Wat That Phanom / Bombs

Although it is "off topic", this subject has come up on the list on two
separate occasions, so I note the following both "out of human interest" and
to close the subject:

I went to the Australian Embassy today to collect the new map* of aerial
bombardment, and it affirms (with scientific accuracy) that the myth that
the U.S. only bombed "remote mountain/jungle areas" is just that: a myth.

On the contrary the map shows that the only areas that the U.S. _didn't_
bomb were a few "remote mountain/jungle areas" (specifically: western Bokeo
province, extreme north of Phongsali province, & west Sayabouri) --and
Vientiane Prefecture itself within the Royalist line of control.

Thus, emprically, it is quite possible that Wat That Phanom was destoyed by
bombing (or reverberations from bombing) as this map shows aerial
bombardment in the Mekong Valley from Bolikhamsai down to Champasak (and
beyond to Cambodia, of course).  The bombing along the 17th parallel was
quite intense all the way over to (and including) the banks of the Mekong. 
There is another dense concentration of aerial bombardment on the banks of
the Mekong by the Khammouan-Bolikhamxai border area.

I hope this will put the myth to rest --at least for the members of this
list.

One further note of clarification: maps of "UXO distribution" are not the
same as maps of "Aerial bombardment" --some areas that were intensely
bombarded had relatively low concentrations of UXO because the U.S. was
using larger-payload explosives (rather than small, anti-personnel
explosives).  Thus, one needs to examine two separate maps to get a real
sense of what areas were destroyed.

*This is a "new" map, as it incorporates the information recently provided
by the U.S. under Bush's co-operation policy.  Previous maps were only based
on ground-level observations, whereas this one incorporates precise data
about aerial bombardment.

E.M.

--
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