Overview Laotian Civil War

the geneva conference established laotian neutrality. people s army of vietnam (pavn), however, continued operate in both northern , southeastern laos. there repeated attempts 1954 onward force north vietnamese out of laos, regardless of agreements or concessions, hanoi had no intention of withdrawing country or abandoning laotian communist allies.

north vietnam established ho chi minh trail paved highway in southeast laos paralleling vietnamese border. trail designed transport north vietnamese troops , supplies republic of vietnam, aid national liberation front (viet cong).

north vietnam had sizable military effort in northern laos, while sponsoring , maintaining indigenous communist rebellion, pathet lao, put pressure on royal lao government.

the u.s. central intelligence agency (cia), in attempt disrupt these operations in northern laos without direct military involvement, responded training guerrilla force of thirty thousand laotian hill tribesmen, local hmong (meo) tribesmen along mien , khmu, led royal lao army general vang pao, hmong military leader. army, supported cia proprietary airline air america, thailand, royal lao air force, , covert air operation directed united states ambassador laos, fought people s army of vietnam, national liberation front (nlf), , pathet lao allies seesaw stalemate, aiding u.s. interests in war in vietnam.

the status of war in north throughout year depended on weather. dry season started, in november or december, did north vietnamese military operations, fresh troops , supplies flowed down out of north vietnam on newly passable routes, either down dien bien phu, across phong saly province on all-weather highways, or on route 7 through ban ban, laos on northeast corner of plain of jars. cia s covert operation s clandestine army give way, harrying pavn , pathet lao retreated; raven facs direct massive air strikes against communists usaf jets , rlaf t-28s prevent capture of laotian capitals of vientiane , luang prabang. when rainy season 6 months later rendered north vietnamese supply lines impassable, vietnamese communists recede toward vietnam.

the war in southeastern panhandle against ho chi minh trail massive air interdiction program usaf , united states navy because political constraints kept trail safe ground assault south vietnam. raven facs directed air strikes in southeast. other forward air controllers south vietnam, such covey facs 20th tactical air support squadron , nail facs 23rd tactical air support squadron, directed strikes. other air strikes planned ahead. overall coordination of air campaign directed airborne command , control center, such deployed in operation igloo white.

the existence of conflict in laos reported in u.s., , described in press reports cia s secret war in laos because details largely unavailable due official government denials war existed. denials seen necessary considering north vietnamese government , u.s. had both signed agreements specifying neutrality of laos. u.s. involvement considered necessary because democratic republic of vietnam (drv) had conquered large part of country , equally obfuscating role in laos. despite these denials, however, civil war largest u.s. covert operation prior soviet–afghan war, areas of laos controlled north vietnam subjected years of intense aerial bombardment, representing heaviest bombing campaign in history. overshadowing struggle of cold war, united states policy of containment of communism , policies of people s republic of china , soviet union of spreading communism via subversion , insurgency.