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Ander
15th March 2007, 00:01
The Vietnam War is the most documented of all of the American activities in Asia during the Cold War but less people are aware of military action in the surrounding area. I wanted to know more about what was going on here, for example the Secret War in Laos. If some one could help to shed some light on this and other incidents I would appreciate it. I have heard talk of serious casualties and genocide in referrence to this and would like to hear more.

Discuss.
Janus
15th March 2007, 02:05
I wanted to know more about what was going on here, for example the Secret War in Laos.
The US's strategic interests caused them to use a proxy war in order to gain military and political influence in the area. The CIA funded a secret army composed mostly of Hmong village people under Vang Pao to fight the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forces.
There were also various spec. ops missions undertaken by SOG and other elite forces to reconnaisance attack/sabotage the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Ander
15th March 2007, 15:15
Do you know of any good sources or books that touch on this subject with more detail?
Also, was there any US intervention in Cambodia?
Janus
16th March 2007, 01:00
Do you know of any good sources or books that touch on this subject with more detail?
I've seen Covert Ops: The CIA's Secret War in Laos and Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos.


Also, was there any US intervention in Cambodia?
Yes, the US supported Lon Nol after he deposed Sihanouk pouring large amounts of aid into the country. The US directly intervened in 1970 through its Cambodian incursion designed to damage VC and NVA base sites on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border. In addition, the US military also authorized many spec op. missions to recon, attack and disrupt NVA material and troop movements in the area.
WUOrevolt
19th March 2007, 02:06
Didn't the US also bomb train routes in Cambodia during the Vietnam War prior to their announced bombing of Cambodia under Nixon?
Janus
20th March 2007, 01:31
Didn't the US also bomb train routes in Cambodia during the Vietnam War prior to their announced bombing of Cambodia under Nixon?
They bombed targets of the Sihanouk Trail (much of the transportation was done by trucks and humans rather than trains) as well as various NVA and VC sites secretly.