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Jan-28-2010 13:43printcomments

The US Abandonment of the Hmong

How easily we forget those who saved our lives!

Hmong women at Coc Ly market, Sapa, Vietnam 2004
Hmong women at Coc Ly market, Sapa, Vietnam 2004.
Brian Snelson Hockley, Essex, England

(DA NANG, Vietnam) - Many of us may recall the peace loving, and US loyal peoples of Vietnam. There are many stories that have been told of how these wonderful and such courageous folks fought with us, alongside us, protected us, and died with and for us. Some of us remember them as the Montagnards.

The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group of people – primarily from the mountainous areas of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Burma.

There are many personal accounts that have been told to me, and a very near and dear friend, whose husband met a very untimely demise as a result of his exposure to Agent Orange, was shot down while here during the war.

He survived the crash – and was protected from the VC as well as the NVA because of the loyalty and devotion of the Hmong to him and to the US. They literally hid him, fed him, protected him, and helped him find his way back to an allied controlled area where he ultimately met up with his unit and safety with US Ground Troops.

In the 1960’s, the CIA started to recruit the Hmong to help the US fight in Vietnam as well as the “secret war” in Laos. The main reason in my opinion and documented by several historians – their familiarity with the terrain, especially when it came time to block the NVA from heading south via the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Between 1962 – 1975, about 12,000 Hmong died fighting against the Pathet Lao. Following the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975, the Lao kingdom was overthrown by the communists and the Hmong became targets – literally. This began the mass exodus of the Hmong from Laos to Thailand – those who were successful, wound up in UN refugee camps.

Sadly, those who were not part of the exodus to Thailand were sent to re-education camps most of whom died. Others found their way to the US and several other friendly nations. An estimated 30,000 Hmong would be killed by Communist forces while trying to reach Thailand. Over 100,000 Hmong people died as a result of the war.

The Hmong apparently were told that they could bravely fight for the US because the United States would always be there to protect them should local communists turn on the Hmong.

It was a relationship of trust, but Hmong trust in the US would be sadly misplaced. After taking over Laos in 1975, the Pathet Lao Communists stated that they would wipe out the Hmong. A Vietnamese broadcast apparently called for genocide against them.

From 1976 to 1979, there were credible reports of chemical warfare used against Hmong villages.

The world tried to ignore these reports, and some influential voices in the United States tried to discredit the evidence, claiming that the "yellow rain" that had been used to kill Hmong people was just natural bee feces, not a chemical toxin.

By the time overwhelming evidence had been gathered to shatter the "bee feces" theory, the media no longer seemed interested in exploring charges of genocide by Communist forces.

On December 27, 2009, Thailand launched an operation to close a refugee camp and send some 4,500 ethnic Hmong back to Laos, despite concerns about their safety.

Thailand blames other countries for the deportation, and we, the friendly US, whom the Hmong did so much for, risked and lost so many of their lives for US forces, “criticized” the Thai Government.

That was as recent as a week ago. The Hmong’s fate? One could only guess.

Do not forget what they did for us, perhaps many of you reading this have had personal experiences you could share – share them with your congressional and US Representatives, The White House, The UN.

We have a responsibility for these people’s safety – as we promised them we would protect them over 40 years ago. Another lie from the US Government that the rest of the world just ignores.

===================================================

Chuck Palazzo is a Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, the Interim Editor for Agent Orange, and a longtime Vietnam Veterans Against the War Member. Chuck Palazzo has spent years since the war studying the impacts and effects of Agent Orange, a defoliant chemical sprayed by the U.S. govt. on the jungles of Vietnam. He says Dioxins have been re-discovered to cause all sorts of damage to humans. These include Heart Disease, Parkinsonism, Diabetes etcetera. Dioxins are already known to produce serious birth defects and a variety of cancers. The chemical is still sold in Third World Countries and causing the same problems.

We at Salem-News.com welcome Chuck aboard and look forward to sharing more of his stories with our readers in the future.




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Damn you amelika? October 11, 2012 7:21 pm (Pacific time)

I blame it on Pao's behalf. If he was wiser for not falling for the American trick/greediness most will still be here.


Anonymous February 3, 2012 9:34 am (Pacific time)

OMG !!!


Hmong Boy March 3, 2011 11:24 am (Pacific time)

Please learn from this and never get ourselves into a mess like this again. I know there are some good Americans but what can they do and look at the results what happen to Us and the General. Even the people in the JUNGLE in Laos. The U.S just teaches us a lesson to learn and be smart. Don't ever involve with them and just turn our back next round.


Vaj, PajNtoos January 14, 2011 10:28 am (Pacific time)

hearing all this just makes me sad that we the hmong people where betrayed and even till this day we still have love ones who are over there scare to death wondering when this day of resuce will come for them.. and to those who read this it's not because i hate but for those who served in the secret war or ww2.. how come when they pass they aren't bury in virgina cememtry where the rest of the soldiers are.. because they sreved and lost their way of living.. is it because their hmong.. for example our hmong leader General Vang Pao, he served for the CIA, french, and america service why cant he be honored as for those who go and died in iran / iraq.. america should be a shame for all the troble they brought upon us hmong people..


People November 30, 2010 6:46 pm (Pacific time)

This is why so many countries hated the america.


US CHILD W/ HMONG BLOOD. June 28, 2010 11:20 pm (Pacific time)

THIS JUST MAKE ME SICK... AND I KNOW LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE THE DAMN US GOV. AINT GOING BACK, THEY DON'T EVEN WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT WHEN THE TOPIC IS BROUGHT UP. AND WHEN A HELPER IS TRYING TO GO HELP.... "OH IT'S A TERRIST ACT" THATS WHY I LOST MY RESPECT TO THE US CONGRESS AND ALL THE LAWS THEY HAVE. THEY THINK THEY GOT THE POWER TO CHANGE THINGS BUT REALLY THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY CAN'T PLAY GOD. OH YEAH I'M TIRE OF HEARING THAT AMERICA IS FREEDOM... YEAH RIGHT FREEDOM MY ASS, EVERYTHING YOU USE OR GET, YOU NEED THAT LITTLE GREENISH COLOR TISSUE PAPER THAT GOTS A NUMBER AND A PRESIDENT'S HEAD. ENOUGH WITH THE TALKING I'M DONE. LOVE AND RESPECT TO MY HMONG PEOPLE THAT STILL LIVES IN THE JUNGLE. DON'T WAIT ON THE US GOV., CAUSE THEY RATHER GO SAVE A ANIMAL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CATEGORY THEY PUT YOU GUYS ON, BUT IT'S LOWER THAN ANIMALS.


survivor March 19, 2010 3:31 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you Chuck for sharing us the true stories about the Hmong people in Laos. I was grew up during the Vietnam War in Laos. In 1967-1969, when I was a student in Samthong Primary School, I lived new the US headquaters. Almost everyday, I saw many Hmong wounded and deaths soldiers landing by helicopters in front of Samthong Hospital. Many Hmong deaths were waiting for their relatives for several days outside of the hospital. And many wounded soldiers were crying and shouting when the nurse was cleaning the wounds. I also saw many people were mounning their loves and or kids who were died by the war. In the same location, I always met Mr. Pop, the Head of USAID, near his rocky house in Samthong. I am one of the witnesses to your post. Thank.


survivor March 19, 2010 3:29 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you Chuck for sharing us the true stories about the Hmong people in Laos. I was grew up during the Vietnam War in Laos. In 1967-1969, when I was a student in Samthong Primary School, I lived new the US headquaters. Almost everyday, I saw many Hmong wounded and deaths soldiers landing by helicopters in front of Samthong Hospital. Many Hmong deaths were waiting for their relatives for several days outside of the hospital. And many wounded soldiers were crying and shouting when the nurse was cleaning the wounds. I also saw many people were mounning their loves and or kids who were died by the war. In the same location, I always met Mr. Pop, the Head of USAID, near his rocky house in Samthong. I am one of the witnesses to your post. Thank.


emily durusha February 19, 2010 8:37 am (Pacific time)

love it my eyes are alittle teary but i will survive hopfuly


ForgottenPeople February 2, 2010 12:15 pm (Pacific time)

Well, I wasn't old enough to fight the war but I was old enough to remember the long days and nights that we were trying to reach the Mekong River and swam across the river by chain together in a group of 5 or 6 people. We were lucky that we are still alive today to witness the empty promise, a vow of protection. The unlucky ones are those forgotten souls that may still wonder around the Mekong River. We the Hmong people that lucky enough to made it to the US simply just some kind of jewels for the US gov't to decorate their “democracy” and so call “human right.” Those that don’t want to leave the country and move to the jungle in the hope of the US going to back them up for another fight. Laughable, they are end up becoming “Terrorist” in the eyes and mouths of the US gov’t. The Hmong isn’t the only ethic group that were abandoning by the US, search it for yourself. The US gov't holds something highly or valuable only if they can gain something out of it and we the Hmong people were simply no longer benefit the US after the clear outcome of the Vietnam War. Take the Hmong as a lesson.


sad January 31, 2010 1:31 pm (Pacific time)

Thank Chuck for the story. Hmong is American. US fight against North Vietnam but had already normalize with North Vietnam long time ago. Hmong fight with American, what has America done for the them? Shame on America.


sad January 31, 2010 1:29 pm (Pacific time)

Thank Chuck for the story. Hmong is American. US fight against North Vietnam but had already normalize with North Vietnam long time ago. Hmong fight with American, what has America done for the them? Shame on America.


Steve January 31, 2010 10:36 am (Pacific time)

Without ashamming the rest of the World, if the US was not lying the Hmong and the rest of the World, and is still considered the Superpower, lets find a piece of land to settle the Hmong and allow them to govern their own people...that's all they all are asking.


Tony January 31, 2010 7:07 am (Pacific time)

It is so sad to read about these people. This should be a good lesson for tribal people around the world. Don't follow the Hmong.


Orphan from Vietnam War in Laos January 29, 2010 4:49 am (Pacific time)

I support your writer. It is true that The war has been served and past for more then three decades. The USA has already abandone and forgottend the Hmong. Today the Hmong Resistants who remain in the Jungle is really the Veterans who served for the U.S.A. CIA. The future of hmong proplem in Laos or the global should be French and the USA. Because them Hmong People warror has served in the INDOCHINA with French and the the Vietnam war era. Thank you for openning your story here about our hmong people.


Hmong January 29, 2010 12:40 pm (Pacific time)

Very very sad Hmong put hmong's life on the line to safe 1000 us down pilots and at the end us turned them back to the Hmong....!


troubled January 29, 2010 11:49 am (Pacific time)

Thank you Chuck for getting the word out to inform people of why it is so important to help the Hmong people. It's sad to see our government jump in immediately to help a country just because there's oil there for monetary reason but sit back and watch the Hmong people in a country such as Laos get treated like this and not help because there's nothing for them to invest in. The government need to do something. We can't let people die when they've done so much to help the U.S.


Anonymous January 29, 2010 8:43 am (Pacific time)

There sure is a considerable amount of misunderstanding about what happened to these people and what actually occurred in Vietnam. When we pulled our major military infantry units out of Vietnam we had promised the South Vietnamese that we would continue to fund them and provide military material supply assistance. It is true that funding was cut, but that was in 1974-74, long before Bush the father was even president. Who controlled the congressional money-strings back then is easy to look up. The most horrendous war crime I observed in Vietnam were those inflicted against the Hmong by North Vietnamese forces. I really enjoyed killing these very evil creatures.


ray January 29, 2010 8:33 am (Pacific time)

It's sad for our government to go mass around other country tribe and not helping them at the end. Shame to our government.


Marie-Helene Lavallard January 29, 2010 1:00 am (Pacific time)

The story of what happened to the Hmong is awful but I think the way Chuck tells it is not correct. The DMZ was estazblish with the promise that free elections would take place within 2 years. They never took place bescause it was evident that Ho Chi Minh's party would have win them. Then The US invaded Vietnam to back the Saigon regime. Then the spraying of AO began. The Hmong were cheated by the US governement, who used them in a conflict which was NOT a fight for liberty, far from it, it was a conflict for dominating Vietnam. And afterwards the US abandonned them. I wish my friend Chuck would reflect a bit more about the reasons for the Vietnam war : it is a dreadful war from begining to end.


Julie January 28, 2010 11:26 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you for telling this story. Nobody talks about this, and its so sad, maddening. We are suppose to be honorable. Where is our honor?


gp January 28, 2010 6:48 pm (Pacific time)

Thanks Chuck and thanks also to Clint Eastwood who did such a marvelous job of giving the Hmong people a voice and a face in Gran Torino.


cody January 28, 2010 3:43 pm (Pacific time)

When you dont have a country and have nothing to offer, nobody will help you.  I myself is a Hmong, and my heart aches for my people.  I hope the American government will one day live up to their promises and save my people.  The longer they wait, the more people will die.


Matt Johnson January 28, 2010 3:45 pm (Pacific time)

I could not agree more, the U.S. has a serious history of doing things like this, and as Yankee Doodle aptly said, there is always a Republican signature behind it. That's because it always is a matter of money, end of story.


citizen January 28, 2010 3:16 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you Chuck. So few know/care about these people. As the people of the free world we need to stand by our friends in time like this and to let the world know that if you're on our side -we won't turn our back on you.


Yankee Doodle January 28, 2010 2:41 pm (Pacific time)

Look up the republican members of congress for it was those bastards that caused this mass killing when they voted down financing. Thank Bush and all of the other pieces of crap that support money over humanity.

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