TIMELINE OF LAOS SECRET WAR

1893-1960

In 1893, France took control of Laos through the Franco-Siamese Treaty, helping the Lao monarchy protect their kingdom from stronger neighbors like Siam (now Thailand) and Vietnam. The Hmong people, who had immigrated to Laos from China during the 18th and 19th centuries to escape conflicts like the Taiping Rebellion, settled in the mountainous regions and became important figures in the country. By the 1940s, the Hmong were resisting various threats, including the Lao Issara and Viet Minh, who were challenging French rule and promoting communist ideas. After the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954, they withdrew from Laos, leading to the signing of the Geneva Accords in July 1954. This agreement made Laos a neutral country during the Cold War. As tensions grew in Southeast Asia, the U.S., driven by the fear that communism would spread, began both military and humanitarian efforts in Laos. Programs like USAID and the International Voluntary Services (IVS) aimed to stabilize communities, strengthen the Lao government, and counter communist influence (Benson, 2015a; Benson, 2015b).

1960-1965

In August 1960, Captain Kong Le, a paratrooper in the Royal Lao Army, led a coup d'état in Vientiane, which intensified the power struggle in Laos and heightened the conflict between communist and anti-communist forces. In response to the growing instability, the U.S. increased its involvement in Laos, including supporting anti-communist factions like the Hmong. In January 1961, under President Eisenhower, the first 1,000 Hmong were armed to resist communist forces, setting the stage for Operation Momentum, a covert operation launched in early 1962 under President Kennedy. The operation focused on training and equipping Hmong fighters, led by then-Colonel Vang Pao, to combat the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forces. The Hmong, alongside Lao and other ethnic Lao soldiers, conducted guerrilla warfare, gathered intelligence, defended key positions in northern Laos, and played a crucial role in rescuing downed U.S. pilots, often risking their lives to save them. In 1962, Long Tieng was established as a strategic military base and became the main operations center for the Hmong army and CIA activities, serving as the nerve center of U.S. covert operations in Laos. Concurrently, Sam Thong was set up as an administrative and medical hub for U.S. operations, coordinating humanitarian efforts such as food distribution and medical care for the Hmong and other displaced communities. Supported by the CIA and the Thai Police Aerial Resupply Unit (PARU), led by CIA officer Bill Lair, the Hmong were supplied and trained to continue their fight. Despite increasing challenges and casualties, by 1965, the Hmong, along with Lao and other ethnic Lao soldiers, had become vital, although secret, allies of the United States in the fight to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia (Benson, 2015b; Lair, 2001; Celeski, 2015).

1965-1970

Between 1965 and 1970, the conflict in Laos intensified as the U.S. escalated its involvement in Southeast Asia, including deepening its commitment in South Vietnam. After President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) assumed the presidency and significantly increased U.S. military efforts in the region. Under LBJ's leadership, the U.S. expanded its covert operations in Laos, with the Hmong, under the leadership of now-Major General Vang Pao, playing a crucial role. From their base at Long Tieng, the Hmong forces, supported by the CIA, conducted extensive guerrilla warfare against the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese Army (NVA), with some Hmong being trained to fly aircraft for combat support. Long Tieng, established in 1962, became the epicenter of U.S. and Hmong military operations, housing thousands of Hmong soldiers and their families, and serving as a critical logistical hub for resupply missions and air operations.

A key event in 1968 was the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) attack on Phu Pha Thi, also known as Lima Site 85 (LS-85), a mountain that housed a U.S. tactical air navigation system (TACAN)  beacon used to direct bombing missions over North Vietnam. The Hmong were instrumental in defending this critical site; however, it fell to the North Vietnamese in March 1968 after a fierce battle. The fall of Phu Pha Thi led to the displacement of thousands of civilians and marked a significant setback for U.S. operations in the region. As the NVA and its communist counterparts increased their presence in Laos, several bases in the north began to fall into communist hands. Na Khang (LS-32), the second most northern major base, south of Phu Pha Thi, eventually fell in 1969, further solidifying communist control over northern Laos (Benson, 2015b; Lair, 2001; Celeski, 2015).

1970-1975

In March 1970, Sam Thong, a vital administrative and medical hub that had been supporting U.S. operations since 1962, fell to the North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao forces. This defeat was a major blow to the Royal Lao Government and its American allies, forcing the relocation of USAID’s operations to Ban Xon (Lima Site 272), which became a center for carrying out hospital and humanitarian services to support displaced civilians and military personnel. Long Tieng, under the leadership of General Vang Pao, became the last stronghold for the Hmong forces. Throughout 1972, this base endured numerous assaults from North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao forces. The battles were fierce, but despite being heavily outnumbered, the Hmong fighters, and other Thai and Lao soldiers, managed to defend Long Tieng, ensuring it did not fall into communist hands. In January 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed as part of the broader effort to end the Vietnam War, bringing hopes of peace to Laos as well. The agreement called for a ceasefire and the formation of a coalition government, but despite these promises, conflict continued, and the political situation remained fragile. By May 1975, the situation had become untenable. As communist forces tightened their grip on Laos, the situation at Long Tieng grew increasingly desperate. With the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forces closing in, the U.S. officially left Laos in early 1975. Shortly thereafter, in May 1975, a mass evacuation of Long Tieng was organized. General Vang Pao, along with a handful of Hmong soldiers and their families, made it out during the air evacuations, but the majority of the Hmong had to flee by foot. Some of these Hmong fled to the jungles, where they started resistance armies, while others escaped to Thailand, seeking refuge from the advancing communist forces (Lee, 2024).

References:

Benson, F. C. (2015a). Indochina War Refugee Movements in Laos 1954–1975: A Chronological Overview Citing New Primary Sources.

Benson, F. C. (2015b). Turbulence in Sam Neua Province (Laos): 1953-1970.

Celeski, J. D. (2015). Special Air Warfare and the Secret War in Laos: Air Commandos 1964-1975.

Lair, B. (2001). Interview with Bill Lair Pt. 2 (Steve Maxner).

Lee, D. (2024). Hmongstory Legacy.