In March 1969, the United States initiated a series of covert bombing raids on the Sihanouk Trail in Cambodia, which was utilized by North Vietnamese troops and the Viet Cong to transport weapons and supplies into South Vietnam. This operation was part of a clandestine strategy approved by President Richard Nixon, who sought to intensify military efforts against the communist forces during the Vietnam War. At the time, the Nixon administration believed that targeting the Sihanouk Trail would significantly weaken enemy operations, thereby aiding South Vietnamese forces in the ongoing conflict.

The bombings, which were conducted secretly without the approval of Congress or the American public, marked a significant escalation in U.S. military engagement in Southeast Asia. The covert air strikes not only intensified the ongoing war but also raised ethical and legal questions about U.S. involvement in Cambodia, a neutral country. The operation relied heavily on air power, employing B-52 bombers to drop thousands of tons of explosives along the Trail, aiming to cut off supply lines and diminish the capabilities of the North Vietnamese forces.

The decision to bomb Cambodia would have profound consequences, shifting the dynamics of the war in the region and leading to increased instability in Cambodia itself. Over time, the bombings would contribute to the rise of the Khmer Rouge and the subsequent civil war, demonstrating the complex interplay between military strategy and geopolitical ramifications, as well as the unintended consequences of clandestine military operations in foreign nations.