General Vang Pao: A Torn Legacy

Abstract

General Vang Pao has been a controversial figure since his alliance with the CIA to fight off Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese troops during the Secret War in Laos. Scholars and reporters have asserted that General Vang Pao has committed atrocities, exploited his fellow Hmong, and doesn't deserve the recognition of being considered a "hero" for his contributions to the Hmong community. Historians have been passionate about their opinions about General Vang Pao and his legacy; many books have been written about him and have contested viewpoints about his actions in the context of war and exile in America. General Vang Pao's legacy is determined through the historical context of which writings and reports were published; this paper will distinguish ambiguities of these writings to provide a clear perspective about his life. The sources consulted will consist of scholarly books by those who have written extensively about General Vang Pao, newspaper articles about how he is depicted in media, personal interviews from CIA allies, and book reviews from those involved in the scholarly war.