العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolLAOTIAN CIVIL WAR
(Redirected from Secret War)
The ' Laotian Civil War' (1962-1975) also known as the 'Secret War' was a term used to describe the Laotian front of the Vietnam War.
The Secret War is generally considered one of the most important and complex components of that war, with the United States and North Vietnam fighting directly and through proxies for strategic military and political influence in a region of Laos that was considered critical to the Vietnam War's outcome and the future of Southeast Asia.
Main articles: History of Laos since 1945, First Indochina War, Vietnam War, Ho Chi Minh Trail
After the Geneva Conference established Laotian neutrality, North Vietnamese forces continued to operate in southeastern Laos. North Vietnam established the Ho Chi Minh trail on Laotian territory and supported an indigenous communist rebellion, the Pathet Lao, to help. The Ho Chi Minh trail was designed for North Vietnamese troops to infiltrate the Republic of Vietnam and to aid the National Liberation Front.
To disrupt these operations without direct military involvement, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) responded by training a force of some thirty thousand Laotians, mostly local Hmong tribesmen along with the Mien and Khmer, led by General Vang Pao, a Hmong military leader. This army, supported by the CIA proprietary airline Air America, Thailand and the Royal Lao Air Force, fought the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), the National Liberation Front (NLF), and their Pathet Lao allies to a standstill, greatly aiding U.S. interests in the war in Vietnam. There were repeated attempts from 1954 onward to get the North Vietnamese out of Laos, but regardless of any agreements or concessions, Hanoi had no intention of abandoning the country or its allies. Beyond immediate military necessity, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) viewed Laos as a younger brother needing guidance. In 1968, North Vietnam launched a multi-division attack on the Royal Lao Army. The heavy weapons and scale of the PAVN attack could not be matched by the national army and it was effectively sidelined for several years.
Although the existence of the conflict in Laos was sometimes reported in the U.S., details were largely unavailable due to official government denials that the war even existed. The denials were seen as necessary considering that the U.S. had signed agreements specifying the neutrality of Laos. U.S. involvement was considered necessary because the DRV had effectively conquered a large part of the country and was equally obfuscating its role in Laos. Despite these denials, however, the Civil War was actually the largest U.S. covert operation prior to the Afghan-Soviet War, with areas of Laos controlled by North Vietnam subjected to years of intense American aerial bombardment, representing the heaviest U.S. bombing campaign since World War II.
Main articles: Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group
Main articles: Operation Barrel Roll
In May 1964, the 99U.S. Air Force began flying reconnaissance missions over the Laotian
panhandle to obtain target information on men and materiel being moved into South Vietnam over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. By this time, the footpaths on the trail had been enlarged to truck roads, with smaller paths for bicycles and walking. The Trail had become the major artery for use by North Vietnam to infiltrate South Vietnam.
In the spring of 1964, Pathet Lao and PAVN troops drove Laotian forces from the Plain of Jars in northern Laos. On 9 June, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered an F-100 strike against the enemy in retaliation for the shoot down of another U.S. aircraft. The Plain of Jars activities expanded by December 1964, were named Operation Barrel Roll and were under the control of the U.S. ambassador to Laos who approved all targets before they were attacked.
Main articles: Operation Steel Tiger, Operation Tiger Hound
The U.S. began Operation Steel Tiger over the Laotian panhandle and the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on 3 April 1965 to locate and destroy enemy forces and materiel being moved southward at night into South Vietnam. However, since circumstances made it a highly complex matter in regard to the neutrality of Laos, target approval had to come from Washington. Additionally, the U.S. ambassadors in South Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand were involved in controlling these U.S. air operations
Late in 1965 the communists greatly increased their infiltration along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It was decided to concentrate airpower upon a small segment of the Trail closest to South Vietnam and used most extensively by the enemy. As a result, Operation Tiger Hound was initiated in December 1965, utilizing aircraft from the Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marines, the Vietnamese Air Force, and the Royal Laotian Air Force. On 11 December, B-52 heavy bombers were called in to this tactical operation, in their first use over Laos.
''Steel Tiger'' operations continued down the length of the panhandle in 1966, with special emphasis upon the ''Tiger Hound'' area. Since most of the communist truck traffic was at night, the Air Force developed and began using special equipment to detect the nighttime traffic.
July - Royal Lao Government (RLG) forces seize Nam Bac. Three Infantry Regiments, one independent infantry battalion, and one artillery battalion took Nam Bac and established a defensive line north of Luang Prabang.[1]
On the Plain of Jars, the Pathet Lao advance gradually slowed due to the destruction of its supplies by airpower, and Laotian troops then counter-attacked. By August 1966, they had advanced to within 45 miles of the DRV border. North Vietnam then sent thousands of its regular troops into the battle and once again the Laotians were forced to retreat.
The Communists continued their slow advance across the Plain of Jars in 1967. Laotian victories were few and far between, and by the end of the year, the situation had become critical even with the air support which had been provided by the Royal Laotian Air Force, small as it was.
December - PL and PAVN launched an offensive. The 316th Infantry Division was dispatched to Laos to cooperate with the PL.[1]
U.S., Royal Laotian, and VNAF aircraft continued their attacks on traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. During 1967, B-52s flew 1,718 sorties in this area, almost triple their 1966 record. The major targets were trucks which had to be hunted down and destroyed one-by-one. This seemed to be irrational thinking to many Americans flying these combat missions for these trucks could have been destroyed en masse before, during, or after their unloading from the freighters that had hauled them to North Vietnam if bombing of Haiphong had been permitted.
Main articles: Operation Commando Hunt
On 12 January the PL PAVN offensive was kicked off. The Nam Bac region, home of 10,000 people, was liberated.[3]
Throughout 1968, the communists slowly advanced across the northern part of Laos, defeating Laotian forces time and time again, and eventually the U.S base Lima Site 85 was overrun. This success was achieved despite U.S. military advice and assistance. In November, the U.S. launched an air campaign against the Ho Chi Minh Trail because North Vietnam was sending more troops and supplies than ever along this route to South Vietnam. This new operation, named Operation Commando Hunt, continued until 1972.
On 23 March, 1969, the Laotian Army launched a large attack (Cu Kiet Campaign) against the communists in the Plain of Jars/Xieng Khoang areas, supported by its own air units and the U.S. Air Force. In June, the enemy launched an attack of its own and gained ground, but by August, Laotian forces attacked again and regained what had been lost. In all these operations, the U.S. Air Force flew hundreds of ''Barrel Roll'' missions, however, many were canceled because of poor weather.
Pathet Lao forces were supported by PAVN's 174th Vietnamese Volunteer Regiment. By September, the 174th had to fall back to regroup. In mid-September they launched a counterattack and recovered the Plain of Jars. Forces participating in the campaign included the 316th and 312th Infantry Divisions, the 866th Infantry Regiment, the 16th Artillery Regiment, one tank company, six sapper and engineer battalions, one Nghe Anh Province local force battalion, and ten PL battalions.
On 11 February, the offensive (Campaign 139) opened. By the 20th, control of the Plain of Jars was secure. RLG forces withdrew to Muong Xui. On 25 February the RLG abandoned Xieng Khoang city. Xam Thong fell on 18 March and Long Thieng was threatened. On 25 April the campaign ended. After the end of the campaign, the "316th Division, the 866th Regiment, and a number of specialty branch units were ordered to stay behind to work with our Lao friends."[4]
At the beginning of 1970, fresh troops from North Vietnam advanced through northern Laos. The Air Force called in B-52s and, on 17 February, they were used to bomb targets in northern Laos. The enemy advance was halted by Laotian reinforcements, and for the remainder of the year it was a "seesaw" military campaign.
1 May - elements of SVN PAVN units (28th and 24A regiments join with "volunteers" and pathet Lao to seize Attopeu.[5]
Although communist movements down the Ho Chi Minh Trail grew during the year, the U.S. war effort was reduced because authorities in Washington, believing the U.S. objectives in SEA were being achieved, imposed budget limits. This reduced the number of combat missions the USAF could fly.
Main articles: Operation Lam Son 719
Because of significant logistical stockpiling by PAVN in the Laotian Panhandle, South Vietnam launched Operation Lam Son 719, a military thrust on 8 February 1971. Its goals were to cross into Laos and cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail to thwart a planned North Vietnamese offensive. Aerial support by the U.S., was massive since no American ground units could participate in the operation. On 25 February, PAVN launched a counterattack, and in the face of heavy opposition, the South Vietnamese force withdrew from Laos after losing approximately half of its men.
Combined offensive to take Plain of jars. On 18 December, PAVN and Pathet Lao forces launch counteroffensive (Campaign Z) to recover the Plain. Volunteer forces included the 312th and 316th Divisions, the 335th and 866th Infantry Regiments, and six artillery and tank battalions.
Xam Thong falls and pushes toward Long Thieng.[6]
Lower Laos - the 968th Infantry Regiment and Pathet Lao forces reclaimed the Tha Teng and Lao Nam areas, and liberated the Bolovens Plateau.[6]
During the dry season 1971-72, PL/PAVN forces dug into defensive positions and fought for permanent control of the Plain of Jars. Units participating included the 316th Infantry Division, the 866th, 335th, and 88th Regiments, and nine specialty branch battalions under the command of Senior Colonel Le Linh. Seven PL battalions also participated.
Onm 21 may RLG forces attempted to seize the Plain. The battle lasted 170 days (until 15 November, 1972). The communists claimed to have killed 1,200 troops and captured 80.[8]
When PAVN launched the ''Nguyen Hue Offensive''(known in the West as the Easter Offensive) into South Vietnam on 30 March, Massive U.S. air support was required inside South Vietnam and its air strikes in Laos dropped to their lowest point since 1965.
In northern Laos, the communists made additional gains during the year but failed to overwhelm government forces. In November, the Pathet Lao agreed to meet with Laotian Government representatives to discuss a cease-fire.
Main articles: Paris Peace Accord
The US pulled out of Laos in 1973 as stipulated by the Paris Peace Accord. North Vietnam was not required to remove its forces under the terms of the treaty.
The national government was forced to accept the Pathet Lao into the government. In 1975, Vietnamese and Pathet Lao forces began attacking government strongholds. A deal was eventually brokered that gave power to the Pathet Lao to save the government from total destruction.
Once in power, the Pathet Lao economically cut its ties to all its neighbors (including China) with the exception of the DRV and signed a treaty of friendship with Hanoi. The treaty allowed the Vietnamese to station soldiers within Laos and to place advisors throughout the government and economy. For many years after, Laos was effectively ruled by Vietnam.
Main articles: Conflict in Laos involving the Hmong
After the American withdrawal from Vietnam (1973) the war was openly considered a geopolitical disaster. The botched operation in Laos was barely mentioned, as people attempted to keep Vietnam in the past. With the citizens' help, the American troops were able to come home from "Nam". The 30,000-plus Hmong who assisted the Americans were not as fortunate. Considered a group of "traitors" by their government as well as the Communist Viet Cong, the former Lao Kingdom soldiers and their descendants began being exterminated. They were forced to flee into the mountains due to lack of support from Vang Pao and the US.
[1]). The international community has done little to nothing to assist the families of those who helped the Americans during the Vietnam War. The EU published on January 31 2007 a Declaration [2]after 153 Hmong refugees held detained in Thailand’s had been targeted for forced deportation back to Laos.
In 2007, following a long and extensive federal investigation, numerous warrants were issued by U.S. federal courts ordering the arrest of Vang Pao and nine others, including one American, for alleged efforts to use major munitions, explosives and other weapons in an effort to overthrow the government of Laos. The federal warrant request against Vang Pao and others was over 100 pages long, documenting numerous meetings in California and other locations in which plans were formulated to overthrow the Laotian government and to utilize explosives in the city's capital to destroy government and military targets.
Following issuance of the warrants, on June 4, 2007, over 200 federal and local law enforcement officials raided six California-based locations in Chico, Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Stockton and Woodland, arresting Vang Pao and others. The one American arrested was Harrison Jack, a West Point graduate who served previously in Southeast Asian operations during the Vietnam War and allegedly was supporting Vang Pao's revolutionary efforts to overthrow the Laotian government. If convicted, Vang Pao, Jack and the other eight defendants face possible life prison terms for violation of the Neutrality Acts and various weapons charges.
This comes almost seven years after President Clinton signed into law H.R. 5234 to extend to certain spouses of deceased Hmong veterans the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, which Clinton had legalized earlier in May of 2000. This original bill eased naturalization requirements to become American citizens [3], and was sponsored by Representative George Radanovich (R-CA), with seven co-sponsors: four Democrat U.S. Representatives (two from CA, one from RI, and one from MN) and three Republican U.S. Representatives (all from CA).[4]
However, U.S. treatment of the Hmong has been a source of significant debate for over a decade, with various religious and human rights advocates supporting the Hmong's effort to immigrate to the U.S., and the United Nations and some politicians attempting to repatriate the Hmong to Laos. The repatriation effort ultimately was halted in the late 1990s, following high-level pressure from human rights groups and documented evidence that many repatriated Hmong were being executed, imprisoned and subjected to other human rights violations by the government of Laos.
Similarly, the June 4, 2007 arrests are proving controversial, with many progressive and conservative Hmong uniting with a few U.S. politicians to protest that Vang Pao's status as an important U.S. ally during the Vietnam War and his subsequent efforts to overthrow the corrupt communist government in Laos make him a hero, not a criminal. Many protesters, dressed in white to symbolize peace and solidarity, held signs calling for the release of Pao and peace in Laos. Many Hmong simply want better conditions for the Hmong currently under communist Laotian oppression, and some elder Hmong in America still desire to return to Laos, but only under better political and social conditions.
The warrants for the arrests reportedly were issued following several efforts by Vang Pao and his supporters to obtain explosive devices to be used inside Laos, including one such purchase attempt with an undercover U.S. federal agent[5].
The federal court in California originally denied bail to Vang Pao and the other nine defendants, citing that each of them presented a probable flight risk. However, on July 13th, 2007, Pao was granted a $1.5 million bail and is currently restricted to his home in California with contact only from immediate family members, doctors and lawyers. [6]
1. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 213.
2. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 213.
3. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 214.
4. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 255.
5. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 257.
6. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 288.
7. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 288.
8. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 302.
'Published Government Documents'
★ Military History Institute of Vietnam, ''Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 1954-1975''. Trans. by Merle Pribbenow. Lawrence KS: University of Kansas Press, 2002.
★ Nalty, Bernard C. ''War Against Trucks: Aerial Interdiction in Southern Laos, 1968-1973''. Washington DC: Air Force Museums and History Program, 2005.
★ Van Staaveren, Jacob, ''Interdiction in Southern Laos, 1960-1968''. Washington DC: Center of Air Force History, 1993.
★ Vongsavanh, Brig. Gen. Soutchay, ''RLG Military Operations and Activities in the Laotian Panhandle''. Washington DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980.
'Secondary Sources'
★ Adams, Nina S. and Alfred W. McCoy, eds. ''Laos: War and Revolution''. New York: Harper & Row, 1970.
★ Blaufarb, Douglas, ''The Counterinsurgency Era''.
★ Champassak, Sisouk Na, ''Storm Over Laos''. New York: Praeger, 1961.
★ Conboy, Kenneth with James Morrison, ''Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos''. Boulder CO: Paladin Press, 1995.
★ Issacs, Arnold, Gordon Hardy, MacAlister Brown, et al, ''Pawns of War: Cambodia and Laos.'' Boston: Boston Publishing Company, 1987.
★ Karnow, Stanley, ''Vietnam: A History''. New York: Viking, 1983.
★ McGehee, Ralph W. ''Deadly Deceits: My 25 Years in the CIA''. New York: Sheridan Square, 1983.
★ Robbins, Christopher, ''Air America''. New York: Avon, 1985.
★ Robbins, Christopher, ''The Ravens: Pilots of the Secret War in Laos''. Bangkok: Asia Books, 2000.
★ Warner, Roger, ''Shooting at the Moon: The Story of America's Clandestine War in Laos''. South Royalton VE: Steerforth Press, 1996.
★ Supporting the "Secret War": CIA Air Operations in Laos, 1955-1974
★ 'Secret War' Still Killing Thousands, Andre Vltchek, Worldpress.org correspondent, November 14, 2006
The ' Laotian Civil War' (1962-1975) also known as the 'Secret War' was a term used to describe the Laotian front of the Vietnam War.
The Secret War is generally considered one of the most important and complex components of that war, with the United States and North Vietnam fighting directly and through proxies for strategic military and political influence in a region of Laos that was considered critical to the Vietnam War's outcome and the future of Southeast Asia.
| Contents |
| Overview |
| Chronology of the war in Laos |
| 1964 |
| 1965 |
| 1966 |
| 1967 |
| 1968 |
| 1969 |
| 1970 |
| 1971 |
| 1972 |
| 1973 |
| Aftermath |
| 2007: Vang Pao and others arrested in California |
| Notes |
| References |
| External links |
Overview
Main articles: History of Laos since 1945, First Indochina War, Vietnam War, Ho Chi Minh Trail
After the Geneva Conference established Laotian neutrality, North Vietnamese forces continued to operate in southeastern Laos. North Vietnam established the Ho Chi Minh trail on Laotian territory and supported an indigenous communist rebellion, the Pathet Lao, to help. The Ho Chi Minh trail was designed for North Vietnamese troops to infiltrate the Republic of Vietnam and to aid the National Liberation Front.
To disrupt these operations without direct military involvement, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) responded by training a force of some thirty thousand Laotians, mostly local Hmong tribesmen along with the Mien and Khmer, led by General Vang Pao, a Hmong military leader. This army, supported by the CIA proprietary airline Air America, Thailand and the Royal Lao Air Force, fought the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), the National Liberation Front (NLF), and their Pathet Lao allies to a standstill, greatly aiding U.S. interests in the war in Vietnam. There were repeated attempts from 1954 onward to get the North Vietnamese out of Laos, but regardless of any agreements or concessions, Hanoi had no intention of abandoning the country or its allies. Beyond immediate military necessity, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) viewed Laos as a younger brother needing guidance. In 1968, North Vietnam launched a multi-division attack on the Royal Lao Army. The heavy weapons and scale of the PAVN attack could not be matched by the national army and it was effectively sidelined for several years.
Although the existence of the conflict in Laos was sometimes reported in the U.S., details were largely unavailable due to official government denials that the war even existed. The denials were seen as necessary considering that the U.S. had signed agreements specifying the neutrality of Laos. U.S. involvement was considered necessary because the DRV had effectively conquered a large part of the country and was equally obfuscating its role in Laos. Despite these denials, however, the Civil War was actually the largest U.S. covert operation prior to the Afghan-Soviet War, with areas of Laos controlled by North Vietnam subjected to years of intense American aerial bombardment, representing the heaviest U.S. bombing campaign since World War II.
Chronology of the war in Laos
Main articles: Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group
1964
Main articles: Operation Barrel Roll
''Barrel Roll'' operational area, 1964
In May 1964, the 99U.S. Air Force began flying reconnaissance missions over the Laotian
panhandle to obtain target information on men and materiel being moved into South Vietnam over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. By this time, the footpaths on the trail had been enlarged to truck roads, with smaller paths for bicycles and walking. The Trail had become the major artery for use by North Vietnam to infiltrate South Vietnam.
In the spring of 1964, Pathet Lao and PAVN troops drove Laotian forces from the Plain of Jars in northern Laos. On 9 June, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered an F-100 strike against the enemy in retaliation for the shoot down of another U.S. aircraft. The Plain of Jars activities expanded by December 1964, were named Operation Barrel Roll and were under the control of the U.S. ambassador to Laos who approved all targets before they were attacked.
1965
Main articles: Operation Steel Tiger, Operation Tiger Hound
The U.S. began Operation Steel Tiger over the Laotian panhandle and the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on 3 April 1965 to locate and destroy enemy forces and materiel being moved southward at night into South Vietnam. However, since circumstances made it a highly complex matter in regard to the neutrality of Laos, target approval had to come from Washington. Additionally, the U.S. ambassadors in South Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand were involved in controlling these U.S. air operations
''Barrel Roll''/''Steel Tiger'' operational area, 1965
Late in 1965 the communists greatly increased their infiltration along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It was decided to concentrate airpower upon a small segment of the Trail closest to South Vietnam and used most extensively by the enemy. As a result, Operation Tiger Hound was initiated in December 1965, utilizing aircraft from the Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marines, the Vietnamese Air Force, and the Royal Laotian Air Force. On 11 December, B-52 heavy bombers were called in to this tactical operation, in their first use over Laos.
1966
''Steel Tiger'' operations continued down the length of the panhandle in 1966, with special emphasis upon the ''Tiger Hound'' area. Since most of the communist truck traffic was at night, the Air Force developed and began using special equipment to detect the nighttime traffic.
July - Royal Lao Government (RLG) forces seize Nam Bac. Three Infantry Regiments, one independent infantry battalion, and one artillery battalion took Nam Bac and established a defensive line north of Luang Prabang.[1]
On the Plain of Jars, the Pathet Lao advance gradually slowed due to the destruction of its supplies by airpower, and Laotian troops then counter-attacked. By August 1966, they had advanced to within 45 miles of the DRV border. North Vietnam then sent thousands of its regular troops into the battle and once again the Laotians were forced to retreat.
''Barrel Roll''/''Steel Tiger''/''Tiger Hound'' operational areas
1967
The Communists continued their slow advance across the Plain of Jars in 1967. Laotian victories were few and far between, and by the end of the year, the situation had become critical even with the air support which had been provided by the Royal Laotian Air Force, small as it was.
December - PL and PAVN launched an offensive. The 316th Infantry Division was dispatched to Laos to cooperate with the PL.[1]
Ho Chi Minh Trail, 1967
U.S., Royal Laotian, and VNAF aircraft continued their attacks on traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. During 1967, B-52s flew 1,718 sorties in this area, almost triple their 1966 record. The major targets were trucks which had to be hunted down and destroyed one-by-one. This seemed to be irrational thinking to many Americans flying these combat missions for these trucks could have been destroyed en masse before, during, or after their unloading from the freighters that had hauled them to North Vietnam if bombing of Haiphong had been permitted.
1968
Main articles: Operation Commando Hunt
On 12 January the PL PAVN offensive was kicked off. The Nam Bac region, home of 10,000 people, was liberated.[3]
Communist Base Areas, southern Laos
Throughout 1968, the communists slowly advanced across the northern part of Laos, defeating Laotian forces time and time again, and eventually the U.S base Lima Site 85 was overrun. This success was achieved despite U.S. military advice and assistance. In November, the U.S. launched an air campaign against the Ho Chi Minh Trail because North Vietnam was sending more troops and supplies than ever along this route to South Vietnam. This new operation, named Operation Commando Hunt, continued until 1972.
1969
On 23 March, 1969, the Laotian Army launched a large attack (Cu Kiet Campaign) against the communists in the Plain of Jars/Xieng Khoang areas, supported by its own air units and the U.S. Air Force. In June, the enemy launched an attack of its own and gained ground, but by August, Laotian forces attacked again and regained what had been lost. In all these operations, the U.S. Air Force flew hundreds of ''Barrel Roll'' missions, however, many were canceled because of poor weather.
Pathet Lao forces were supported by PAVN's 174th Vietnamese Volunteer Regiment. By September, the 174th had to fall back to regroup. In mid-September they launched a counterattack and recovered the Plain of Jars. Forces participating in the campaign included the 316th and 312th Infantry Divisions, the 866th Infantry Regiment, the 16th Artillery Regiment, one tank company, six sapper and engineer battalions, one Nghe Anh Province local force battalion, and ten PL battalions.
On 11 February, the offensive (Campaign 139) opened. By the 20th, control of the Plain of Jars was secure. RLG forces withdrew to Muong Xui. On 25 February the RLG abandoned Xieng Khoang city. Xam Thong fell on 18 March and Long Thieng was threatened. On 25 April the campaign ended. After the end of the campaign, the "316th Division, the 866th Regiment, and a number of specialty branch units were ordered to stay behind to work with our Lao friends."[4]
1970
At the beginning of 1970, fresh troops from North Vietnam advanced through northern Laos. The Air Force called in B-52s and, on 17 February, they were used to bomb targets in northern Laos. The enemy advance was halted by Laotian reinforcements, and for the remainder of the year it was a "seesaw" military campaign.
PAVN trucks on the Trail
1 May - elements of SVN PAVN units (28th and 24A regiments join with "volunteers" and pathet Lao to seize Attopeu.[5]
Although communist movements down the Ho Chi Minh Trail grew during the year, the U.S. war effort was reduced because authorities in Washington, believing the U.S. objectives in SEA were being achieved, imposed budget limits. This reduced the number of combat missions the USAF could fly.
1971
Main articles: Operation Lam Son 719
Because of significant logistical stockpiling by PAVN in the Laotian Panhandle, South Vietnam launched Operation Lam Son 719, a military thrust on 8 February 1971. Its goals were to cross into Laos and cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail to thwart a planned North Vietnamese offensive. Aerial support by the U.S., was massive since no American ground units could participate in the operation. On 25 February, PAVN launched a counterattack, and in the face of heavy opposition, the South Vietnamese force withdrew from Laos after losing approximately half of its men.
Operation ''Lam Son 719''
Combined offensive to take Plain of jars. On 18 December, PAVN and Pathet Lao forces launch counteroffensive (Campaign Z) to recover the Plain. Volunteer forces included the 312th and 316th Divisions, the 335th and 866th Infantry Regiments, and six artillery and tank battalions.
Xam Thong falls and pushes toward Long Thieng.[6]
Lower Laos - the 968th Infantry Regiment and Pathet Lao forces reclaimed the Tha Teng and Lao Nam areas, and liberated the Bolovens Plateau.[6]
1972
During the dry season 1971-72, PL/PAVN forces dug into defensive positions and fought for permanent control of the Plain of Jars. Units participating included the 316th Infantry Division, the 866th, 335th, and 88th Regiments, and nine specialty branch battalions under the command of Senior Colonel Le Linh. Seven PL battalions also participated.
Onm 21 may RLG forces attempted to seize the Plain. The battle lasted 170 days (until 15 November, 1972). The communists claimed to have killed 1,200 troops and captured 80.[8]
When PAVN launched the ''Nguyen Hue Offensive''(known in the West as the Easter Offensive) into South Vietnam on 30 March, Massive U.S. air support was required inside South Vietnam and its air strikes in Laos dropped to their lowest point since 1965.
In northern Laos, the communists made additional gains during the year but failed to overwhelm government forces. In November, the Pathet Lao agreed to meet with Laotian Government representatives to discuss a cease-fire.
1973
Main articles: Paris Peace Accord
The US pulled out of Laos in 1973 as stipulated by the Paris Peace Accord. North Vietnam was not required to remove its forces under the terms of the treaty.
The national government was forced to accept the Pathet Lao into the government. In 1975, Vietnamese and Pathet Lao forces began attacking government strongholds. A deal was eventually brokered that gave power to the Pathet Lao to save the government from total destruction.
Once in power, the Pathet Lao economically cut its ties to all its neighbors (including China) with the exception of the DRV and signed a treaty of friendship with Hanoi. The treaty allowed the Vietnamese to station soldiers within Laos and to place advisors throughout the government and economy. For many years after, Laos was effectively ruled by Vietnam.
Aftermath
Main articles: Conflict in Laos involving the Hmong
After the American withdrawal from Vietnam (1973) the war was openly considered a geopolitical disaster. The botched operation in Laos was barely mentioned, as people attempted to keep Vietnam in the past. With the citizens' help, the American troops were able to come home from "Nam". The 30,000-plus Hmong who assisted the Americans were not as fortunate. Considered a group of "traitors" by their government as well as the Communist Viet Cong, the former Lao Kingdom soldiers and their descendants began being exterminated. They were forced to flee into the mountains due to lack of support from Vang Pao and the US.
[1]). The international community has done little to nothing to assist the families of those who helped the Americans during the Vietnam War. The EU published on January 31 2007 a Declaration [2]after 153 Hmong refugees held detained in Thailand’s had been targeted for forced deportation back to Laos.
2007: Vang Pao and others arrested in California
In 2007, following a long and extensive federal investigation, numerous warrants were issued by U.S. federal courts ordering the arrest of Vang Pao and nine others, including one American, for alleged efforts to use major munitions, explosives and other weapons in an effort to overthrow the government of Laos. The federal warrant request against Vang Pao and others was over 100 pages long, documenting numerous meetings in California and other locations in which plans were formulated to overthrow the Laotian government and to utilize explosives in the city's capital to destroy government and military targets.
Following issuance of the warrants, on June 4, 2007, over 200 federal and local law enforcement officials raided six California-based locations in Chico, Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Stockton and Woodland, arresting Vang Pao and others. The one American arrested was Harrison Jack, a West Point graduate who served previously in Southeast Asian operations during the Vietnam War and allegedly was supporting Vang Pao's revolutionary efforts to overthrow the Laotian government. If convicted, Vang Pao, Jack and the other eight defendants face possible life prison terms for violation of the Neutrality Acts and various weapons charges.
This comes almost seven years after President Clinton signed into law H.R. 5234 to extend to certain spouses of deceased Hmong veterans the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, which Clinton had legalized earlier in May of 2000. This original bill eased naturalization requirements to become American citizens [3], and was sponsored by Representative George Radanovich (R-CA), with seven co-sponsors: four Democrat U.S. Representatives (two from CA, one from RI, and one from MN) and three Republican U.S. Representatives (all from CA).[4]
However, U.S. treatment of the Hmong has been a source of significant debate for over a decade, with various religious and human rights advocates supporting the Hmong's effort to immigrate to the U.S., and the United Nations and some politicians attempting to repatriate the Hmong to Laos. The repatriation effort ultimately was halted in the late 1990s, following high-level pressure from human rights groups and documented evidence that many repatriated Hmong were being executed, imprisoned and subjected to other human rights violations by the government of Laos.
Similarly, the June 4, 2007 arrests are proving controversial, with many progressive and conservative Hmong uniting with a few U.S. politicians to protest that Vang Pao's status as an important U.S. ally during the Vietnam War and his subsequent efforts to overthrow the corrupt communist government in Laos make him a hero, not a criminal. Many protesters, dressed in white to symbolize peace and solidarity, held signs calling for the release of Pao and peace in Laos. Many Hmong simply want better conditions for the Hmong currently under communist Laotian oppression, and some elder Hmong in America still desire to return to Laos, but only under better political and social conditions.
The warrants for the arrests reportedly were issued following several efforts by Vang Pao and his supporters to obtain explosive devices to be used inside Laos, including one such purchase attempt with an undercover U.S. federal agent[5].
The federal court in California originally denied bail to Vang Pao and the other nine defendants, citing that each of them presented a probable flight risk. However, on July 13th, 2007, Pao was granted a $1.5 million bail and is currently restricted to his home in California with contact only from immediate family members, doctors and lawyers. [6]
Notes
1. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 213.
2. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 213.
3. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 214.
4. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 255.
5. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 257.
6. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 288.
7. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 288.
8. ''Victory in Vietnam'', p. 302.
References
'Published Government Documents'
★ Military History Institute of Vietnam, ''Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 1954-1975''. Trans. by Merle Pribbenow. Lawrence KS: University of Kansas Press, 2002.
★ Nalty, Bernard C. ''War Against Trucks: Aerial Interdiction in Southern Laos, 1968-1973''. Washington DC: Air Force Museums and History Program, 2005.
★ Van Staaveren, Jacob, ''Interdiction in Southern Laos, 1960-1968''. Washington DC: Center of Air Force History, 1993.
★ Vongsavanh, Brig. Gen. Soutchay, ''RLG Military Operations and Activities in the Laotian Panhandle''. Washington DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980.
'Secondary Sources'
★ Adams, Nina S. and Alfred W. McCoy, eds. ''Laos: War and Revolution''. New York: Harper & Row, 1970.
★ Blaufarb, Douglas, ''The Counterinsurgency Era''.
★ Champassak, Sisouk Na, ''Storm Over Laos''. New York: Praeger, 1961.
★ Conboy, Kenneth with James Morrison, ''Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos''. Boulder CO: Paladin Press, 1995.
★ Issacs, Arnold, Gordon Hardy, MacAlister Brown, et al, ''Pawns of War: Cambodia and Laos.'' Boston: Boston Publishing Company, 1987.
★ Karnow, Stanley, ''Vietnam: A History''. New York: Viking, 1983.
★ McGehee, Ralph W. ''Deadly Deceits: My 25 Years in the CIA''. New York: Sheridan Square, 1983.
★ Robbins, Christopher, ''Air America''. New York: Avon, 1985.
★ Robbins, Christopher, ''The Ravens: Pilots of the Secret War in Laos''. Bangkok: Asia Books, 2000.
★ Warner, Roger, ''Shooting at the Moon: The Story of America's Clandestine War in Laos''. South Royalton VE: Steerforth Press, 1996.
External links
★ Supporting the "Secret War": CIA Air Operations in Laos, 1955-1974
★ 'Secret War' Still Killing Thousands, Andre Vltchek, Worldpress.org correspondent, November 14, 2006
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
