The Hmong Experience

Hmong Experience in America Lesson

• Introduction (10 min)

• Seminar Preparation (15-20 minutes)

• Seminar (15-20 minutes)

• Video Clips (5-10 minutes time permitting)

Who are the Hmong?

• Asian ethnic group living primarily in the mountains of China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

• Migrated to SE Asia from China in the 1800s seeking freedom and independence

What role did the Hmong play during Vietnam?

• The CIA recruited Hmong villagers from Laos to help them fight against Communist forces during Vietnam.

• Hmong fighters attacked N. Vietnamese convoys on the Ho Chi Minh trail, rescued downed American pilots, fought against the Pathet Lao Communist party of Laos.

What happened to the Hmong?

• The Americans pulled out of Vietnam in 1973. Saigon, the main city of Vietnam, fell to the Communist. Laos fell to the Communist soon after.

• Many Hmong families fled the Communists in Laos. They became refugees first in Thailand and then in France and the United States.

Where are the Hmong today?

• Approximately 270,000 Hmong live in the US, mainly in CA, MN and WI

• Approximately 460,000 Hmong still live in Laos—some facing the threat of persecution

• Hmong also live in China, Vietnam, Thailand and France

Witness to a Secret War trailer—a clip of the “secret war in Laos” and

its effect on the Hmong

• http://vimeo.com/3187191

Seminar Expectations

• Participate

• Pay attention

• Cell phones packed away

• Be respectful to your discussion members

Seminar Objectives and Grading

Objectives: • Learn about and discuss the role of Hmong soldiers

during the Vietnam war and the impact on their futures.

• Participate in an academic discussion and fulfill all 4 requirement of that discussion.

Discussion Requirement• Cite information• Be prepared• Prompt someone else to respond• Respond to a question.

Seminar Preparation

• Spend the next 15 minutes answering the questions in your packet.

• These are not meant to be right or wrong questions. Sometimes you will have to make an “educated guess”. Sometimes you will be giving your opinion.

• Make sure you highlight information that you can use to “cite” and support your opinion.

2 more clips

• The funeral of General Vang Pao. Vang Pao lead the Hmong troops in Laos. Many people felt that he should have been buried at Arlington National Cemetary in recognition of his service.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mi68GYu64k• Still a Secret War clip. Small groups of Hmong

soldiers still hide in the jungles of Laos, fighting the Laotian government.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mi68GYu64k