The “most heavily bombed country in the world” is an ominous title to have. It’s generally easy in the West to think that it must belong to what an instigative nation or problematic nation such as Russia, or one of the Axis Powers of WWII. However, this is not the case. The most heavily bombed country in the world and it’s relevance is not well documented in the west, and certainly not in the U.S. where I live. There is not a single world history textbook accessible to me that records anything about this country except for its name and location.
From 1964 - 1973, Laos became victim to the heaviest bombardment by the U.S. against communist Pathet Lao, an ally to North Vietnam and the Soviet Union, earning the title of the most heavily bombed country in history. In what was called “Operation Barrel Roll,” and “Operation Steel Tiger,” the United States dropped 260 million bombs, more than all the bombs dropped in WWII combined, on the nation of Laos. The intent was to secretly support the Royal Lao Government against the communist party and destroy communist supply lines, however, this decision came at the cost of the livelihood of almost all Laotians.
Each red dot equals one bombing, Source
Laos as a whole is a country comprised of many cultures and ethnic groups, and it’s independence from France’s Indochina claim was just barely achieved in 1954, after communist Ho Chi Minh defeated France’s army.
As of today though, Laos continues to suffer the consequences of not only the mass destruction caused by the bombings to begin with, but the remaining undetonated explosives. It is estimated that over 80 million of the bombs dropped did not detonate or went unexploded, plaguing forests, the outskirts of villages, and almost all of the mountains in Laos.
The bombings still affect the local life greatly, as these undetonated explosives are responsible for more than 500,000 deaths and injuries since 1964. As of September 1st, 2021, the MAG, Mines Advisory Group, has cleared over 300,000 and although this is a large number, there are many more unrecorded bombs still out there. In fact, on the U.S. travel advisory, Laos sits at a Level 2, meaning to exercise increased caution if one visits, stating that “There are large numbers of unexploded bombs in these areas left over from the Indochina War.”
Although the bombs pose great threats to Laotians, some of them are actually crucial resources for building homes, boats, tools, and other items. Laos is still heavily scarred by the bombings, but people who use these bombs as resources aim to prove to tourists and the rest of the world that Laos is still standing, and that awareness must be brought towards the bombings that the U.S. so desperately tries to cover up.
A house with bomb casings as supports, Source
As of now, Laos continues to live with caution and resourcefulness, bearing the responsibility of disposing the explosives on its land. Now dubbed "the secret war," the U.S.' operation in Laos has been largely and wrongfully swept under the rug.
My mentor recently travelled to Laos herself, and on a video conference, she pointed out to me that just behind her, where the greenery and mountains set a scene of a paradise, the trees were in fact littered with unexplored bombs. From where she sat in her hotel, the reality of the bombings and forgotten history sat no more than a few miles away. Visiting the markets, she told me that many items and keepsakes for sale were made from recycled bomb material, like jewelry and tools.
Perseverance and creativity is what allows Laos to keep standing, and should we all model ourselves to be as persistent as the Laos residents, recycling, disposing of, and making better use of destructive weapons, many more problems in this world suddenly seem plausibly solvable.