1960: The neutralist coup Laotian Civil War

the laotian armed forces training center @ khang khai, laos, march 1960

on 9 august 1960, captain kong le , special forces-trained neutralist paratroop battalion able seize control of administrative capital of vientiane in virtually bloodless coup, while prime minister tiao samsanith, government officials, , military leaders met in royal capital, luang prabang. stated aim coup end fighting in laos, end of foreign interference in country, end consequent corruption caused foreign aid, , better treatment soldiers. however, kong le s coup did not end opposition him, , there scramble among unit commanders choose sides. if 1 not pro-coup, had further decision make whom counter coup. front runner general phoumi nosavan, first cousins prime minister of thailand, field marshal sarit thanarat. central intelligence agency s support, sarit set covert thai military advisory group, called kaw taw. kaw taw, support counter-coup mounted; supplied artillery, artillerymen, , advisers phoumi s forces. committed cia-sponsored police aerial reinforcement unit (paru) operations within laos.

immediately after kong le s coup, thailand began embargo via land blockade, cutting off main source of imported goods vientiane. united states secretary of state, christian herter, made clear united states supported legitimate government under king s direction. united states supported pro-western government of prime minister tiao samsanith.

the neutralist forces in vientiane organized executive committee of high command of revolution interim government in laos following day. general phoumi nosavan, stated on 10 august planned retake vientiane force. united states ambassador laos, winthrop g. brown, responded general phoumi stating united states supported restoration of peace through quick , decisive action.

peo had turned support general phoumi. of air america , covert aid thailand, general , troops moved north toward vientiane savannakhet in southern laos, in november.

the soviet union began military air bridge vientiane in december; characterized largest soviet airlift since world war ii. air bridge flew in pavn artillery , gunners reinforce neutralist/pathet lao coalition.

on side, united states flew 4 b-26 invader bombers taiwan takhli royal thai air force base, poised strike laos. later joined additional 8 b26s. dozen guns, half dozen rockets, , napalm canister apiece, potent threat, never used.

on 13 december, phoumi s army began three-day bombardment of vientiane. 5 hundred civilians , seventeen of kong le s paratroopers killed shellfire. on 14th, u.s. carrier task force went on alert, , second airborne brigade stood seize selected laotian airfields. u.s. poised rescue paramilitary , diplomatic advisers in laos.

kong le , neutralists withdrew northward plain of jars. withdrawal covered artillery fire pavn 105 mm howitzers rushed in hanoi, , supported soviet airdrops of crucial supplies of rations, munitions, , radios. in retreat, kong le picked 400 recruits, swelling force 1,200 men.

phoumi s coup successful, end result alliance of neutralists pathet lao on 23 december. 1960 ended, nation of laos had become arena of confrontation world s superpowers.