Secret War

Secret War

In 1961, when the Vietnam War officially started, another war also waged. This war was known as the Secret War and took place in Laos. Like it’s name the Secret War was a total secret. The countries involved in the Secret War were the U.S., Thailand, Laos, and North Vietnam. The preludes to the Secret War were differing opinions by political parties on the governmental structure that would reign in Vietman. This war caused havoc and grief to the people that occupied the territories that became the battlegrounds. In 1961 North Vietnam began advancing into South Vietnam, using military forces, with the intentions of establishing communist type government in Laos. The Pathet Lao, the communist Laos party, allied with North Vietnam while the Royal Laotian party , party in power in Laos, allied with Thailand and the U.S.

Thailand perceived the threat in having Laos, its neighbor, being overtaken by the a communist regime. They knew that if Laos lost, then the natural progression would be for them to be the next target for conquest. The United States of America (U.S.A.) was/is considered the champions of democracy and joined the alliance because they did not want communism to gain strength and spread. These three countries came together and took on the task of stopping the spread of communism into Laos. This war between communist Vietnam and the alliance was known as the Secret War.

Look for Cold War Policies and the Domino Theory
The Geneva Accords of 1954, was the first world country to send soldiers into third world countries thus the U.S.A. needed find a way to help the fight against communism. Thus, they recruited the Hmong and trained, paid, and provided military weapons to them; for the purpose of engagement in guerrilla warfare against the North Vietnamese.

(Image from book: War in Laos)
Here is a picture of one of the first U.S. training groups.

(Image from book: War in Laos)
Here is a picture of Hmong guerillas getting briefing before.

Hmong soldiers rescued downed American pilots from enemy territories and defended American outposts in Laos. One such outpost was an airport by the name of Luang Prabang. Whole groups of Hmong soldiers risked and lost their lives to save one American pilot. They also attacked many North Vietnamese convoy that were using the Ho Chi Minh trail, which cross Northern Laos from North Vietnam into South Vietnam. By attacking these supplies thousands of U.S. soldiers did not die in South Vietnam. The Hmong adult male population was decimated toward the end of the war and to make up the difference, children were recruited, trained in the same tactics and strategies of war and sent to combat. Thailand’s also trained Hmongs, formed them into guerrilla groups, and provided air support for them when in combat. They valiantly fought for their cause through out the entire Secret War.

(Image drawn by Bee Thao)
This is a picture of a young boy trained as a soldier talking with his little brother.

When the U.S. withdrew its troops from South Vietnam in 1975, they also withdrew the training teams, military weapons, and financial support from Laos and the Hmong. This action weakened the Laotian government and Hmong guerillas army that depended on that support. The Pathet Lao communist party eventually took over Laos and the Hmong that were left behind were seen as a threat and persecuted. Deserted by their U.S. allies, the Hmong had to flee to Thailand for refuge. The Secret War ended in the same year as the Vietnam War—1975. The Hmong did not feel this finality, for to this day they still are persecuted

(Image from book: War in Laos)
Here is a picture of boys that have been trained as soldiers.