Veterans' Voices: The Secret War

Veterans' Voices: The Secret War

By AMPERSSociety & CultureHistory
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Veterans' Voices: The Secret War episodes

  • William Lee #2

    Veteran William Lee recalls his village’s decision to leave their homes to hide in their gardens during a particular difficult time at the beginning of the war.

    2 min
  • William Lee #1

    Veteran William Lee describes that long, grueling months and years soldiers spent in the field during the Secret War. 

    2 min
  • Vang Moua #1

    Veteran Vang Moua describes the process of what happened to the bodies of un-named Hmong soldiers that died during battle.   

    2 min
  • Vang Cha Zue #2

    Veteran Vang Cha Zue was just 14 years old when he was recruited to become a soldier and describes his experience in boot camp. 

    2 min
  • Vang Cha Zue #1

    Veteran Vang Cha Vue describes becoming a solider in order to protect their land and how he deceived the communists in order to flee to Thailand. 

    2 min
  • Tsong Tong Vang #3

    Veteran Tsong Tong Vang describes fleeing from his home and crossing the MeKong River 19 times to help other Hmong refugees who could not swim.  

    2 min
  • Tsong Tong Vang #2

    Veteran Tsong Tong Vang recalls the battle where an rocket explosive landed close to him, killing his brother and damaging his ears for life. 

    2 min
  • Tsong Tong Vang #1

    Veteran Tsong Tong Vang describes how he, and many his age, we were recruited straight from school to become soldiers, even living double lives. 

    2 min

About Veterans' Voices: The Secret War

From the publisher's feed

The Hmong people are a minority group that lived in Southeast Asia and China. After 1975, many became refugees in North America, Australia, and parts of Europe and South America. From 1961 to 1975, In an effort to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, the United States recruited, trained and financed the Hmong and Laos to serve as surrogate soldiers in the American armed forces. Today, there are over 350,000 Hmong living in the United States, with over 81,000 individuals in Minnesota, the largest urbanized Hmong population in the US.