The Laotian Civil War was a military conflict that pitted the guerrilla forces of the Marxist-oriented Pathet Lao against the armed and security forces of the Kingdom of Laos (French: Royaume du Laos), led by the conservative Royal Lao Government, between 1960 and 1975. Main combatants comprised:

To meet the threat represented by the Pathet Lao insurgency, the Laotian Armed Forces depended on a small French military training mission (French: Mission Militaire Française près du Gouvernment Royale du Laos – MMFI-GRL),[1] headed by a general officer, an exceptional arrangement permitted under the 1955 Geneva Accords, as well as covert assistance from the United States in the form of the Programs Evaluation Office (PEO), established on 15 December 1955, replaced in 1961 by the Military Assistance Advisory Group (Laos), which was later changed in September 1962 into the Requirements Office.[2] Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. provided Laos with direct military assistance, but not including the cost of equipping and training irregular and paramilitary forces by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).[3] In addition to U.S. covert support, the FAR received further military assistance from the United Kingdom, Thailand, Burma, the Philippines, the Republic of China (Taiwan), South Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia;

PEO adviser Jack F. Mathews with then Major Vang Pao, commander of the 10éme Bataillon de Infanterie (10 BI), at Nong Net, July 1960.
An Auto Defense de Choc (ADC) Hmong guerrilla company assembles at Phou Vieng, Spring 1961.
Pathet Lao's LPAF guerrillas assemble at Sam Neua, April 1953.

An eclectic variety of weapons was used by all sides in the Laotian Civil War. Laotian regular FAR and FAN and irregular SGUs weaponry in the early days of the war was a hodgepodge, with most of their combat units equipped in a haphazard way with an array of French, American, Australian, British, and German weapon systems, mostly of WWII-vintage, either drawn from First Indochina War stocks handed down by the French or secretly provided by the Americans.[6][7] After 1955 however, the FAR began the process of standardisation on U.S. equipment, with its airborne and infantry units first taking delivery of semi-automatic and automatic small-arms of WWII/Korean War-vintage in late 1959, followed by the delivery between 1963 and 1971 of more modern military equipments, which included aircraft, armored and transport vehicles, and long-range artillery pieces. In 1969 secret deliveries of modern U.S. small-arms arrived in Laos, and were initially only given to the Laotian Royal Guard and airborne units; standardisation in U.S. fully-automatic infantry weapons in the RLA and the irregular SGUs was completed by 1971, replacing much of the older weaponry.[8][9] Captured infantry weapons of Soviet and Chinese origin were also employed by elite commando or airborne units and the irregular SGUs while on special operations in the enemy-held areas of north-eastern and south-eastern Laos.[10][11]

During the early phase of the war, the Pathet Lao likewise was largely equipped with WWII-vintage French, Japanese, American, British, German, Chinese, and Czechoslovakian weapons either pilfered from French colonial forces during the First Indochina War, seized from Laotian FAR units or provided by the Vietminh and subsequently by North Vietnam. As the war progressed, these obsolete weapons began to be partially superseded by more modern Eastern Bloc military hardware, including semiautomatic and fully automatic small-arms, artillery pieces, armored and transport vehicles, and aircraft of Soviet, Chinese and Hungarian origin, mostly being channelled via the North Vietnamese. Although the Pathet Lao standardized on Soviet and Chinese weapons and equipment by the early 1970s, its guerrilla forces continued to make use of captured enemy stocks until the end of the war.

Royal Lao Armed Forces, FAN and SGUs Equipment

Revolvers

Received from the U.S. Government, used by government officials and military officers.[12]

Colt Cobra .38 Special snub-nose revolver

Pistols

M1911A1 pistol

Submachine guns

M3 submachine gun

Bolt-action rifles

M1903 Springfield rifle

Carbines

M1 Carbine

Battle rifles

M16A1 was the standard Royal Lao Army (RLA) issue assault rifle

Light machine guns

M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle

General-purpose machine guns

Heavy machine guns

M2HB heavy machine gun

Grenade systems

Explosives

Land mine systems

Rocket systems

Anti-tank rockets

M72 LAW

Grenade launchers

M79 grenade launcher
M203 grenade launcher

Recoilless rifles

Mortars

Brandt Mle 27(31) Mortar
M29 Mortar
M30 Mortar

Howitzers

M101 105mm howitzer
M114 155 mm howitzer
M116 75mm howitzer

Air defense guns

Vehicles

M8 Greyhound armoured car
PT-76 light tank

Helicopters

Aircraft

A Royal Lao Air Force (RLAF) T-28D Nomad armed trainer taxies at Long Tieng airfield, September 1972

River craft

Pathet Lao forces Equipment

Pistols

Submachine guns

Carbines

Bolt-action rifles

Sniper rifles

Hungarian M/52 sniper rifle with PU 3.5× optics.

Battle rifles

Light machine guns

Degtyaryov DP/DPM light machine gun (Chinese Type 53)

General-purpose machine guns

Heavy machine guns

SG-43/SGM Goryunov machine gun (Chinese Type 53/57)

Grenade systems

Land mine systems

Anti-tank rocket launchers

Type 69 RPG

Grenade launchers

Recoilless rifles

B-10 recoilless rifle

Mortars

Howitzers

M-30 122 mm howitzer (M1938)

Air defense guns

37 mm automatic air defence gun M1939 (61-K)
57 mm AZP S-60

Vehicles

BTR-152 APC

Helicopters

Aircraft

River craft

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 24; 33.
  2. ^ Ahern, Undercover Armies: CIA and Surrogate Warfare in Laos (2006), pp. 52; 55.
  3. ^ Castle, At War in the Shadow of Vietnam (1993), pp. 9-12; 15-19.
  4. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960–75 (1989), p. 5.
  5. ^ Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), pp. 97–99.
  6. ^ Sananikone, The Royal Lao Army and U.S. Army advice and support (1981), p. 30.
  7. ^ Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), pp. 3-4.
  8. ^ a b c Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 15-21.
  9. ^ a b c d Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 59.
  10. ^ a b Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 41-42.
  11. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), pp. 10; 18; 34.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 15.
  13. ^ a b Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 38.
  14. ^ Walter, Walther Pistols – PP, PPK and P 38 (2022), pp. 68-70.
  15. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 12.
  16. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 36.
  17. ^ Bonn International Center for Conversion; Bundeswehr Verification Center. "Sten MP". SALW Guide: Global distribution and visual identification.
  18. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 46.
  19. ^ a b Conboy and McCouaig, South-East Asian Special Forces (1991), p. 8.
  20. ^ a b c d Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 3.
  21. ^ a b Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), pp. 10; 18.
  22. ^ a b "Post-WWII use of the MAS-36 rifle: Part II (export users)". wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com. 2015-08-23. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  23. ^ Thompson, The M1 Carbine (2011), p. 67.
  24. ^ a b Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 20.
  25. ^ a b Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 9.
  26. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  27. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  28. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  29. ^ a b c d e Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 18.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 34.
  31. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 43; 45.
  32. ^ Rottman, The Bazooka (2012), pp. 29-30.
  33. ^ Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), pp. 241-242.
  34. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 39.
  35. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 43.
  36. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 12.
  37. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 23.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g h i j SIPRI Arms Transfers Database
  39. ^ Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 12.
  40. ^ Zaloga and Laurier, M24 Chaffee Light Tank 1943–85 (2003), p. 22.
  41. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 8; 19.
  42. ^ a b c Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 13.
  43. ^ a b Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 20.
  44. ^ Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), pp. 12; 20.
  45. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), pp. 40; 63.
  46. ^ Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 290.
  47. ^ Lathrop, McDonald and Laurier, Cadillac Cage V-100 Commando 1960-71 (2002), p. 38.
  48. ^ Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), p. 215.
  49. ^ a b c "Annex C Appendix II". US Army Technical Manual of Foreign Military Sales: Battlefield Damage Assessment and Repair (PDF). Washington, D.C. 18 December 1987. p. 262. TM 9-2320-356-BD. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  50. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), pp. 63-64.
  51. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 42.
  52. ^ "World Air Forces 2017". FlightGlobal. 2 December 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  53. ^ a b c d e Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 102 (Notes 2, 9).
  54. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Royal Lao Air Force Aircraft Types". aeroflight.co.uk. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  55. ^ Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters (1981), p. 62.
  56. ^ a b c d e f Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 16.
  57. ^ a b c Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 32.
  58. ^ a b Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters (1981), p. 82.
  59. ^ "World Air Forces 1971 pg. 932". flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  60. ^ Krivinyi, World Military Aviation (1977), p. 148.
  61. ^ Taylor and Munson, Jane's Pocket Book of Major Combat Aircraft (1973), p. 179.
  62. ^ Krivinyi, World Military Aviation (1977), p. 178.
  63. ^ Andrade, Militair 1982 (1982), p. 146.
  64. ^ Nalty, Neufeld and Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam (1982), pp. 114-115.
  65. ^ Fitzsimons, The Defenders: A Comprehensive Guide to Warplanes of the USA (1988), p. 137.
  66. ^ Adcock, Greer and Sewell, T-28 Trojan in action (1989), pp. 32; 37.
  67. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 29.
  68. ^ Davis and Greer, Gunships, A Pictorial History of Spooky (1982), pp. 13-14.
  69. ^ Nalty, Neufeld and Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam (1982), pp. 46-49.
  70. ^ ADF Serials list of Australian military DC-2s/DC-3s/C-47s Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2010-06-19
  71. ^ a b Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 37.
  72. ^ Beck, "Database: Fairchild C-123 Provider" (2022), p. 123.
  73. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 5.
  74. ^ Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 15.
  75. ^ Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia (1997), p. 121.
  76. ^ Nalty, Neufeld and Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam (1982), pp. 36-37.
  77. ^ Cabin type patrol boats - Site navypedia.org
  78. ^ Chris Craft patrol boats - Site navypedia.org
  79. ^ 11m patrol boats - Site navypedia.org
  80. ^ a b c Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 41.
  81. ^ Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (January 27, 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5
  82. ^ Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 15; 41.
  83. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  84. ^ Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5
  85. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  86. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  87. ^ Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles (2011), p. 78.
  88. ^ Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (January 27, 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  89. ^ a b Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 45.
  90. ^ "Stickgrenade, Type67". Archived from the original on June 23, 2013.
  91. ^ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Laos". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 3085.
  92. ^ Davies, UH-1 Huey Gunship vs NVA/VC Forces: Vietnam 1962–75 (2021), p. 28.
  93. ^ Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), pp. 76-77.
  94. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2010). The Military Balance 2010. London: IISS. ISBN 978-1-85743-557-3.
  95. ^ The Tank That Helped Russia Defeat Nazi Germany Has Finally Retired (In Laos). The National Interest. 10 January 2019. (Archive)
  96. ^ Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), p. 72.
  97. ^ Kinnear, Sewell & Aksenov, Soviet T-54 Main Battle Tank (2018), Appendix eight: known customers and users of the T‑54 medium tank, p. 182.
  98. ^ Kinnear, Sewell & Aksenov, Soviet T-55 Main Battle Tank (2019), Appendix six: known client users of the T‑55 medium tank, p. 160.
  99. ^ Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), p. 295.
  100. ^ Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), pp. 386-387.
  101. ^ a b Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 21.
  102. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 30.
  103. ^ Conboy and Greer, War in Laos 1954–1975 (1994), p. 64.

References

  • Al Adcock, Don Greer and Joe Sewell, T-28 Trojan in action, Aircraft No. 89, Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., Carrollton, Texas 1989. ISBN 0-89747-211-X
  • Albert Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces, Concord Publications, Hong Kong 1998. ISBN 978-9623616225
  • Bernard C. Nalty, Jacob Neufeld and George M. Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam, Salamander Books Ltd, London 1982. ISBN 978-0668053464
  • Bernie Fitzsimons, The Defenders: A Comprehensive Guide to Warplanes of the USA, Aerospace Publishing, London 1988. ISBN 0-8317-2181-2
  • Bill Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters, Salamander Books Ltd, London 1981. ISBN 978-0861011100
  • Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide, HarperCollins Publishers, London 2002. ISBN 0-00-712759-6
  • Gordon L. Rottman and Hugh Johnson, Vietnam Riverine Craft 1962-75, New Vanguard series 128, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2006. ISBN 9781841769318
  • Gordon L. Rottman, The AK-47 Kalashnikov-series assault rifles, Weapon series 8, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2011. ISBN 978-1-84908-461-1
  • Gordon L. Rottman, The Bazooka, Weapon series 18, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2012. ISBN 978 1 84908 801 5
  • Ian Hogg, Jane's Guns recognition guide, HarperCollins Publishers, London 2002. ISBN 0-00-712760-X
  • James Kinnear, Stephen Sewell & Andrey Aksenov, Soviet T-54 Main Battle Tank, General Military series, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2018. ISBN 978 1 4728 3330 3
  • James Kinnear, Stephen Sewell & Andrey Aksenov, Soviet T-55 Main Battle Tank, General Military series, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2019. ISBN 978 1 4728 3855 1
  • Jan Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia, Sunflower University Press, Manhattan KS, 1997. ISBN 0-89745-215-1
  • John Andrade, Militair 1982, Aviation Press Limited, London 1982. ISBN 0-907898-01-7
  • John J.H. Taylor and Kenneth Munson, Jane's Pocket Book of Major Combat Aircraft, Collier Books, New York 1973. ISBN 0-7232-3697-6
  • John Walter, Walther Pistols – PP, PPK and P 38, Weapon series 82, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2022. ISBN 9781472850843
  • Joseph D. Celeski, Special Air Warfare and the Secret War in Laos: Air Commandos 1964–1975, Air University Press, Maxwell AFB, Alabama 2019. – [1]
  • Kenneth Conboy and Simon McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75, Men-at-arms series 217, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1989. ISBN 9780850459388
  • Kenneth Conboy and Don Greer, War in Laos, 1954-1975, Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., Carrollton, Texas 1994. ISBN 0897473159
  • Kenneth Conboy, Kenneth Bowra, and Simon McCouaig, The NVA and Viet Cong, Elite series 38, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 1992. ISBN 9781855321625
  • Kenneth Conboy with James Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos, Boulder CO: Paladin Press, 1995. ISBN 978-1-58160-535-8
  • Maj. Gen. Oudone Sananikone, The Royal Lao Army and U.S. Army advice and support, Indochina monographs series, United States Army Center of Military History, Washington D.C. 1981. – [2]
  • Nikolaus Krivinyi, World Military Aviation, Arco Publishing Company, New York 1977. ISBN 0-668-04348-2
  • Peter E. Davies, UH-1 Huey Gunship vs NVA/VC Forces: Vietnam 1962–75, Duel series 112, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2021. ISBN 9781472845153
  • Larry Davis and Don Greer, Gunships, A Pictorial History of Spooky – Specials series (6032), Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., Carrollton, Texas 1982. ISBN 0-89747-123-7
  • Leroy Thompson, The M1 Carbine, Weapon series 13, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2011. ISBN 9781849086196
  • Michael Green & Peter Sarson, Armor of the Vietnam War (1): Allied Forces, Concord Publications, Hong Kong 1996. ISBN 962-361-611-2
  • Richard Lathrop, John McDonald and Jim Laurier, Cadillac Cage V-100 Commando 1960-71, New Vanguard series 52, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2002. ISBN 1 84176 415 9
  • Simon D. Beck, "Database: Fairchild C-123 Provider", Aeroplane, February 2022, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 115-131. ISSN 0143-7240
  • Steven J. Zaloga and Jim Laurier, M24 Chaffee Light Tank 1943–85, New Vanguard series 77, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2003. ISBN 9781841765402
  • Thomas Ahern, Undercover Armies: CIA and Surrogate Warfare in Laos, Center for the Study of Intelligence, Washington D.C. 2006. Classified control no. C05303949.
  • Timothy Castle, At War in the Shadow of Vietnam: United States Military Aid to the Royal Lao Government, 1955–1975, Columbia University Press, 1993. ISBN 978-0-231-07977-8

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