Mrs. Mhxo Xiaaj
Secret War Survivor & Entrepreneur
Rosemount, MN
File No.: 08/50
March 2024

Mxho Xiaaj was born in 1940 into a family of entrepreneurs. During the Secret War, she started her business by selling goods to civilians and soldiers at Sam Thong, Laos. Sam Thong was the USAID-operated medical center for the Secret War in Laos’ Military Region 2, which was located in Xieng Khouang Province. She also believed in equality, that women should have the same privileges and rights as men. She dreamed of one day being able to wear pants instead of long skirts. On May 14, 1975, the final day of the war, Xiaaj and her family were separated as they scrambled to flee the CIA airbase Long Cheng. Some were evacuated by the last planes flown out of the base. Those who remained walked by foot to escape the surging communist forces. A few weeks later, Xiaaj and her family were reunited in the refugee camps in Thailand. In 1976, they departed to the US. Xiaaj’s first job was cleaning for a communication company, earning $5.25 per hour. In the states, she accomplished her dream by owning a small business and no longer feared being looked down upon for wearing “jeans.” ∆

*** Video has been edited and modified, which the correspondence from the video may different from the transcription. Please review the transcription as needed to reflect video flow. English transcription for this interview is available upon request.