1953–54: First North Vietnamese invasion and French defeat Laotian Civil War

french general salan , prince sisavang in lao capital, luang prabang, 4 may 1953

in april, 1953, viet minh s people s army of vietnam (pavn) invaded northeastern part of still french protectorate of laos 40,000 troops commanded general võ nguyên giáp; including 2,000 pathet lao soldiers led souphanouvong. objective of two-pronged invasion capture of royal capital of luang prabang , of plain of jars. in november 9 pathet lao began conflict kingdom of laos beginning civil war , technically second indochina war while first indochina war still going.

they opposed 10,000 lao troops , 3,000 french regulars.

the north vietnamese invaders succeeded in conquering border provinces of phongsali , xam neua, adjacent northern vietnam , on northeastern verge of plain of jars. moved aside allow pathet lao force mismatched scrounged equipment occupy captured ground, , souphanouvong moved pathet lao headquarters xam neua on 19 april.

the other strike, moving Điện biên phủ , aimed downriver @ luang prabang, thwarted oncoming monsoons , resistance french.

pathet lao soldiers in xam neua, 1953

the vietnamese invasion stalled, because french had airlifted in battalions of foreign legionnaires , moroccan tirailleurs.

in december, french union army, part of attempt protect laos pavn, recaptured dien bien phu valley.

in january 1954, pavn launched 2 assaults on laos. 1 thrust crossed top of panhandle mekong river town of thakhek. other again aimed @ luang prabang. both thwarted in month.

these diversions famous battle of dien bien phu, took place march through may 1954 within ten kilometers of lao border, on lines of communication plain of jars. ruggedness of karst mountains of northern laos channels movement few canyons; small watercraft move Điện biên phủ down nam ou, , thence directly downriver luang prabang, or cross pdj via ban ban.

the united states used civil air transport, later morphed air america, in covert operation fly supplies embattled french in Điện biên phủ. pavn launched diversionary thrust @ seno, laos aimed @ cutting away panhandle main body of laos. thrust foiled paratroopers french union s army of republic of vietnam.

when relief troops failed lift siege in time, french , local allies lost bastion of Điện biên phủ. 1 of troopers in relief column marching luang prabang young hmong named vang pao.

the french loss @ Điện biên phủ marked end of first indochina war; french driven negotiate peace. on 20 july, agreement on cessation of hostilities in laos signed, ending french rule. 2 months later, north vietnamese established support group pathet lao forces @ ban nameo, within northeastern laos.

the geneva conference of 1954.

the agreement radically changed geography of indochina, resulting in independence laos. on 1 august 1954 french army withdrew laos declaring independence nation alongside north vietnam, south vietnam , cambodia ended first indochina war laotian civil war still ongoing. northern half of vietnam became independent of french imperialist enterprise , ruled independent vietnamese communist government. lao french union troops joined military of independent laos, france kept 2 military bases in laos , maintained military advisors in new lao military. royal lao government military received first aircraft french in 1954; 9 morane-saulnier ms-500 criquets supplied support , medevac.