Hmong People

The Hmong People are an Asian indigenous group that are from the rocky regions of China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. China's Hmong community is called Miao group that is controversial because some Chinese Hmongs  believe that its meaning denotes barbarism. The Hmong in China are part of a sub-group called the Miao, which constitutes the 55 minority ethnicity in China.  There history has been difficult to trace, but many historians believe that they have lived in Southern China for approximately 2,000 years. Geographically, China has the largest Hmong population with about 2 million people. Vietnam-787,604, Laos-460,000 and Thailand-151,080 are the third most populate Hmong communities outside of China. France-15,000, Australia-2,000, French Guiana-1,500, Canada and Argentina-600, and the United States-209,866 are the other countries with sizable Hmong populations.

Hmong people helped assist America during the Vietnam War by fighting against the North Vietnamese Army Intruders. It was a special guerrilla unit by General Vang Pao and the CIA, with help from the Hmong men in Laos. The CIA used the Hmong Guerrilla Unit in Laos to counter attack the Ho Chih Minh Trail that supplied Vietnam from the North to the South. Two years after America's withdrawal in Vietnam, Laos was overthrown by Southern Vietnam and they were victimized and marginalized, so many migrated to Thailand where they were placed in filthy refugee camps established by the UN. United States denied The Secret War between the Hmong in Laos and Vietnam, but recently acknowledged it and established a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. Laos says they will repatriate the Hmong in Thailand, but many of the Hmong have been forced to leave Thailand by the government. In 2007, an American man and his Hmong conspirators garnered weapons illegally from the US and allegedly planned to stage a takeover of the Laos government, but they were caught by the American government, but were subsequently released and never sentenced.

I liked learning about the Hmong people because of their rich history and there varied backgrounds. They have ties to many countries and are one of the most populous indigenous tribes in Southeast Asia. I  think it is sad how they have been displaced multiple times and many were used solely as mercenaries for the American government during the Vietnam War. I am glad that America has acknowledged their bravery and their assistance in the Vietnam War where they were so helpful in their success. Often the Hmong people in Laos are referred to as terrorists because of the history of rebellions against their country due to the injustices and the displacement. I probably have met a Hmong person because they have a significant population in California. The Hmong are an interesting indigenous tribe with a modernizing culture and they have a rich history in Southeast Asia.