Anti-Japanese resistance In Europe, the World War II broke out in 1939. As member of the
Axis powers, Japan invaded
Laos in 1941 with the French
Vichy Government's agreement. On the other side, temporarily allied with the
Japanese Empire in the «
Greater Est Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere» – which back then reigned supreme on
Southeast Asia –
Siam Empire took advantage of France's defeat to annex Laotian territories of
Champassak and
Sayaboury, both located on the east bank of the
Mekong River.) founded by the
Viceroy Chao March 9, 1945, the Japanese army attacked Indochinese French garrisons, and by a coup, took control of the whole Administration. French officials were arrested and the King
Sisavang Vong (ສີສະຫວ່າງວົງ), declared under duress, the country's independence. Early in the occupation, some French army officers were air-dropped and organised clandestine resistance operations in the jungle. Kou Voravong immediately contacted the anti-Japanese guerrilla group parachuted into his district (
Paksane), a unit commanded by Colonel
Jean Deuve. On order, he remained at his post for secretly and actively support the French-Lao guerrilla actions: volunteers recruitment, food and weapons supplies, information's collects, munitions hiding. As « chef de l'administration parallèle » (Leader of the Parallel Administration), he conducted anti-Japanese propaganda operations in cities and rural areas, developing resistance and information network. Denounced in June 1945, he was arrested but managed to escape. Accompanied by 150 volunteers, he joined the guerrilla, took up arms and alongside the French-Lao resistance fighters, continued fighting until the end of the war. Chao
Souvanna Phouma (ເຈົ້າສຸວັນນະພູມາ) and Chao
Souphanouvong (ເຈົ້າສຸພັນນຸວົງ), supported by Chinese and
Viêt Minh nationalists, proclaimed the
Lao Issara Government and required the immediate independence of
Laos, refusing all discussions with France. Therefore, struggles between different factions started out. Appointed Governor (Chao Khoueng) of
Vientiane Province since late 1945, Kou Voravong created a civic guard and directed the political and military struggle of Monarchists from the occupied capital, facing the
Lao Issara,
Chinese and
Việt Minh who took control of the major cities of the country. But after some months, besieged, injured and threatened, he had to withdraw into the countryside, where he continued to manage for liberation. and the French counselor of the
Savannakhet Province's Governor. On the west side of
Khammouane Province, between Thakhek and
Paksan, they encountered an ambush, established by a
Việt Minh company from Thailand, near a bridge located upstream on the mouth of the Hinboun and the
Mekong rivers (Paak Hinboun – ປາກຫິນບູນ). The French counselor and both other deputies were instantly killed; Kou Voravong, seriously wounded, was left for dead. Shot by several bullets, in his head, legs and body, he nevertheless managed to crawl nearly one kilometer in the jungle, to slip into a
pirogue and to row along the river until finding assistance. He was then saved, healed at the hospital of Thakhek. May 11, 1947, the
constitution was promulgated. And by decree dated July, 1947, a new Government was formed, presided over by Chao
Souvannarath (ເຈົ້າສຸວັນນະຣາດ). The new nation had its
Three-headed Elephant flag, its national hymn:
Pheng Xat Lao (ເພງຊາດລາວ), and a constitution that laid
Constitutional monarchy's foundations.
Lao Royal Government Minister In this first parliamentary
Royal Lao Government, to the young democrat Kou Voravong was attributed two ministries: Public Works and Justice/Religion. In the same year, with a colleague, Thao Bong Souvannavong (ບົງ ສຸວັນນະວົງ), he co-founded the first officially recognized Laotian political party: « Lao Union » (Phak Lao Houam Samphan - ພັກລາວຣ່ວມສຳພັນ): a democratic party with original ideas, which advocated an uncompromising nationalism, but whose members were willing to cooperate with French authorities in order to prepare their country to total independence. But a year later, because of various disagreements with him, Kou Voravong founded his own party: « Democracy » (Phak Paxaathipataï - ພັກປະຊາທິປະໄຕ), fighting as democratically as possible for an independent nation under a
Constitutional monarchy. conference, Singapore 1950 (Standing, left,
Phoumi Nosavan). In his speeches or in his party newspaper, « Voice of Laos » (Xieng Lao – ສຽງລາວ), he stated that links with France were necessary, though he never let pass what he considered as « French invasions » in his country's management. he claimed a larger autonomy for Laotian officials, the departure of Vietnamese executives, the end of feudal system, the limitation of the
Indo-Chinese Federation's competence and more democracy. July 19, France Government admitted for Laos the principle of independence under the Crown of King
Sisavang Vong of
Luang Prabang within the
Indo-Chinese Federation by an agreement between the French President
Vincent Auriol and the Laotian Prime Minister, Chao
Boun Oum (ເຈົ້າບຸນອຸ້ມ). In order to develop the complete autonomy, Franco-Lao commissions was established to prepare the future transfers of powers. In this second royal Government, Kou Voravong was in charge of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. And in the discussions and debates in these preparation sessions, he was also head of commissions of Plan, Public Works, Economy and Military Affairs. This new status offered to Laos the opportunity to become member of United Nations.
Laos was, therefore, considered as a real State by western countries for the first time in its history. From now on, Lao Government could choose to establish diplomatic relations with any nations in the world and acceded to international organizations. This new situation implies that
UN's experts come to evaluate the country's development level and real needs. Among them, there was American economic mission which, at first, was going to intoxicate the Laotian political environment by bringing first greenbacks. anti-piracy military struggles along the Viet Nam-Laos-Thailand borders, and formation of conspiracies counter-power throughout the territory, especially along the two banks of the Mekong River.
Anti-border piracy fights From 1951 to 1953, the central government of
Laos – a nation under construction – experienced a period of « relative peace », while
Indochina War has been raging since 1946, without anyone among the leaders noticing the problems and the political consequences of the progressive and continuous infiltration of the revolutionary guerrillas along the borders. Even if it was politically developing, this 237 000 km2 small landlocked mountainous country, with long and heavily forested borders which was difficult to control, populated by numerous ethnic groups, where the communication routes were, most of the time, rivers and primitive tracks through the tropical jungle, remained severely sub-administered. Its leaders, gathered in major cities, preoccupied by rivalries of privileged clans, mined by corruption, demagoguery and personal interests, did not have any control over distant regions, where ethnic minorities problems expanded. The villagers considered themselves neglected by the Monarchy and appreciated more and more revolutionary speech of the
Pathet Lao's (ປະເທດລາວ) Communist cells, founded by Chao
Souphanouvong, since his return from exile in 1950, particularly in northern provinces as
Houaphan (ຫົວພັນ) and
Phongsali (ຜົ້ງສາລີ), which have a common border with
North Viet Nam. Ideologically motivated, military trained and organized propagandists, these cells were supported by
Ho Chi Minh's party partisans, who operated across both Vietnamese and Thai borders. As the Prime Minister Chao
Boun Oum had submitted the resignation of his government on February, 13th, 1950, the 3rd Royal Government, chaired by
Phoui Sananikone (ຜຸຍ ຊນະນິກອນ) was invested on 27th of the same month – just two months before the effective transfers of powers, on April, 13th, Buddhist year 2492's last day – with Kou Voravong as Minister of the Interior. who he could fully trust, for having fought side-by-side four years ago against the Japanese and the Lao Issara troops. The Federal Security Department was, therefore, replaced by the Homeland Security Department, which mission was to prevent and punish violations of internal and external Kingdom's security. In 1949–1950's, the main threats from foreign countries were essentially activities of organizations located in Thailand and in Vietnam, but also from Chinese border, now occupied by
Mao Zedong's Revolutionary Army, supporting their
Việt Minh brothers-in-arms against the imperialist enemies. It was impossible to control tightly 4 351 km of borders, especially as, all along, lived families from the same lines or the same tribes. Pirates, propagandists or subversive groups easily crossed these porous borders toward distant and off-centered zones, reaching some ethnic minorities neglected by the current government. Instead of solving the minorities problems by informations and dialogue, the Government left the Army with the fight against the guerrilla, which were formed by these same minorities, much more trained, motivated and supervised, while the
Indo-Chinese Federation Army, contrary to their opponents, were understaffed and could not meet all local needs. The activities of these guerrillas Lao-Viet strongly perturbing the internal security, Kou Voravong and Jean Deuve led, since early 1950, a relentless fight against the border piracy. A Psychological Warfare Section and a Police Special Office which employed original but effective methods, was then created in order to support the
Indo-Chinese Federation Army. In 1951, Kou Voravong was elected deputy of
his native province and chosen as President of the
National Assembly. But military tensions at the borders becoming increasingly strong, the 4th, new royal Government appointed on November 21, 1951 and chaired by the neutralist Chao
Souvanna Phouma, called on his veteran's experiences to direct the ministry of National Defense. He installed the general headquarter of the party in
Xamneua, in the North Province of
Houaphan. In 1953, when the Pathet Lao, which rebellion expended dangerously, occupied the region of Phongsali, while its allied Việt Minh troops managed to control the
Tonkin penetration axes to North, threatening the royal capital
Luang Prabang, Laos fully entered into the
First Indochina War. On October 23, 1953, a Treaty of Amity and Association was signed and France committed to defend Laos against the advance of communist troops. A garrison assigned under the command of General
Henri Navarre – whose mission was to prevent any Việt Minh infiltration to Laos – was implanted in a strategic area, in West
Tonkin, close to the Laotian border, where were some important runways connecting Luang Prabang to Diên Biên Phu Basin. But May 7, 1954, French soldiers suffered a bitter military setback and Diên Biên Phu's entrenched camp fell into the hands of the
People's Army of Vietnam, commanded by General Võ Nguyên Giáp. Whereupon, a conference was organized on July 20 in Geneva (Switzerland) to end hostilities between the French Army and the People's Army of Vietnam, ending eight years of war in Indochina. By the same occasion, the independence of Laos and Cambodia was reaffirmed. At the conference, the Kingdom of Laos delegation was composed of Phoui Sananikone (minister of Foreign Affairs – leader), Kou Voravong (Minister of Defense – vice-leader) and eight members of Parliament. The members of Pathet Lao including Chao
Souphanouvong, who carried North-Vietnamese passports, were integrated into the Việt Minh delegation. The final declaration of the Geneva Agreements provided for Laos: • Recognition of the independence and total sovereignty of Laos. • Recognition of Vientiane Royal Government as the legal government of Laos. • Recognition of the « Fighting Units of the Pathet Lao » grouped in the Xam Neua and Phongsali Provinces, awaiting for their integration into the Royal Army after political settlement through free general elections planned in 1955, under the supervision of the International Commission Control (CIC). • Withdrawal of the French and Việt Minh military troops of the territory, except for the French instructors placed at the disposal of the Laotian Army. • Principle of neutrality which prohibited membership in military alliances and introduction of troops and foreign weapons on Laotian territory. Whereas all details of the cease-fire in Vietnam were settled, the agreement #3 which was equivalent to a recognition of the
Pathet Lao as an official authority through its « Fighting Units », divided the royal representatives of the Laotian delegation and extended negotiations till late in the night of July 20. Shortly after midnight, despite the opinion of his delegation's leader,
Phoui Sananikone, Kou Voravong finally granted to sign the final declaration, thereby closing the conference on July 21, 1954. In spite of significant concessions of the
Pathet Lao, politically -[recognition of the Government of Vientiane]- as well as military -[withdrawals of the armed forces of the liberated zones and their grouping in
Xam Neua (Houaphanh) and
Phongsali Provinces] – their official establishment next to the Lao Royal Government pending elections was far from eliciting unanimity. This was particularly true for the U.S. government which refused to sign and to apply the
Geneva Agreements, considering that they handed a too large victory to the Indochinese Liberation Movements, headed by the
Việt Minh, and supported by China and the Soviet Union. The spectrum of the Korean War just ended is still too present, that's why Washington's policy goal from now on, was to challenge the results of such agreements. On September 8, 1954, at the initiative of the United States, a military organization
SEATO was created. Equivalent of
NATO in Southeast Asia, its official goal was to form a "quarantine line" against Communist expansion. It was decided by the authority that
Cambodia, and Laos, considering their strategical position, belonged automatically to its protection zone. The defense minister Kou Voravong, supporter of strict application of the Geneva Agreements on the principle of neutrality prohibiting any military alliance, declined the protection of his country by the SEATO and refused to ratify the treaty, thereby blocking the American policy of containment towards the Communist expansion in Asia. == Assassination and political consequences ==