The Secret War

The United States' aerial bombing campaign against Laos during the Vietnam War is often considered one of the worst air bombardment periods in history. The United States conducted this campaign, which characterized it with Operation Barrel Roll, Operation Steel Tiger, and over the span of nine years (1964-1973) dropped more than two million tons of ordnance (Dommen, 2002). The present research article will examine the political, military, and strategic rationale for bombing Laos. Critical factors to consider are the overall U.S. policy of containment during the Cold War, Laos's role within the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the need to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines. In addition, the article will address the implications for Laotian society after the bombings, including more significant long-term effects, such as unexploded ordnance (UXO) and injuries to civilians. Understanding the rationale for destruction by air provides an understanding of the geopolitical nature of the Cold War and the ramifications of air bombing that persisted long after the bombings ceased.

From 1964 to 1973, Laos was become one of the most bombed nations ever, as part of United States military brigades during the Vietnam War. Laos's geographic positioning on the Ho Chi Minh Trail allowed North Vietnam to send troops and supplies into South Vietnam (Kurlantzick, 2017). The United States hoped to weaken North Vietnam by destroying their supply lines and combat communism in Southeast Asia. The extent of the bombing and the human implications had serious physical and ethical implications. In this paper, I will outline the reason for the bombings; the operations that took place, the geopolitical motivations of the United States.

The bombings in Laos were primarily the product of the Cold War. After World War II, the U.S adopted a policy of containing communism that combined with the belief that communism would spread throughout Southeast Asia, termed the "Domino Theory" (Logevall, 2001). Laos was a neutral country in accordance with the Geneva Accords of 1962 but it was nonetheless a battlefield between the communist Pathet Lao, supported by North Vietnam and the Soviet Union, and the Royal Lao Government, backed by the United States. The U.S. perceived the pathet Lao as a direct threat to its strategic interests in Southeast Asia and began counter interventions, including an extensive bombing campaign (Prados, 2009).

The bombing campaign was significantly driven by the Ho Chi Minh Trail, an extensive system of roads and pathways through Laos and Cambodia that was used by North Vietnam to supply the Viet Cong in South Vietnam (Schanberg, 1994). The United States recognized the route as providing a vital lifeline to enemy forces and wanted to eradicate it with heavy bombing. Bombing operations were commenced as Operation Barrel Roll in Northern Laos and as Operation Steel Tiger in Southern Laos to interdict enemy movement (Castle, 1993). Despite this massive bombardment campaign, the trail remained operational, as the North Vietnamese demonstrated flexibility north of the 17th parallel that rendered the bombing efforts ineffective in actually stopping the flow of supplies (Buley, 2008).

In contrast to the open fighting in Vietnam, the U.S. involvement in Laos was conducted mainly covertly, often referred to as the "Secret War." The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was instrumental in organizing and supporting anti-communist militias, specifically the Hmong ethnic group, that were recruited to battle the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese (Robbins, 1987). The U.S. avoided direct troop deployment in support of these militia forces by using airstrikes instead. Because of the covert nature of these efforts, most U.S. citizens did not discover what was done until years later (Kurlantzick, 2017).

The bombing campaign had devastating consequences for Laotian civilians. Many villages were destroyed and resulted in mass displacement. The widespread use of cluster munitions left millions of unexploded munitions (bombs) littered across Laos which has evoked a longer continuing humanitarian crisis (Goscha, 2016). Even today, decades later, unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to injure and kill civilians, limiting land use for agriculture and development (Dommen, 2002). International efforts toward clearing UXO, especially in rural areas, have been implemented, however the efforts are progressing slowly. The legacy of the bombings remains an important aspect of Laotian society, illustrating the long-term effect of military engagement.

The bombings in Laos were associated with Cold War geopolitical strategies, U.S. anti-Communist efforts to disrupt North Vietnamese supplies, and covert military actions. While the United States was motivated to stop the expansion of communism in Laos, the bombing campaign achieved limited military results and caused tremendous civilian suffering. The long-term effects of unexploded ordnance further highlight the enduring consequences of war. Examining the bombings in Laos provides important reflections on the ethics of war, the success or failure of military strategies, and the responsibility of nations to aid in post-war recovery.

References:

• Buley, B. (2008). The New American Way of War: Military Culture and the Political Utility of Force. Routledge.

• Castle, T. (1993). At War in the Shadow of Vietnam: U.S. Military Aid to the Royal Lao Government 1955-1975. Columbia University Press.

• Dommen, A. (2002). The Indochinese Experience of the French and the Americans: Nationalism and Communism in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Indiana University Press.

• Goscha, C. (2016). Vietnam: A New History. Basic Books.

• Kurlantzick, J. (2017). A Great Place to Have a War: America in Laos and the Birth of a Military CIA. Simon & Schuster.

• Logevall, F. (2001). Choosing War: The Lost Chance for Peace and the Escalation of War in Vietnam. University of California Press.

• Prados, J. (2009). Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975. University Press of Kansas.

• Robbins, C. (1987). The Ravens: The Men Who Flew in America’s Secret War in Laos. Crown.

• Schanberg, S. (1994). "The Forgotten War in Laos." The New York Times.