Word: laotians
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Meanwhile, General Phoumi Nosavan, the stoutly anti-Communist commander of the Royal Laotian army, was delighted with the stalemate and did all he could to prevent the princely meeting. His reasons: he faces almost certain loss of his post as Defense Minister under a coalition government, and he generally distrusts the idea of a neutral Laos. Phoumi argues that the Geneva accord is a trap to get U.S. troops out of Laos, while the Red cadres from North Viet Nam will simply melt into the countryside, later return to the attack. The U.S. is in the difficult position of trying...
...burgundy, "Neutralist" Souvanna was selected Premier by two fellow princes, his Communist half brother Souphanouvong and the dispirited pro-Westerner, Boun Oum. Worse, it seems evident that U.S.-supported General Phoumi Nosavan will be fobbed off with a minor cabinet post-or with none at all. His Royal Laotian Army is better trained and equipped than it was at the time of the cease-fire last May. But the most optimistic Western observers doubt whether it is yet a match for the Communist Pathet Lao, which has been continuously supplied by Soviet airlift. Commented a U.S. expert: "The problem...
...503rd Battle Group, which is stationed on Okinawa 1,500 miles from South Viet Nam. Despite the knowledge that they are expendable troops, the spirit of the 503rd men is so high that many were genuinely disappointed that they did not get into action earlier this year during the Laotian crisis. Says Captain Jere Hickman: "We were sharpening our knives. I felt sorry for the enemy." The paratroopers share Okinawa with the rugged 3rd Marine Division, which also would be thrown into a fight in Southeast Asia. "We can go into any landlocked country anywhere," says one 503rd officer. "Every...
...Souvanna Phouma-meet to form a new government? Boun Oum's man had held out for the royal capital of Luangprabang, but now agreed that the meeting should take place at the village of Hin Heup on the Lik River, where one bank is held by the Royal Laotian Army and the other by the Communist Pathet...
...paper, the Royal Laotian Army supporting Prince Boun Oum looks twice as strong as the Reds. It numbers 29,000 regulars and more than 30,000 self-defense units. In the past year, the U.S. has. poured nearly $25 million into Laotian military salaries and subsistence, as well as undisclosed millions more in arms, munitions, vehicles and planes. Twenty-four U.S. Special Forces teams are busy at combat and tactical training. "The troops in the field are getting their mail, rice and pay," said a U.S. officer. "Whether they'll fight is the key question...