Military Model Scene

Title: The Erawan War, Volume 2
Author: Ken Conboy
Publisher: Helion & Company
ISBN: 978-1-915070-60-9

The second part of this story of the CIA supporting paramilitary operations in Laos over the period of 1969-1974. Number 28 in Helion's 'Asia@War' series, a 64-page soft-cover book in the usual style of the series. Interesting text, plenty of archive photos and a 14-page colour section in the middle, with some very atmospheric photos from the time, a few colour aircraft profiles and a wide selection of unit patches are illustrated as well.
This is a complex story wrapped up within the wider context of the later stages of the Vietnam War. All at a time that US involvement in Vietnam was being wound down but when their actions were less public with their support of the government of neighbouring Laos, partly to halt the spread of Communism and equally to maintain roadwatch operations over the parts of the Ho Chi Minh trail that went through Laos, funnelling North Vietnamese troops and equipment down into South Vietnam. With the area split into 'Military Regions', each with their own commanders who clearly vied for power, influence and no doubt money, of tribal based guerrilla units and more. They still had support from US airpower but also from Air America, the supposedly civilian airline but actually a workhorse of the CIA operations in SE Asia. Much of the action is centred around the Plaines des Jarres, (Plain of Jars). There were times of success and equally times of failure, which are well described. Rather than just guerrillas and commando units, it increasingly involved large scale units, and included the use of artillery, tanks (by the NVA) as well as helicopters and air support. Even volunteers from Thailand made up some units. The 'enemy' were largely regular NVA forces.
As it's height, the CIA were controlling paramilitary units that added up to the equivalent of 8 divisions. Lots of issues as the war in Laos went through various ups and downs, all amidst the wider developments of the Vietnam war and the Peace process. To keep to the Paris Peace accords the actions of the CIA in Laos was also wound down, tied to a new coalition government in Laos itself. How that was done in a controlled way is detailed just as they maintained a watch over the Trail and photos proved the North Vietnamese broke their own promises from Paris, and continued to send tanks, troops and equipment along the trail towards the South. Never exposed to the world's press in the same way as the war in Vietnam itself, there is a lot in this book which was largely unreported at the time, I learnt a lot that was new to me thanks to this new book.
Thanks to Helion & Co for a review copy.

Robin