From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped more than two million tons of ordnance on Laos during 580,000 bombing missions—equal to a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24-hours a day, for 9 years – making Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history. The bombings were part of the U.S. Secret War in Laos to support the Royal Lao Government against the Pathet Lao and to interdict traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The bombings destroyed many villages and displaced hundreds of thousands of Lao civilians during the nine-year period.
Up to a third of the bombs dropped did not explode, leaving Laos contaminated with vast quantities of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Over 20,000 people have been killed or injured by UXO in Laos since the bombing ceased. The wounds of war are not only felt in Laos. When the Americans withdrew from Laos in 1973, hundreds of thousands of refugees fled the country, and many of them ultimately resettled in the United States.
The Viengxay caves in Houaphan province of north-eastern Laos are an extensive network of caves in limestone mountains. Four-hundred eighty of these caves were used by the Pathet Lao during second Indochina War to shelter from American bombardment.
Up to 23,000 people lived in the caves, which contained a hospital, a school, Pathet Lao offices, bakeries, shops, and even a theatre. The area was home to the Communist army, who were fighting the royalist forces, based in Vientiane. The caves were used for living and working in because the US air force was bombing the area so heavily.Locals say that farmers had to farm at night to avoid bombing raids. Viengxay served as a base for the communist forces (and holding facility for captured US servicemen) because it was close to the Vietnamese border for logistical and political support.
Viengxay is a small town located in the northern part of Laos, just 52km from the Vietnamese border. Off the beaten track, Houaphanh province offers a remarkable landscape of limestone mountains, inside which a vast labyrinth of caves unfolds. From 1964 to 1973, some 400 caves hosted more than 20,000 Lao nationalists and provided the perfect hideout to escape from the heaviest bombing ever carried out in history. More bombs were dropped on Laos by the Americans than were dropped on all of Europe in WWII. The Pathet Lao people developed an underground city complete with a hospital, school, shops, government offices, a bakery and even a theatre. It is considered the birthplace and spiritual home of the Lao PDR. To get a comprehensive understanding on the history of the site, and consequently of the Country, listen to the cave audio tour, the first of its kind in Laos, in which Lao people tell you their story of Viengxay during the war.
Today, Viengxay is a peaceful place waiting to unveil its charms and beauty to the traveller. Apart from the cave that you should not miss, explore the charming town of Viengxay by bicycle or motorbike, the nearby hot springs and the surrounding villages, home to several ethnic groups (Tai daeng, Yao, Kamu, Hmong) and some of the finest silk and cotton weavers. Simple accommodation at a family-owned guesthouse comes with a friendly local welcome.
Houaphanh Province is now opening up to the world, the ‘hidden city’ of Viengxay is the centrepiece of an inspired project undertaken by the government with European donor assistance to bring development to this very poor and remote region through sensitive tourism development.
The audio tour developed and managed by a private Australian company ends with these words:
“The war is still having its effect on children born decades after the conflict ended. UXO –explosive ordnance that didn’t detonate when fired or dropped – contaminates the whole country and prevents people from using land. UXO might be hidden under a school playing field or a house, or in fields…. When they are disturbed, by digging or often by children picking them up and playing with them, they explode.” It is estimated that UXO kills and injures one person a day, every day in Laos and that it will take another 20 years to clear them.
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Souvannaboummi International Airport, Thailand and Luang Prabang International Airport | ||||
| DEPARTURE TIME | Please arrive at least 2 hours before the flight. | ||||
| TOUR NOT INCLUDED |
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| TOUR INCLUDED |
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Here are some other startling facts about the U.S. bombing of Laos and its tragic aftermath:
- Over 270 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War (210 million more bombs than were dropped on Iraq in 1991, 1998 and 2006 combined); up to 80 million did not detonate.
- Nearly 40 years on, less than 1% of these munitions have been destroyed.More than half of all confirmed cluster munitions casualties in the world have occurred in Laos.
- Each year there are now just under 50 new casualties in Laos, down from 310 in 2008. Close to 60% of the accidents result in death, and 40% of the victims are children.
- Between 1993 and 2016, the U.S. contributed on average $4.9M per year for UXO clearance in Laos; the U.S. spent $13.3M per day (in 2013 dollars) for nine years bombing Laos.
- In just ten days of bombing Laos, the U.S. spent $130M (in 2013 dollars), or more than it has spent in clean up over the past 24 years ($118M).
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