Why was Laos involved in the Vietnam War?

Fearing the spread of communism deeper into Southeast Asia, the US Government held fast to the belief that, if Laos fell into the hands of the National Liberation Front (also known as the Viet Cong), then other nearby nations would also tumble like dominoes. So the CIA established a secret operation in the country, recruiting, training and supporting Hmong people to act as "surrogate soldiers of the American armed forces." And that operation - known as a "secret" or "quiet" war - unfolded in the shadows of the Vietnam War, remaining classified until the 1990s.

To learn more about the CIA’s efforts to stop the spread of communism deeper into Southeast Asia, and the amazing firsthand stories of sacrifice and bravery of the Hmong men and women who served in the operation, watch the full-length documentary America’s Secret War.

This story is part of the collection The Call to Serve: Stories of Sacrifice, War and the Way Home, which was funded by the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation.