Abstract American Intervention in Laos: A Conflict in the Shadow of Vietnam Conclusions The United States Government achieved a great This research focuses on American aid to the David Armstrong milestone with their intervention in Laos. They Royal Lao Government from 1955 to 1975. The Colorado State University-Pueblo helped bring an end to a conflict that raged on for intention of this research is to highlight the little, or nearly twenty years and bring about sovereignty unknown, endeavors of the American government to a nation that had been seeking it for many during the Vietnam conflict and inform people on years before. If not for U.S. intervention, who is to something else of importance during the 1960s. know if conflict ever would have ended or if Laos Modern history focuses on issues such as the would even be a country today as the North Vietnam conflict and the civil rights movement in Vietnamese military and government was heavily America in the 1960s and do not touch on other involved in Laos happenings. By extension, U.S. important aspects of America’s actions. The focus intervention in Laos was really another part of the on these two areas draws attention away from Vietnam conflict, but in the same sense a conflict historical events that could otherwise help people all of its own as the U.S. took up a much more to understand the accomplishments of the United defensive or aid and assist role than offensive States government, military, and the CIA. aside from the bombings in Northern Laos. Research indicates that the United States helped Without U.S. intervention, Laos may not have bring an end to the Laotian Civil War and the established the government that they have today. establishment of a representative Laotian The United States greatly influenced and helped government after over twenty years of conflict in Laos in their twenty years there even in the midst Laos. Congressional hearings on U.S. intervention Air America's helicopters as they arrived for duty. Underneath the Air America helicopters returning from a mission in Laos. Notice that light coat of green paint, a large white star and the word "Marines" there are no markings on the helicopters. of a greater conflict in Vietnam and so many in Laos started in 1969 as the country’s criticism were clearly visible. domestic problems such as the growing criticisms of the role in Vietnam grew. Until that time the of Vietnam and the draft or matters such as the United States’ role in Laos had been considered a Civil Rights Movement. The 1960s is a decade of “non-attributable war” by former CIA Director the same teachings and same faces, this simply William E. Colby. This caused it to become an highlights a different aspect of American history unknown American conflict. It is the aim of this that is usually left out of the conversation although research to bring a new topic to the 1960s and important to understanding the American mindset allow American happenings to emerge from the Results in the past. shadows of the Vietnam conflict and domestic Fighting in Laos escalated in the summer of 1960 and with the escalation, the Pathet Lao would make great strides in gaining American political debates. control of Laos. In March of 1961, President John F. Kennedy was briefed on the deteriorating situation in Laos and U.S. force Methods levels in the Pacific Theater by Admiral Harry D. Felt, the Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces. Upon receiving this briefing, President Kennedy would activate more U.S. troops to aid the Royal Lao Government. The plan that was to be put into effect Bibliography after the loss of American troops when military aircraft were shot down during reconnaissance missions. The plan was to fly My research began with looking other U.S. Hofmann, George R., and United States. Marine Marines into an airfield in Thailand on civilian aircraft flown by civilian pilots with the U.S. airline, Air America. This insertion of operations that were taking place during the Corps. History Division, Issuing Body. Operation U.S. Marines would be named, Operation Millpond. The U.S. intervention in Laos was not known about to the general public Vietnam conflict. After serving time in the military I Millpond: U.S. Marines in Thailand, 1961. because of its covert nature. Tensions and criticisms were rising in the Vietnam conflict and causing many issues on the home understood that we aren’t only in one place at a Occasional Paper (United States. Marine Corps. front. In 1962 the CIA took the lead in Laos setting up training facilities for Laotians in Thailand to train up some 750 Hmong, time but typically in multiple regions conducting History Division). 2009. ethnic Laotians from the Lao Sung (mountaintop) region, in guerilla warfare tactics and on modern weapons and radios. Then different types of operations. When looking for Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is quoted as stating in a 1975 questioning in regard to handing the operation to the CIA other U.S. operations I came across Operation Castle, Timothy N. At War in the Shadow of stating, “One, to avoid a formal avowal of American participation there for diplomatic reasons, and the second, I suspect, because Millpond and was going to focus on that Vietnam: U.S. Military Aid to the Royal Lao it was less accountable.” By handing the operation over to the CIA, American politicians were able to claim plausible deniability of specifically but upon further research found out Government, 1955-1975. New York: Columbia any interference in Laos. Former CIA director William E. Colby has said that the intelligence agency had a major role in Laos that there was much more going on than just this University Press, 1993. because it was important to conduct a “non-attributable war” but in late 1969 with criticisms of U.S. involvement in Vietnam one operation and decided to dive deeper into my growing, word of U.S. involvement in Laos was made public for the first time since their entrance in 1955. As news and research on U.S. intervention in Laos. This led to Van Staaveren, Jacob. Interdiction in Southern congressional hearings of U.S. aid to the Royal Lao Government emerged, it became clear that it war much more of a a new outlook on what all was going on from 1955 Laos, 1960-1968: The United States Air Force in conventional military struggle. In 1973 after nearly twenty years of U.S. intervention in Laos, a Vientiane Agreement stopped U.S. to 1975. I found a source on Operation Millpond Southeast Asia. Washington, D.C.: Center for Air bombings and once a new Lao coalition government was formed, mandated the expulsion of Air America and the Thai SGUs. It by a man who was involved in it and a few Force History: For Sale by the Supt. of Docs., was over the next two years that the Pathet Lao and royalists would form a new government. secondary sources all about the U.S. and Laos. U.S. G.P.O., 1993.