LAOS

Laos finds itself in the most unusual situation of being surrounded by almost everyone in Southeast Asia. China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma) border this small country thus leaving it strategically and culturally vital to the region. Inhabited by rice cultivators in the lower lying areas and dozens of tribes in the higher elevations it has a diverse population. Largely Buddhists in the towns the highlanders divide their lineage amongst the surrounding countries and are mainly animists.

Signing the protectorate agreement in Hue City Vietnam in 1884 the French took control of all territory on the western bank of the Mekong River. Over the next 75 years France would slowly relinquish control of Laos to the emperor in Vientiane. In 1947, the king of Luang Prabang, unified the country and became king of Laos.

By 1957 factions opposing the U.S. backed royal government began uprising causing the U.S. aid money to be diverted to a clandestine military aid mission. By 1960 the military staged a coup and a new government was established. Rifts continued throughout the government until 1960 when U.S. supplied forces attacked Vientiane against leftist opposition armed with munitions flown in by Soviet aircraft from Hanoi. Russian aircraft continued to drop supplies as the Leftists captured The Plain of Jars. The U.S. adamantly protested the entrance of the Soviet Union in Laotian affairs. In 1961 to further complicate the issues North Vietnamese troops openly fight on the side of the leftists as a Communist backed Hanoi enters the dispute. As the Cold War escalates this action becomes the beginning of the longest running war in American history, the war in Southeast Asia.

As the conflict escalates a U.S. backed Royal Government continues to receive aid. Money and munitions flow into Laos as the Rightist backed Royal Government controls the west side of the Mekong River. East belongs to the leftist,backed by a Communist Hanoi, it sends troops and supplies over the rugged Truong Son Mountain Range. Communist troops were sent to build staging areas, depots, and command posts along an ancient system of footpaths and roads. As time goes by the Communists trying to widen their grip begin infiltrating south towards Vietnam. To accommodate the influx of ever increasing troops and supplies the trails segments were widened as bicycles were introduced to carry needed equipment. By reinforcing the frames these bicycles could carry loads between 220 and 330 pounds and on occasions much more. At times it appeared to resemble an army of ants working silently and diligently focused on a mission. 

Hanoi continued to expand the trail and by 1962 had 5,000 troops working on it. The road now stretched 600 miles south through Laos approaching Cambodia. Nearly totally hidden from arial observation the bicycles dropped off supplies as trucks took over. This was the beginning of what would become the infamous and highly fought over Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Rightist Laotian fighters, loyal to the U.S. backed Royal Government, are armed with American made M-16 rifles.

Reinforced bicycles loaded with supplies make their way into Laos from Hanoi. As the Monsoons flood the trails these diligent leftist troops continue undaunted. Hanoi's supplies continued heading south until the end of the war.

Clearly visible these weapons are being transported by bicycle making this the beginning of a covert guirrilla style war.

Leaving southern Thailand for the north and the Laotian border I travelled by rail out of Bangkok on an overnight sleeper express. Before it headed west into Myanmar (Burma) I travelled for a time on the infamous Death Railway. 

The Death Railway was a 415 mile long railway built by the Japanese during the ocupation of Southeast Asia to support its forces in the Burma Campaign of WWII. Originally called the Burma-Siam Railway it originates in Bangkok and heads northwest into the mountainous jungles of northern Thailand. 

In 1942 Japanese forces invaded Burma from Thailand and seized the colony from British control. To maintain forces in Burma they needed supplies and troops brought in from seaports which were vulnerable to attack by Allied submarines. The obvious alternate senario was over land by railway which they started in June 1942. The most famous portion of the railway is Bridge 277. Bridge 277, better known as the bridge over the River Kwai, was immortalized by Pierre Boulle in the book and later the movie "The Bridge On the River Kwai". 

The Japanese used the forced labor of 180,000 Asian civilians and 60,000 Allied POW's (prisoners of war) to complete the task. Of these forced laborers about 90,000 Asians and 12,399 Allied POW's died as a direct result of the project. The dead POW's included 6,318 British, 2,815 Australians, 2,490 Dutch, and 356 Americans. During the construction of Hellfire Pass, the most difficult and dangerous section of terrain, sixty-nine men were beaten to death by Japanese guards in the twelve weeks it took to navigate the pass. Most recently the movie "Railway Man" depicts life in the camps and the return of one former British POW and his lifelong struggle to deal with the aftermath of war. 

Trying to understand where the story line was going I watched "Railway Man" with my historical interests peaked as it relates to the subject of war. When the main character and I both realized we were going back for the same reason I was unnerved by his actions. I watched the movie unfold before me on the big screen in a ninety minute abridged version of my life as I related to every emotion in real time. Unsure about the outcome of his actions my insides tightened with feelings I thought I had already worked through. 

Perhaps we shared the same demons as if there were not enough to go around. He is not only plagued by his thoughts of the camps but also by the thoughts of an entire group of survival comrades that share the same watering hole daily. Drinking themselves numb and talking about every subject imaginable except the war they each flinch when the sound of a train is heard. When news of a museum bearing the remains of his very cell and run by his captor he represents the group and returns to confront his fears. 

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