The war was known as the Secret War of Laos, because it was operated under the purview of the US president, Department of State, Department of Defense, and a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Congress and the American public knew little about it. Furthermore, since Laos was a neutral country in the Vietnam War, the United States was not to have any troops there. Instead, the US sent CIA advisors to work with General Vang Poa, and train the Hmong and other ethnic groups to fight on their behalf. The use of child soldiers was not unusual. Their tasks were to engage the people’s army of North Vietnam in combat, disrupt military supply routes, which flowed through Laos to South Vietnam, guard us radar installations, rescue American pilots and gather military intelligence.By 1975. It is estimated that 30,000 to 40,000 Hmong soldiers had been killed in their efforts to protect America’s interest in Southeast Asia and to protect the sovereignty of Laos.

In May of 1975. When the US pulled out of Laos, after the Vietnam War ended, three planes were sent to evacuate high-ranking Hmong military officials from Long Tieng, the headquarters of General Vang Poa and the CIA and Laos. The rest had to escape through the jungles and cross into Thailand, where refugee camps were being set up. It is estimated that between 1975 and 1985 over 50,000 Hmong perished in their efforts to escape persecution from the Lao government and into Thailand.

Today, there are over 350,000 Hmong living in the United States, with over 81,000 individuals in Minnesota, the largest urbanized Hmong population in the US.

Veterans Voices’: The Secret War is a program featuring the stories of some of these veterans. To learn more, visit MinnesotaVets.org