1. The Hmong People in Laos Ethnic Conflicts Professor Mazzucelli By: Zoila Acevedo (Vicky)

2. Which theory can we apply? Primordialism: ethnic conflict stems from ‘ancient hatreds’ between ethnic groups and that frustration comes with differences in ‘natural ties’ that derive from religious, racial, or regional connections. Instrumentalism: ethnic conflict is driven by either the relationship between economic wants--greed and grievance) or the active manipulation of ethnic identities by political leaders for their political gain Modernization within constructivism: ethnic conflict is a product of historical processes over time that result in divergent ethnic identities and hostility between them.

3. Overview Ancient History in China 3000 BCE Oppressed Forced assimilation Wars Mountainous Regions Preserved their culture---Shamanism Migration into Southeast Asia Large population in Laos Hmong soldiers recruited for the Secret War in Laos

6. Ancient  Modern History Miao –barbarians used to identify the Hmong in China Largest minority group in China Hmong Clans Hmong means “Free”

7. Ancient  Modern History 3000 BC Yellow River Valley of China—Jiangsu Province From the Han Dynasty  Sui Dynasty 581 CE all nationalities had their independence and had to pay government taxes Chinese continuous pushed through Hmong territory Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Hmong territory almost completely conquered by the Chinese Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Bloody Rebellions by the Hmong By the 1700s many Hmong moved South into Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand 1840- Major Movement of Hmong into Laos.

8. 1893- French establish a protectorate into Laos. 1952-Catholic missionary Father Yves Betrais and two American linguists, Dr. Williams Smalley and Dr. Linwood Barney, developed a Hmong writing system based on the Roman Popular Alphabet (RPA). 1954-The French were defeated; Laos gained their independence and became a member of the United Nations. Late 1950's-American Green Berets begin arriving in Laos to assist in the struggle against the communist forces. 1960-Lo Fong, a leader in the Pathet Lao, created the Lao-Hmong alphabet. 1961-1973-The Hmong, led by General Vang Pao, assist the United States in the struggle against communist expansion in Southeast Asia. 1962-The Geneva Accords reaffirm that Laos is a neutral country in the widening conflict in Southeast Asia.1964- North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao occupy Plaine des Jarres.

10. “Miao” People in China Proud and Independent Group Tax rebellion – led them into Southeast Asia

11. The Secret War in Laos Political differences Royal Lao vs. Pathet Lao The Hmong side with the non-Communist side Hmong liked keeping to themselves, an extremely independent group. Communism would interfere with their system CIA Operative Bill Lair General Vang Pao of the Royal Lao Army http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s76hLt3-hHo Pathet Lao into Power U.S Troops Return home Hmong people flee in fear of retribution

12. Hmong in Laos General Van Pao’s Hmong Army of 30,000 soldiers fought on the side of the United States against Communism. (not all Hmong fought on US side) The Communist party Pathet Lao takes over Laos, the United States returns homes, and the Hmong are left in danger in their own homes. Hmong facing retribution by the Pathet Lao The Pathet Lao arrested Hmong that were involved in the war against them and sent them to re-education camps and were never seen again. The Hmong who remained in Laos fought with resistance groups against the Laos government with the weapons the CIA left behind during the Secret War.

13. Policy of Pathet Lao towards Hmong Take over all the Hmong Villages Shoot down any Hmong Kill those crossing the River into Thailand The Hmong ethnic group seen as the enemy Genocide http://www.ehmongmusic.com/dedication- 35-8181-9658-title-dedicate-to-my-hmong- people-from-kou.html (song Hmong)http://www.ehmongmusic.com/dedication- 35-8181-9658-title-dedicate-to-my-hmong- people-from-kou.html

15. Political Asylum Live in the asylum camps in Thailand BanVinai Years passed and the food rations in the Thai camps began running out. These camps were serving as temporary homes while there permanent homes were being arranged. Next migration: The United Staes

16. From the Mountains to the Suburbs 226,522 (by 2009) immigrated to the United States. (California, Minnesota, Wisconsin) Approximately 250,000 Hmong in the U.S today They were forced to assimilate into U.S society U.S government provided welfare for first 3 years and then required to find jobs. –Welfare was shortened to 18 months after the second wave of Hmong into the United State Harvesting their own food Large families Ancestry

17. Investigating this conflict Is it an ethnic conflict? Does it fit any of the theories? Ideological differences-siding with the U.S Some Hmong part of the Pathet Lao did not matter—all Hmong considered the enemy

18. What/Who remains in Laos? Unexploded Ordinance (more ammunitions and bombs were dropped in Laos than Vietnam) http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2013/4 /4/40_years_after_secret_us_war_in_laos _ended_millions_of_unexploded_bomblets _keep_killing_laotians (1.20)http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2013/4 /4/40_years_after_secret_us_war_in_laos _ended_millions_of_unexploded_bomblets _keep_killing_laotians

19. Results As part of their decision to side with the United States in Laos as part of the Secret War in Laos the Hmong people were then forced to flee Laos. They were the enemy in war (Us vs. Them) As a result of immigration into the United States they lost much of the culture they had conserved for centuries and a short amount of time.

20. Books and Biographies The Spirit Catches Me and I Fall Down (Hmong Biography) By: Anne Fadiman The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Famliy Memoir By: Kau Kali Yang A People’s History of the Hmong By: Paul Hilmer Tragic Mountains: The Hmong, the Americans, and the Secret Wars for Laos, 1942-1992 By: Jane Hamilton-Merritt I Begin My Life All Over: The Hmong and the American Immigrant Experience By: Lillian Federman

21. Work Cited Frankel, Max. "Johnson Defends the War." New York Times [New York City] 22 Sept 1967, n. pag. Print.. Glassner, Jeffrey. The Secret Vietnam War. First. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers, 1995. 2-197. Print Leary, William. "CIA Air Operations in Laos 1955-1974." Supporting the "Secret War". (2004): 1-13. Web. 19 May. 2012.. Mohr, Charles. "U.S. AIDES URGING FORCE OF 350,000 FOR VIETNAM WAR; Expansion Sought in Saigon Would 'Inevitabl'y Affect Reserves and Guard BIGGER U.S. FORCE IN VIETNAM URGED." New York Times [New York City] 4 Dec 1965, n. pag. Print.. Palmer, General Bruce. The 25-Year War. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1984. 155-177. Print. Pyle, Richard, and Horst Faas. Lost over Laos. Cambridge : Da Capo Press, 2003. 91-205. Print. Slabey, Robert. The United States and Viet Nam from War to Peace. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers, 1996. 39-65. Print. Zhai, Qiang. China and the Vietnam Wars 1950-1975. Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press, 2000. 64-193. Print.

22. Extras if you are interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4xKbys4724&feature =fvwp&NR=1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4xKbys4724&feature =fvwp&NR=1 –Good overview of Hmong life, culture, involvement in the Secret War Becoming American (Hmong Documentary) Grand Torino (Hollywood) http://www.ehmongmusic.com/dedication-35-8181-9658- title-dedicate-to-my-hmong-people-from-kou.htmlhttp://www.ehmongmusic.com/dedication-35-8181-9658- title-dedicate-to-my-hmong-people-from-kou.html – (Hmong song, explaining the history since the secret war)