The Elephant Story

One More Invasion of Laos

Jun 10, 2019 | 0 comments

The author first went to Luang Prabang, Laos in 1969 and encountered a number of unwanted North Vietnamese tanks some nine miles north of the capital. There was a continuous debate as to whether the North Vietnamese would actually invade the capital where we had a facility to fuel CIA-backed Hmong fighters and their aircraft. The belief was the Vietnamese would not capture Luang Prabang as it would jeopardize the relationship with the Lao people given their close association with King Savang Vatthana. That argument was a bit weak in that the North Vietnamese showed no restraint in capturing the...

Former Indochina Foes Become New Best Friends

Oct 24, 2016 | 0 comments

As you can judge from a number of our blogs, things were not always friendly between the United States and the countries of Vietnam and Laos. However, after many years of war, misunderstanding and acrimony, the U.S. has finally joined hands with Vietnam and Laos. It is amazing what impact an expansionist China can have on its neighbors and the U.S. as the Chinese build man-made islands with aircraft fighter hangers on them in the South China sea without any plausible justification of a sovereign claim whatsoever. Arrogance and ignorance often create an explosive cocktail as it has in Southeast...