Vang Pao

Vang Pao, a Hmong military leader, organized a secret army funded by the CIA to fight against the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forces. The army, composed mainly of Hmong tribesmen, conducted guerrilla warfare and rescued downed American pilots in Laos.

Vang Pao's forces defended the CIA base at Long Tieng against a major offensive by the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese. The battle was one of the largest of the Laotian Civil War, with heavy casualties on both sides. The base was held but at great cost.

After the communist victory in Laos, Vang Pao fled to the United States, settling in California. He led the Hmong diaspora community and continued to advocate for Hmong rights and opposition to the Lao government. His exile marked the end of the secret army.

Vang Pao was arrested in the United States on charges of plotting to overthrow the Lao government using weapons and mercenaries. The case drew attention to ongoing tensions between the Hmong diaspora and the Lao regime. Charges were later dropped in 2009.