History Asia: The CIA's Covert War In Laos

[Chuck Bao]

This History Channel program made me sick to my stomach but I couldn't stop watching it. The US was dropping bombs on the Lao people on an average of every 8 minutes. We bombed Laos more than Germany and Japan combined and most of them had no clue as to why we were doing it.

Then, it is sensitive to me because Nope is Lao and his father was killed in Laos. I can partially understand the Lao language and I have felt very welcomed whenever I have visited their country. Many times I have been invited into their homes to share a meal with their families. They really are a hard-working decent agrarian people.

A lot of it was just so corrupt, such as the CIA involvement in the trade of heroin and US purposely trying to destabilize a country and sponsoring corrupt generals who betrayed their own people. The show highlights that a one time, a Lao general was rounding up 14-year olds in the villages to fight in the war. One woman said that she complained that if they took away all of the men 14 years and older that they would annihilate their people. And, I guess that is what happened.

It is very eye-opening and definitely worth an hour to watch it.

http://www.historyasia.com/synopsis.aspx?libId=1530&sId=953&sTime=600

This is an excerpt from a synopsis of the documentary:


The Vietnam War was the most intensely mediated war ever. However, next door in neighbouring Laos, the longest and largest air war in human history was underway, which eventually made Laos the most bombed country on earth. What's more, outside of Laos no one knew. The Secret War was the largest operation ever conducted by the CIA, yet to this day, hardly anyone knows anything about it.

[SoonerHoops]

That's really interesting. Wasn't the CIA also conducting massive operations in Thailand as well?

[Lott's Bandana]

That's really interesting. Wasn't the CIA also conducting massive operations in Thailand as well?


Not aggressive against the Thai people. The CIA used Thailand as a staging area for their operations. My father flew for a Special Operations squadron which used his unmarked helicopter to fly "over" Laos into NV.

Laos was ruthlessly bombarded because the NVA supply lines (HCM Trail) ran down the border between the countries and often ran for miles and miles inside Laos. The assault wasn't technically against the Laotian people, but against the "bad guys" trespassing in their country. It escaped scrutiny because it was continuously denied.

[diverdog]

When I was in the Air Force I flew with a guy who was really interesting. We were going out to fly a mission and he was doing some sort of prayer in front of the C-130 and I asked him what he was doing and he said he was buddahist. Knowing my friend I thought he was joking and just copying some Mel Gibson stunt from Air America. Well I was wrong and he showed me his dog tags and lo and behold he was Buddahist. He then told me how he converted when he flew for Air America in Laos. His job was dropping listening devices on the HCM trail and gathering intel. They also flew weatherman into areas outside of Hanoi to direct bombing missions. All of this was, at the time, top secret.

[SoCaliSooner]

I have nothing to add except that Thai Elvis at Palm's in Thai Town Los Angeles is very entertaining and the food is fantastic.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Svpk17rNJaE/SXf6P8VBaAI/AAAAAAAAAEE/ba8R30na-aw/s400/ThaiElvis.JPG

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I have naked pictures of Walter Brennan.

[KantoSooner]

The Lao people are wonderful. The government? Not so much. If you can imagine a land-locked Alabama with a communist government, you are getting close. Sort of Bubba totalitarianism. Too corrupt to be any good whatsoever, too lazy (the government, I'm not slamming the people) to really be horrific.
They were, in essence, providing safe haven and safe supply lines for North Vietnam. Whatever your feelings about the war, you simply can not allow people against whom you're fighting to enjoy that advantage. There was talk-talk with their government to get that **** stopped. There were smiles and no action. So we bombed the trail.
Frankly? No biggie.
Would have been much brighter to have welcomed Ho Chi Minh in 1948 and told the French to **** off out of SE Asia.
All that being said, Vietnam is a great place for a vacation these days. Nothing like having a great cafe au lait and brioche for breakfast, and pho for lunch.
Best looking women in Asia, hands down, as well.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Would have been much brighter to have welcomed Ho Chi Minh in 1948 and told the French to **** off out of SE Asia.

Or to have convinced Truman to make Korea a glowy parking lot which would've informed all operating parties that we don't **** around. Hard to get chinese and soviet backing in tinpot sh*tsville when there's a track record of melting bodies by the thousands.

[Leroy Lizard]

All that being said, Vietnam is a great place for a vacation these days. Nothing like having a great cafe au lait and brioche for breakfast, and Pho for lunch.

I hate to be the grammar police, but names of people should be capitalized.

[Leroy Lizard]

The Lao people are wonderful. The government? Not so much. If you can imagine a land-locked Alabama with a communist government, you are getting close. Sort of Bubba totalitarianism. Too corrupt to be any good whatsoever, too lazy (the government, I'm not slamming the people) to really be horrific.
They were, in essence, providing safe haven and safe supply lines for North Vietnam. Whatever your feelings about the war, you simply can not allow people against whom you're fighting to enjoy that advantage. There was talk-talk with their government to get that **** stopped. There were smiles and no action. So we bombed the trail.

Agreed. At what point did "fairness" enter the equation when discussing war?

[KantoSooner]

leroy, pho is a noodle soup. Noun? Yes. Proper noun? No.

And I've never known any Vietnamese woman by the name of 'Pho', so don't even go there.

As to fairness in war, my point never covered it. I was simply saying that we were compelled to bomb the trail; in fact could not have NOT bombed the trail.

[Chuck Bao]

Not aggressive against the Thai people. The CIA used Thailand as a staging area for their operations. My father flew for a Special Operations squadron which used his unmarked helicopter to fly "over" Laos into NV.

Laos was ruthlessly bombarded because the NVA supply lines (HCM Trail) ran down the border between the countries and often ran for miles and miles inside Laos. The assault wasn't technically against the Laotian people, but against the "bad guys" trespassing in their country. It escaped scrutiny because it was continuously denied.

This program didn't focus so much on the HCM trail bombing, but rather on bombing of northern Laos around the Plain of Jars, protecting the secret airbase in north central Laos from being overtaken by Chinese-supported troops from the northern section of the country controlled by the communists. It also largely focused on the Hmong tribesmen who were used to fight the communists in the north, instead of the southeast and the HCM trail.

Has this program aired in the US? I never can tell how long my TV programming is behind yours. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it yet.

My uncle was a Vietnam War vet, but he could never bring himself to talk about his experiences. My family was sitting around playing trivial pursuit when the game first came out and the question was where did the US wage a secret war. I answered correctly Laos. My uncle was on the opposite team, but he opened up just a crack to say that he was sent into Laos to fight. I mention that because there was so much damage and so much bloodshed and so much corruption and nobody really knew what was going on.

And, I am in no way blaming our troops. They are doing what they are asked to do. I say a prayer everyday for our current troops serving in the field and for those who are still dealing with their war experiences. May God bless and be with all of them.

[Leroy Lizard]

leroy, pho is a noodle soup. Noun? Yes. Proper noun? No.

And I've never known any Vietnamese woman by the name of 'Pho', so don't even go there.

But all I wanted was a "Heh."

[KantoSooner]

Sorry.

Heh.

Hell, I'll even throw in a nasty smirk.