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 Laos traces its formal history to the
establishment of the Kingdom of Lan Xang (literally, "million
elephants") by King Fa Ngum in 1353. Under his rule, the wealthy and
mighty kingdom covered the northeast region of present-day Thailand
(Ian), all of Laos and present-day Stung Treng province of Cambodia.
His successors, especially King Photisarath in the 16th century,
helped establish Theravada Buddhism as the predominant religion of
the country.
By the 17th century, the
kingdom of Lan Xang entered a period of decline marked by dynastic
struggle and conflicts with its neighbors. In the late 18th century,
Siam established control over much of what is now Laos. The region was
divided into principalities centered on Luang Prabang in the north,
Vientiane in the center, and Champassak in the south. Following its
colonization of Vietnam, France supplanted Siam and began to integrate
all of Laos into the French empire. The Franco-Siamese treaty of 1907
defined the present Lao boundary with Thailand.
During World War II, the
Japanese occupied French Indochina, including Laos. King Sisavang Vong
of Luang Prabang was induced to declare independence from France in
1945, just prior to Japan's surrender. During this period, nationalist
sentiment grew. In September 1945, Vientiane and Champassak united
with Luang Prabang to form an independent government under the Free
Laos (Lao Issara) banner. The movement, however, was shortlived. By
early 1946, French troops reoccupied the country and conferred limited
autonomy on Laos following elections for a constituent assembly.
Amidst the first Indochina war
between France and the communist movement in Vietnam, Prince
Souphanouvong formed the Pathet Lao (Land of Laos) resistance
organization committed to the communist struggle against colonialism.
Laos was not granted full sovereignty until the French defeat by the
Vietnamese and the subsequent Geneva peace conference in 1954.
Elections were held in 1955, and the first coalition government, led
by Prince Souvanna Phouma, was formed in 1957. The coalition
government collapsed in 1958, amidst increased polarization of the
political process. Rightist forces took over the government.
In 1960, Kong Le, a paratroop
captain, seized Vientiane in a coup and demanded formation of a
neutralist government to end the fighting. The neutralist government,
once again led by Souvanna Phouma, was not successful in holding
power. Rightist forces under Gen. Phoumi Nosavan drove out the
neutralist government from power later that same year. Subsequently,
the neutralists allied themselves with the communist insurgents and
began to receive support from the Soviet Union. Phoumi Nosavan's
rightist regime received support from the U.S.
A second Geneva conference,
held in 1961-62, provided for the independence and neutrality of Laos.
Soon after accord was reached, the signatories accused each other of
violating the terms of the agreement, and with superpower support on
both sides, the civil war soon resumed. Although the country was to be
neutral, a growing American and North Vietnamese military presence in
the country increasingly drew Laos into the second Indochina war
(1954-75). For nearly a decade, Laos was subjected to the heaviest
bombing in the history of warfare, as the U.S. sought to destroy the
Ho Chi Minh Trail that passed through eastern Laos.
In 1972, the communist
People's Party renamed itself the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP).
It joined a new coalition government in Laos soon after the Vientiane
cease-fire agreement in 1973. Nonetheless, the political struggle
between communists, neutralists, and rightists continued. The fall of
Saigon and Phnom Penh to communist forces in April 1975 hastened the
decline of the coalition in Laos. Months after these communist
victories, the Pathet Lao entered Vientiane. On December 2, 1975, the
king abdicated his throne in the constitutional monarchy, and the
communist Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR) was established.
The new communist government
led by Kaysone Phomvihane imposed centralized economic decisionmaking
and broad security measures, including control of the media and the
arrest and incarceration of many members of the previous government
and military in "re-education camps". These draconian policies and
deteriorating economic conditions, along with government efforts to
enforce political control, prompted an exodus. About 10% of the Lao
population sought refugee status after 1975. Along with Cuba, North
Korea and Vietnam, Laos remains one of the few remaining countries
under communist leadership.
Initial Text adapted from Library
of Congress Country Studies
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