by PATRICK CLARKIN
The war in Laos, of course, was part of a larger regional conflict referred to as the Second Indochina War (1958-75), more commonly known as the ‘Vietnam War’ in the U.S. or ‘the American War’ in Vietnam. Decades later, many gaping wounds still exist, as the impacts of the war remain deeply embedded in not only the land and infrastructure of Southeast Asia, but also in the bodies and collective psyches of Laotians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Americans scattered across the world. It is not an exaggeration to say that in many ways the war has not ended, though those affected have made enormous efforts to seek reconciliation, justice, or somehow make peace with the past.
In his book “On Apology,” Aaron Lazare (2004) describes numerous anecdotes of individuals and groups who have sought forgiveness or justice for various offenses. One of these, the story of Kim Phuc and John Plummer, pertains to Vietnam. The tragic photos and video of 9-year-old Kim – naked and severely burned – and other children fleeing the napalm-strafed village of Trang Bang have long been iconic images of the war. Plummer was a young American officer in Bien Hoa responsible for coordinating an average of 130 American and 60 South Vietnamese air strikes per day (Chong 1999: 80-3). He claimed to have been the coordinator for the attack on Trang Bang, which was conducted by South Vietnamese pilots, though others have stated that records show his involvement was not possible (Washington Post, 1997).
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