Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Recent History of Laos

1960's - Hmong tribesmen are trained by the CIA to fight against the Vietnamese.

The North Vietnamese use a supply trail known to the west as the Ho Chi Min Trail that runs into Laos to supply their troops. As a result Laos with a population at the time of 3 million people received as free gift from the government of the United States over 3 million tonnes of bombs, delivered by over 600,000 sorties...which averaged one bombing run every 8 minutes for 9 years.

1975 - Communist take power

1979 - Food shortages cause hundreds of thousands to flee to Thailand - the government allows very limited private enterprise within agriculture

1986 - Inspired by Gorbechev and his changes in the USSR - changes begin in Laos and they allow foreigners to enter

1995 - The USA stops the embargo on aid they have enforced for 20 years

2007 - Daire arrives

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

chk chk, giddy up daire
love Alex & Maria
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Hey D, great to read your site. I am kicking back with the bro at the cave. Hope you clear the cobwebs and keep having a blast. Love Aja.