Operation Popeye was a highly classified weather modification program conducted by the United States military during the Vietnam War. The goal of the program was to extend the monsoon season in order to disrupt enemy supply lines and make it more difficult for them to move troops and equipment through the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a network of roads and paths used by the North Vietnamese to supply their forces in the South.
The program was conducted by the U.S. Air Force and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) between 1967 and 1972. It involved seeding clouds with silver iodide, a substance that encourages cloud formation and precipitation, in order to increase the amount of rainfall in certain areas. The program was primarily focused on the Trail, which ran through Laos and Cambodia, but it also targeted other areas of South Vietnam.
The effectiveness of Operation Popeye is a matter of debate. Some experts argue that it did have a significant impact on the North Vietnamese supply lines, making it more difficult for them to move troops and equipment through the Trail. However, others argue that the program had little impact on the war effort and that the enemy was able to adapt to the increased rainfall and continue to move supplies through the Trail.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding its effectiveness, Operation Popeye was highly controversial at the time it was conducted. The U.S. government denied that the program existed for many years and it was not officially acknowledged until the 1970s. The program was also criticized by environmentalists, who argued that it could have long-term impacts on the environment and on the health of local residents.
Today, Operation Popeye is largely seen as a historical curiosity, and it is considered a controversial episode in the history of the United States military. The program is a reminder of the complex and often controversial nature of warfare and the lengths to which militaries will go to gain an advantage over their enemies.