Word: laotians
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...sixth time, the three Laotian princes met last week to hammer out agreement on a neutral, coalition government for their divided nation...
General Phoumi said progress had been made, and "I think in a few days we could have a formal announcement of a coalition government." Beaming Prince Souvanna added: "The conversations were held in an atmosphere tres amiable. It is truly 100% Laotian talking to Laotian." Red Prince Souphanouvong, leader of the Communist Pathet Lao forces, was delighted to face the TV cameras. In adequate English he predicted that the coalition government would mean "peace in Laos, a neutralist peace," and rejected the suggestion that it might lead swiftly to a Red takeover. When asked if he was a Communist, Souphanouvong...
...long survive the drawing of the map. Nine years later, with the humiliating defeat of Dienbienphu, France withdrew from Indo-China, and the fledgling state of Laos was on its own, along with the other remnant states of partitioned Indo-China. Independence was complicated by the fact that two Laotian provinces were securely in the hands of Communist Pathet Lao bands under Red Prince Souphanouvong. In 1956 his halfbrother, Prince Souvanna Phouma, was chosen Premier and soon integrated the two Red provinces into the kingdom by giving Souphanouvong a Cabinet post. In a subsequent national election, the Reds increased their...
...some $250 million in U.S. economic and military aid had too heady an effect on the Laotian government, which was soon reeling with corruption. Promised reforms never materialized, and practically no funds reached the peasants and forest tribes. The Communist Pathet Lao guerrilla bands began raiding in the north. Red Prince Souphanouvong not only walked out of jail, but took most of his prison guards with him. In August 1960, an obscure paratroop captain named Kong Le staged a military coup in Vientiane and returned Souvanna Phouma to power as Premier. General Phoumi Nosavan, with his CIA advisers, retreated...
...advice of new U.S. Ambassador Winthrop Brown, just about concluded that Laos could only be kept from continual eruption by working toward a coalition of the opposing forces in the country. But the CIA and the U.S. military mission in the field disagreed, opposed dealing with any Laotian leader who seemed soft on Communism. They argued that the U.S.-trained and equipped Royal Laotian Army of 28,000 men under General Phoumi was the only bulwark against a Red takeover. The Pentagon generally backed the CIA, but with the proviso that, under no conditions, should U.S. armed forces be plunged...