The Secret War in Laos during the time of the Vietnam War is still under-recognized, which does a disservice to the citizens of Laos who are still dealing with the effects of the mass bombing of their country. I encourage you to continue reading and learning about this significant moment in history because it has had a massive effect on present-day Laos and its culture.
Between 1964 and 1973, the United States heavily bombed central and southern Laos in an attempt to dismantle the use of the Ho Chi Minh Trail by the Viet Cong and their communist allies in Laos.
The Ho Chi Minh Trail was a trail used by Vietnam to send supplies from the north to the south of the country via Laos and Cambodia, countries that were not occupied by America or their allies.
During this time, 2 million tons of bombs and artillery were dropped across Laos in 580,000 missions, making it the most bombed country in the world per capita. This number is equivalent to a planeload of bombs being dropped every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for 9 years.
The US dropped large bombs and bombies, which were hollow and filled with 400-800 smaller cluster bombs. When bombies are released from an aircraft, they open mid-air and sprinkle across the land.
What is the worst part of all this?
Over one-third (80 million) of the ordnance did not explode on impact; they just got buried in the ground, making it extremely unsafe to farm the land, start a fire, and for children to play and explore.
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) has killed more than 20,000 people since the war ended, and even though the country has been working diligently to remove UXO from the land, less than 5% has been destroyed. Children are at the greatest risk for injury and death by UXO because they play in the fields and often don't realize that they have found a bombie before it is too late.
40% of the casualties from UXO are children, and in school, children are being taught at a young age to recognize UXO and what to do if they find anything. They educate these kids so much, that by the time they are 9 years old, they have a strong understanding of what the bombs look like, and how to avoid them.
Imagine being 9 years old and needing to be aware of bombs when you play in the fields behind your home.
Imagine digging in the dirt and you hit something hard, and it instantly explodes, blowing your hand off.
Imagine finding something that looks like a small metal tennis ball in the woods, and you throw it to your friend to play, but it explodes when it hits the ground, instantly killing your friend.
Because there are so many bomb remnants, people use them for decorations at stores, restaurants, and bars. At the night market, people sell jewelry, cutlery, and keychains made out of bombs, as a way to make money from the thing that destroyed their livelihood, and as a constant reminder of how this historical moment continues to influence daily life.
This war affected their culture so much, and it's written on the walls of their tiny wooden houses, and across the giant fields that once were used to farm rice, but are no longer safe due to the UXO threat.
And if you're wondering:
“Hasn’t the United States helped to fund this cleanup and detonation project?”
Yes, since the war, the US has provided Laos with around $140 million to fund UXO clearing projects. The US continues to pay tribute to the people of Laos, and international relations between the countries are making a difference in the betterment of people’s lives. However, it is still estimated to take at least a couple hundred years to fully clear all UXO from the country. There is still a long road ahead to make Laos a safer place.
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