Remembering the Laotian Civil War

On this day in 1959…

The Laotian Civil War started. It would end 16 years later, on December 2, 1975.

This war was fought between the Lao People’s Liberation Army (Pathet Lao) and the Royal Lao Government, backed by the United States and supported by South Vietnam.

The Viet Minh and Pathet Lao were close allies at this time, due to shared history and a common cause for self-determination and national liberation.

The Laotian Civil War is often understood in conjunction with the American War in Vietnam and the Cambodian Civil War. Our histories are deeply intertwined; all three of our nations suffered under French colonialism, Japanese, occupation and American imperialism.

Today, we recognize the struggle of the Lao people and honor our shared revolutionary heritage between our two countries.

The secret war in Laos

The closeness of Viet Minh and the Pathet Lao alarmed the United States as it struggled to contain communism in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the Ho Chi Minh trail ran along Laos’ eastern border.

These factors led the United States, specifically the CIA, to begin a brutal bombing campaign of Laos, referred to as the Secret War in Laos (1964-1973).

Due to this campaign, Laos became the most heavily bombed country in the history of warfare.

The US dropped more than two million tons of explosive ordnance in Laos during 580,000 bombing missions.

It is said that the amount of bombs dropped on Laos by the United States was the equivalence of a planeload of explosives every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day for 9 years.

In total, the US and its allies dropped 7.5 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia — making it the largest aerial bombardment in human history.

This bombing campaign destroyed villages and displaced hundreds of thousands of Lao people.

Since 1964, more than 50,000 Lao have been killed or injured by U.S. bombs, a majority of them civilians.

Approximately 30% of the bombs dropped on Laos failed to explode upon impact, so since the end of the Secret War, 20,000 people the undetonated bombs left behind.

Aftermath

Like the Viet Minh, the Pathet Lao came out successful in their conflict, leading to the establishment of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the exile of the Kingdom of Laos.

Laos and Vietnam are the only two socialist states in Southeast Asia. The two nations continue to foster a close relationship and share close ties.

On this day, we remember that the people of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were subjected to unparalleled brutality and crimes against humanity by the United States of America.

Like our elders before us, we continue to defend and support the Lao people. The solidarity between our people that arose out of French colonialism and American imperialism illustrates that our struggles are not isolated nor are they fought and won alone.