Word: laos
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...Loss in Laos. Back in March, the President spoke determinedly of a U.S. "response" if the Russians failed to halt their aggression-by-proxy in Laos. Declared he: "No one should doubt our resolution." But Nikita Khrushchev obviously did. He stalled off Kennedy's proposed cease-fire for five weeks, stepped un the Communist Pathet Lao's guerrilla offensive. By the time Khrushchev finally agreed to a cease-fire last week, the Communist troops controlled about half of Laos. Even after the British-Russian announcement of a cease-fire agreement, the rebels stayed on the offensive. When...
...Time. On cue from the U.S., pro-Western Premier Boun Oum of Laos eagerly accepted the ceasefire, and even set a day and time for the guns to fall silent. The rampaging Communist-led Pathet Lao agreed to the ceasefire, too, but meanwhile its troops keep right on fighting and advancing. At Vang Vieng, a military headquarters 65 miles north of the capital city of Vientiane, some 400 Pathet Lap launched a dawn attack and chased twice as many government troops 40 miles down the road toward the capital. Among the casualties: three members of a U.S. military mission intended...
...midweek, the U.S. State Department called in Russian Ambassador Mikhail Menshikov and declared that the U.S. viewed the continued fighting with "deep concern." The fighting went right on. Red Prince Souphanouvong, leader of the Pathet Lao, boasted: "Our troops and our people are in the position of a victor!" The tiniest Laotian village could read the future. At Ban Sai, barely eight miles from Vientiane, the local chief, who had been begging for U.S. aid to build a market road, last week turned down an offer of $1,000. "Go away and don't come back," he said...
Typically, the Royal Laotians in Vientiane were undisturbed by Communist victories. Without hindrance, the Pathet Lao set up a machine gun in a nearby village and opened fire on U.S. helicopters approaching the city airport. More excitement was caused by a new Greek stripteaser at a local cabaret and by the notice posted at the Lido nightclub: "Just arrived from Thailand-ten fresh, young girls with medical certificates...
Souvanna Phouma, still recognized by the Communists as Premier and now tolerated by the U.S., is clearly returning to take over power. All factions, including the Pathet Lao's Red Prince Souphanouvong, will peacefully assemble in Luangprabang, this week for the long delayed cremation of King Savang Vatthana's father, who has been encased for 18 months in a sandalwood coffin. As the government-controlled Lao Presse hopefully put it: the cremated King, in his "final departure toward nirvana, might bring about the miracle for which the whole world waits...