Vietnam: A Television History; Cambodia and Laos; 109; War in Laos- Laotian Soldiers and US Money

To a great degree the war in Laos is an American war by proxy. It is linked directly to Vietnam and the United States pays for virtually everything in Laos from bombs to bullets to paychecks. But it remains a war the Laos and the Americans are slowly losing. Two years ago the Laotian forces could claim about half of their country. Today the communist side namely North Vietnamese controls fully three quarters of Laos. A primary target for had always troops. Is the mountain valley called it long chain. For years it was a top secret base for CIA support to allow troops. It still is but now the US is prepared to pull out if the pressure becomes too great. New bases have already been built to the rear. One man who does not want to abandon launching is General Vang Pao pulling out would be a severe moral blow to his army of hill tribesmen who have long defended the area. The general added that if launching falls a strike at the country's capital Libyan Chan could follow. But General Vang Pao now finds it increasingly difficult to defend with the troops that he has his own mountain warriors have been decimated by years of fighting. Young teenagers

are commonly found in the ranks. Bone bones army can function now only because it has been filled with so-called volunteers from neighboring Thailand. Volunteers paid for by the United States. The fighting as always creates a constant flow of refugees from January to March this year. Fighting around long chain created 50000 new refugees. Again it is the Americans who support them. The United States cannot under Geneva Convention rules have military forces in Laos. It circumvents this by hiring a private air force called Air America to support Lao soldiers. In addition there are some 200 military attachés plus scores of CIA agents who directly assist Lao troops on field operations. Despite massive U.S. air support. Lao forces have been largely pushed off the Plain of Jars in central Laos. General Vang Pao says he must win back the plane or North Vietnamese will swallow much more of Laos. Last year at this

time voting power control of the plane. This year his few bases are vulnerable. It rang. Up three. The A.

Ill. And.

The writing is already intense and casualties are mounting ahead of schedule. This American built hospital which includes two American doctors receives an average of 30 to 40 casualties a day. A new wing was recently added to handle the anticipated increase as new offensives begin. Significantly the hospital recently received more than 100 wounded in a single day. With North Vietnamese forces controlling 75 percent of Laos. The future of this tiny kingdom remains bleak despite years of massive and largely secret U.S. military efforts here. Jeff Williams CBS News along Chiang Laos.