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Vang Pao

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Nposs (talk | contribs) at 01:40, 9 May 2007 (changed links to references). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

General Vang Pao was an American-allied Hmong military leader in the Second Indochina War. To this day, he remains an important figure in the Hmong community, and is considered to be the key leader of the traditional Hmong living in exile, or in Laos. In the past, he was known for his opposition to the human rights violations conducted by communist government of Laos, but since 2001 he changed his approach and released his Peace Doctrine. Vang was commander of the Secret Army, a highly-effective, American-trained and supported fighting force made up mostly of Hmong tribesmen. He fled to the United States after the communists seized power in Laos in 1975. Since then, he has been subject to several unsuccessful assassination plots, presumably ordered by the government of Laos or foreign communist forces.

Vang is considered by most Hmong to be a preeminent leader of the Hmong people in the United States and a hero of American-allied forced in the Second Indochina War. Although referred to as General, he only obtained the rank of Major General in the Royal lao Army.

Vang is slated to have an elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin named after him.[1] The idea of naming a school after Vang has caused some controversy in Madison due to allegations of drug trafficking and war crimes during the CIA's secret war in Laos.<ref>http://www.channel3000.com/news/13274145/detail.html<ref> The school opens in 2008.

References

  1. ^ http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/today/608.htm
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