Americas Secret War

Laos is often referred to as a buffer state, which exists only to ensure that none of the surrounding countries have to border each other. The leaders in Laos are in the difficult position of having to play off China's military might, Thailand's commercial aggressiveness, and Vietnam's population pressures, while keeping everyone happy. A favorite quote from the French newspaper Le Monde in 1993, "This country's only hope is to become, within the next 10 or 20 years, a bridge between its powerful neighbours, while at the same time managing to avoid being engulfed by either of them".

A brief summary of the history of Laos:

• In 1893 France began a 50 year occupation of Laos as a colony.
  
• Towards the end of World War II, Japan lead lead a coup in the administration. The surrender of the Japanese later that year fueled a movement for Laos independence.
  
• In 1953 France granted the country full independence and began suffering defeats with the Viet-Minh in northern Laos.
  
• With the Geneva Accord in 1954 Laos was guaranteed freedom and neutrality but quickly became the focus of the superpowers. Laos was becoming the dreaded "first domino" of Eisenhower's famous analogy. The U.S. began to get involved.
  
• In 1962 another Accord was signed guaranteeing Laos neutrality and denying the Viet Minh access to the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
  
• With the Viet Minh denying the existence of the Ho Chi Minh Trail while simultaneously enlarging it, the US began deploying undercover forces and bombing the trail.
  
• Thus began the US secret bombing of a neutral country, the so-called Secret War. "Raven" was the call sign used by pilots flying secret missions into Laos.
  
• The communists' final victories over Saigon in April 1975 catalyzed the Pathet Lao control over the Laos capital, Vientiane.
  
• In 1991 there was a shift in economic policy to embracing pro-market reform. Which leads us to the Laos of today: a communist country with a westernizing population.
  

To put the magnitude of the US air war in Laos in perspective: more bombs rained on Laos in the 1960s and '70s than during the Second World War; 2,093,100 tonnes of bombs were dropped on Laos - equivalent to 700 kg per person.

The real problem today is the 500,000 tonnes of unexploded ordnance (UXO) scattered throughout Laos' provinces.


Relevant books for further reading:
The Ravens by Christopher Robbins
A Short History of Laos : The Land in Between
Buddhist Kingdom, Marxist State : The Making of Modern Laos by Martin Stuart-Fox


Some wikipedia links:
History of Laos from Wikipedia
Domino Theory from Wikipedia


Some other links:
U.S. Department of State Background Note on Laos


Also interesting:
The character Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando, in the movie Apocalypse Now is based on the CIA's unsavory operative, Anthony Posepny and his dealings in Northern Laos.