Armor was an indispensable part of Vietnamese military history. To dates, numerous Dong Son metal mirror plates and arm/leg guards have been unearthed. Dai Viet and Champa warriors were depicted in sculpture, paintings and literature clad in armour. Vietnamese legends such as Thanh Giong, the deity of Mount Dong Co imply an important role of armour in Vietnamese culture.

Nevertheless, the number of medieval Vietnamese armour parts discovered so far is incredibly low. Compared to other weaponry such as swords, spears, guns, armour seem almost not exist. Where could they have gone? Or in fact, Vietnamese had long discarded those essential combat gears?

maybe armies realized they were deadlier without armor.

foregoing armor affords you better speed and stealth, making for better guerrilla warfare in the jungles.

vietnamese didn't use guerrilla warfare in the past since our army active soldiers in Tran Le and Trinh-Nguyen is more than 1 million.

How can use guerilla warfare with such a large number?

We did use many dirty trick, but we do not use guerilla warfare in the imperial age.

but its not like you are wrong, but to be precise, we use raid and sudden attack in acient times.

@PTDTCH: there is some source said that Minh Mang want to conquer all SEA, so he sold all army heavy armour, chain-mail and focus on long ranged weapon such as flintlock, cannon, ironclads, soldiers only wear paper armour and focus on sudden attack and raid warfare.

^I heard a large amount of metals were use melted and molded into cannons. Could it be that armor was on that list?

Poor SEA. China is far, Vietnam is so close.