Hmong Pre-New Year Celebration Saturday and Sunday, August 25-26, 2007 - Silver Creek Park, Manitowoc
Opening Ceremony at 9:30 am Saturday August 25
Hmong History
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.
