Customer Reviews

Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War In Laos

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I was a CIA officer who fought in Laos from '70 to '72. This is, without a doubt, the best book on the war in Laos. It is not an "adventure" novel or a book of "I was there" like some other books on the war. It is a well researched and in depth account of the war and the CIA involvement. Ken Conboy went to great lengths to research and interview participants in the war, from all sides, and his book is a very detailed and accurate account of the US/CIA effort to prevent Laos from falling to the Communists. This is not, repeat not, a book for casual reading! Conboy has gone to into great detail about the war and the people who fought it; it is, without a doubt, the best account of a war that, to most, is still a "secret war." There are other books about the war that are easier reads but none that is are more accurate or have more depth. This is a great reference book. If you are a serious student of the CIA effort in Southeast Asia during the 60's to the late 70's then this is the book for you.

I read this book, after returning from Laos recently on a visit with a fellow veteran who almost died there in a terrible firefight in 1968. So I read with keen interest Kenneth Conboys book, and it is most informative. I read Shadow War recently after finishing several other somewhat related titles ie. "Tragedy in Paradise" by Charles Weldon MD "A Code to Keep" by Ernest Bruce and "The Sorrow of War" by Bao Ninh "Hell in a Very small place" Mr Kenneth Conboy series of books and these others should be required reading for all American policy makers before they deploy Americans, Hmongs, Filipinos, or Thais to project American policy abroad. Thx cousin

I read this book, after returning from Laos recently on a visit with a fellow veteran who almost died there in a terrible firefight in 1968. So I read with keen interest Kenneth Conboys book, and it is most informative. I read Shadow War recently after finishing several other somewhat related titles ie. "Tragedy in Paradise" by Charles Weldon MD "A Code to Keep" by Ernest Bruce and "The Sorrow of War" by Bao Ninh "Hell in a Very small place" Mr Kenneth Conboy series of books and these others should be required reading for all American policy makers before they deploy Americans, Hmongs, Filipinos, or Thais to project American policy abroad. Thx cousin

Good read, I disagree with some of the characterizations,having been in Laos from 68 to 69,(Moung Soui, the PDJ etc) but then that's human nature. By the way David Pompelli's name is a misspelling. Should be Pompili, But then, what's in a name?