BACKGROUND NOTES ON LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03061A000100030004-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2000
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: January 16, 1961
• Content Type: REPORT

Attat`nri%nt Fooj 4P01/07/28 : CI P 156(1 F0100039801Auary 1961
BACKGROUND NOTES
ON' LAOS
Laos is a small land-locked country which borders on Burma, the
Chinese Peoples Republic, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Republic
of South Vietnam,-Cambodia and Thailand. It thus serves as a kind of buffer
state between pro-Western, Communist and neutral ntate s.
When , as a result of the 1954 Geneva Conference, Laos received complete
independence, France ceased to provide the support it had heretofore furnished
and Laos turned to the US to fill the gap. The Geneva Accords, signed by Great
Britain, France, Soviet Russia, the Chinese Peoples Republic, the Democratic
Republic of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, specified that Laos was to remain
neutral. Although the US was not a signatory to these accords, it agreed to
abide by them. An L?.nternational Control Commission (ICC), made up of repre-
sentatives from India, Poland and Canada, was set up to supervise the application
of the accords in Laos. ICC decisions were required to be unanimous.
The Geneva agreement set aside the northern provinces of Phong Saly
and Sam Neua for the provisional regroupment of the Pathet Lao forces pending
their integration into the national community. These forces were led by Prince
Souphanouvong and, with the support and guidance of the North Vietnamese
Communists, had been fighting the French since 1946.
The integration of the Pathet Lao into the Laotian political scene has
been the basic problem facing succeeding Lao governments. In 1957, Prime
Minister Souvana Phouma came to an agreement with his half-brother Prince
Souphanouvong which provided for the admission of two Pathet Lao leaders in the
Lao Cabinet pending total integration of the Pathet Lao military and civil organi-
zation into the Lao Government. This reconciliation was a basic attempt to
absorb the Pathet Lao into the political life of the country. As a resulr of this
1957 agreement, known as the Vientiane Accords, there no longer appeared to be
any further reason for maintaining the ICC since the purported aim of the latter
in Laos was to bring together the Pathet Lao and the Royal Government in accord-
ance with the terms of the Geneva Agreement. In consequence, the Laotian
Government requested that ICC leave the country. Although the ICC did leave,
there was a violent reaction on the part of Moscow, Hanoi and Peiping who would
have preferred to continue using the ICC as a convenient observer of all phases of
political life within the country and particularly to use the Polish delegation for
transmission of Communist guidance to the Pathet Lao. Following the Vientiane
Accords, the Neo Lao Hak Sat (NLHS) was officially recognized as a legal political
party representing the Pathet Lao and the government made arrangements to
integrate the Pathet Lao forces into the Royal Laotian Army.
A long period ensued during which the Pathet Lao insisted on being granted
a predominant position within the army, which the government refused, Finally,
in May 1959, the government scheduled the formal integration of two Pathet Lao
battalions into the Laotian forces. At the last minute, both battalions rebelled.
One of them fled to North Vietnam and the other finally surrendered. This was
fc:odiowed, in July 1959, by the armed rebellion of the Pathet Lao supported 1V the
Vietminh and accompanied by a propaganda barrage from North Vietnam urging
the recall of the ICC. In August 1'; 59, the Central Committee of the NLHS fled
to Hanoi and, in September, the Royal Lao Government officially accused the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam of aggression and requested the Secretary
General of the UN to send a team to investigate the charges. The Soviets strongly
objected that such action represented UN interference in Laos and called once
more for the recall of the ICC. Meanwhile, the US moved to reinforce the Laotian
army. In November 1959, the UN Sub-Committee which had been sent to Laos
Attachment to Item #342 UNCLASSIFIED (MORE)
Approved For Release 2001/07/28 : CIA-RDP78-03061A000100030004-5
 `%a.ttakkmvmitroortg lO F, f-eRiUL8pg l- 00030004-5
reported that, whereas they had found -numerous witnesses to the fact that the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam had furnished various types of support to hostile
indigenous forces within Laos, they had found no evidence of border crossings
by DR V troop units. It was clear that the North Vietnamese had withdrawn their
cadres and military personnel prior to the arrival of the UN committee.
Following the conservative victory in the April-May 1960 general elections,
progress toward containing the Pathet Lao and stabilizing the internal security
situation was made until in 1960, the government was overthrown by a coup led by
army captain Kong Le which-returned Souvana Phouma to power. Except for a
period of two years between 1954 and 1956 and another short period during 1957,
Souvana Phouma had been in continuous control of the Government from 1951 to -
1958. After resuming power in September 1960, he declared that his main objec-
tive was to bring about an end to strife within the country by means cf negotiations
with the Pathet Lao. In November 1960, the Souvana government and the Pathet La
greed to the formation of a coalition government and to a cease fire in all areas
which were loyal to th ernment, No indication was given as to what criteria
would be followed in dvr9...1j ag which areas were in effect loyal to the government
and the Pathet Lao had clearly shown that it would use this excuse to direct
attacks against any area _t wished to control simply by stating that the area was
opposed to the go~7exn.-.1,rat. As a result of this, and in spite of the talks which
"r.:re being cam .cl ot;. ,..:ween the government and the PathetLao, clashes
continued betweor. the r a;hat Lao and the Royal Laotian Army.
Mea.nvalile, G,rleral Phoumi Nosavan, Minister of Defense in the previous
government, and Prince Boun Oum gathered those elements which were opposed
to any negotiations with the Pathet Lao and formed a revolutionary committee in
the southern province of Savannakhet. Gradually, General Phoumi and Boun Oum
tallied no-D. -Communist elements from all military districts of Laos and gained
:o."-rol