150 square kilometers and a population of about 300,000.
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, covers an area of about 2,000 square kilometers and has a population of nearly 12 million. In terms of population and area, Hue is the smallest of the three cities.
Therefore, in the battle for the capital, Hue should be eliminated first. However, Ho Chi Minh City was actually the first to be eliminated. This is because all three cities have a strong regional color, and whichever region is more representative of Vietnam, then the central city of that region is more likely to be the capital.
However, the south is undoubtedly the least "Vietnamese" place in Vietnam. Because Vietnam is a country with the Kinh ethnic group as the main body, the Kinh ethnic group accounts for more than 80% of the total population. However, the south is the ancestral land of the Khmer people, and the Kinh do not have a predominance in the local ethnic composition.
Therefore, it is better to leave this place to the local government, so the capital can really only choose between Hue and Hanoi.
South Vietnam has three major advantages that Hue cannot match. First of all, the demographic advantage cannot be ignored. For an agrarian country, a large population means a good economy, a large number of mobilized troops, and a strong strength.
Although Hue has the status of a commercial center, it has a small population of only 300,000. This problem is not limited to Hue, but the population of the entire central region, and even if the whole province of Thua Thien Hue is included in Hue, the population of Hue is only about 1.1 million.
The demographic problems of the central region are closely related to its geographical conditions. The Red River Plain in the north and the Mekong Plain in the south can accommodate a large number of people, but the central part is mostly high and hilly, and the plains are small in size, which is not suitable for agriculture and lack of flat land for industrial development, so it is difficult to feed a larger population by commerce alone.
It turned out that in 1900, the population of central Vietnam was less than 70% of that of the north, and when choosing the capital, the Vietnamese top brass also attached great importance to the maritime security of the capital, because Vietnam was one of the first Asian countries to become a colony, and had a clear understanding of its own disadvantages at sea.
Therefore, Vietnam chose as its capital a place that would both protect the population and guarantee security at sea, and that was Hanoi.
The location of Vietnam's capital should not only be able to control the country's economic lifeline, but also be easy to defend and difficult to attack. Hue, though close to the harbor, is too dangerous; Hanoi is located in the Red River Plain, surrounded by mountains on three sides and by the sea on one side, and has a superior strategic location.
Moreover, the Red River Plain is the only economic core of Vietnam, accounting for most of the country's grain and industrial output, and the capital of Hanoi can ensure that the capital of Hanoi can control enough economic power to avoid the risk of civil war.
The Red River Plain, where Hanoi is located, has a vast area, abundant products, and prosperous industry and agriculture. However, why did Vietnam have its capital in Hue during the Nguyen Dynasty? Behind this are political considerations.
The Nguyen Dynasty originated in the south and relied on southern warlords to unify the country, but the stability of the Nguyen Dynasty was inseparable from the cooperation of the northern clans. If the capital is set in the south, it will cause discontent among the northern clans, and if it is set in the north, it will anger the southern warlords who supported the Nguyen dynasty.
In order to balance the forces of the north and the south, Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyen Dynasty could only choose to sit in the central part and pacify all parties. Therefore, the Nguyen Dynasty decided to make Hue the capital actually a helpless choice, in which case the only way to consider politics first and put the economy aside for the time being.
Hue Royal Palace is Vietnam's version of the "Little Forbidden City", but at the time of Vietnam's independence in modern times, people hated the Hue puppet regime and considered it a symbol of backwardness and feudalism.
Therefore, choosing to stay away from Hue and show one's estrangement from the colonizers became a necessary choice to gain popular support politically. Although Hue has advantages such as commercial development, proximity to the sea, and strategic location, at this stage, these advantages are not enough to compensate for Hue's shortcomings.
However, Vietnam has decided to upgrade Hue to a municipality in 2025, and perhaps by then, Hue will be able to stage a good counterattack.
The ancient city of Hue, Vietnam, with a long history and profound cultural heritage, is one of the most important historical and cultural cities in Vietnam. It was once the capital of Vietnam and an important cultural center in Vietnam's history.
There are many well-preserved historical sites in the ancient city, such as the Imperial City, the Grand Palace, city gates, temples, etc., which are all important symbols of Vietnamese history and culture. In addition, the ancient city has many beautiful gardens and lakes, providing a serene and peaceful environment for visitors.
Whether you're a history buff or a nature buff, you'll find something to enjoy here.