Kong Le.27s Coup and the splintering of the Laotian Airborne Forces Royal Lao Army Airborne



as 1959 ended, anl undertook wider offensive against pathet lao, , active in counter-insurgency operations crack 2e bp led capt. kong le. when situation worsened airborne forces after several weary months of combat, kong le decided take matters own hands. on 9 august 1960, while royal lao government dignitaries in luang prabang attending king sisavang vong s funeral, 2e bp under command of capt. kong le seized control of vientiane in bloodless coup d état in order restore neutrality laos . after dissolving right-wing cabinet of prince samsanith, kong le invited prince souvanna phouma form neutralist coalition government , announced new cabinet open both royalists , marxist pathet lao. latter took immediate advantage of kong le s offer, , began sending forces capital. soviet union assisted pathet lao airlifting in supplies , nva artillery battery equipped captured m101a1 105mm howitzers.


however, royalists, growing approval (and support) of u.s. , thailand, regrouped in savannakhet under command of maj. gen. phoumi nosavan , prepared counter-coup on vientiane. anl split along political lines, parachute units joining opposing factions: 1er bp returned training in thailand seno, , declared loyalty royalists; 3e bp, still 4 months graduation, had 1 company defect kong le neutralist faction; remainder of unit refused support neutralists , held hostage @ vientiane.








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