Is it true that the USA dropped more bombs on Laos during the Secret War than the total amount of bombs dropped on Europe during World War 2?

Yes, it is true that the United States dropped more bombs on Laos during the Secret War than the total amount of bombs dropped on Europe during World War II. From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped approximately 2.5 million tons of bombs on Laos, which is a greater tonnage than all the bombs dropped on Europe during World War II4. This campaign, known as the Secret War, was part of the broader conflict in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era. The intense bombing campaign was conducted to interdict supply lines and support anti-communist forces in Laos5.

In comparison, the total tonnage of bombs dropped on Europe during World War II is not precisely documented in the provided sources, but the scale of the U.S. bombing in Laos is notably significant. The U.S. dropped over 270 million cluster bombs alone in Laos, with about a third failing to detonate3. This has left a lasting legacy of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the country, posing ongoing risks to civilians13.