Many Indochinese migrated to Wisconsin after what is often called the "Secret War". This
war was brought under the direction of the United States Government, who
secretly recruited the Hmong to assist with military strategy blocking the Ho Chi Minh trail and rescuing
American pilots whose planes were shot down by the Communist North
Vietnamese and Pathet Lao during the second Indo-China War. In 1975
the United States Government decided to pull out from Indo-China (South
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) and the Communist rule took over.
Many Hmong fled Laos from refuge in Thailand and the
remaining were victims of chemical warfare, prison and persecution by the
new government.
After settling in Thailand refugee camps, many were
eligible to resettle in a third country, such as the United States and
Other countries.
Currently there are nearly 30,000 Hmong
in Wisconsin and about 2000 are residing in Manitowoc County.
