Laos's Role in the Vietnamese War

(1954–75), a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its allies.

This secondary source is a solid summary of the Vietnam War.

How the North Vietnamese remember the conflict 40 years after the fall of Saigon. This interesting secondary source adds a different perspective for my project. All of my sources thus far are from the American's perspective. This source tracks the perspective of the North Vietnamese.

Statement by the Department of State, April 17, 1953: Shows that during the Vietnam War Laos was in the middle of a civil war with the communist Pathet Lao and the Viet Minh against The Royal Government of Laos. This primary document also indicates that The Royal Government of Laos received support from the United States against the communist regimes.

This Memorandum of Conference on January 19, 1961 between President Eisenhower and
President-Elect Kennedy shows that China and Russia were involved in the civil war in Laos during the Vietnam War. Not only was China and Russia supporting the Vietnamese Communist regimes, they were also supporting the communist regime Pathet Lao in Laos. This document also explains why Laos received aid from the United States. The United States was afraid that if the communist took control of Laos and Vietnam they would take control of all of Southeast Asia.

This primary document outlines the proposal for the Geneva Conference. The purpose of this conference was to restore peace in the Indochina region. The United States, France, Russia and China were in attendance. The ceasefire covered Laos.

On October 22, 1953 France and Laos signed a treaty transferring powers to the Lao government. This government, however, was comprised of those in support of France involvement. The establishment of this puppet government was a factor leading up to the civil war in Laos.