Major General Phoumi Nosavan (; 27 January 1920 – 3 November 1985)Stuart-Fox, pp. 258–259. was a Laotian military officer who served as the military strongman of Laos during the Laotian Civil War in the 1960s.
Early life Phoumi Nosavan was born in Savannakhet, the French Protectorate of Laos, on 27 January 1920. Originally a civil servant in the French colonial administration of Laos, he joined the resistance movement against the Japanese occupiers during the last year of World War II. He was exiled in 1946 due to his opposition to the French return to colonizing Laos. In early 1949, he returned to Laos to begin a military career after the collapse of the anti-French Lao Issara government. By 1955, he was Chief of Staff of the brand-new Royal Lao Army. While in that position, he was largely responsible for appointing senior officers into command positions in the Military Regions of Laos. Following that, in 1957, he was the first Lao officer to be schooled in France at the ('School of War'). While in France, he became acquainted with Central Intelligence Agency operative John F. "Jack" Hasey. Phoumi returned to Laos to become a founding member of the Committee for the Defence of National Interests on 17 June 1958. On 25 December 1959, he took control of the capital of Vientiane and the nation in a bloodless coup.
Drawing military power from his status as a general officer and political power from his appointment as defense minister, Phoumi would remain dominant in Laotian political life for the next six years. He would be temporarily removed from power during an August 1960 coup by Captain Kong Le, only to return with a Central Intelligence Agency backed counter-coup in December. From 1961 to 1963, he carried out military operations contrary to his American advisers' wishes, figuring the U.S. would have to support him regardless. His American backers periodically curtailed military aid to his forces to compel his compliance, even as the Royal Lao Army's performance deteriorated. The aftermath of the Battle of Vientiane in early 1961, as well as the disastrous Battle of Luang Namtha in 1962 and the lost Battle of Lak Sao in, illustrated his shortcomings as a military commander. Phoumi's influence was whittled away, so he attempted to retain power via coups, including one in 1964 and one in 1965. The 1964 coup being unsuccessful, he was stripped of his troop command. His final coup attempt in January 1965 was plotted with borrowed troops. When that bid to regain power failed, he fled into exile in the neighboring Kingdom of Thailand. He was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison. Phoumi Nosavan died in Bangkok in November 1985.
Colonial Service Phoumi Nosavan was a prominent Lao military and political figure of the Laotian Civil War. He was of Chinese Lao heritage. 周恩来论华侨的国籍问题 He was born in Savannakhet, the French Protectorate of Laos. He was educated there and in Vientiane. He became a civil servant in the French colonial government. As World War II wound down in 1945, he joined the resistance movement opposed to the Japanese occupation of Laos. He belonged to the secretive Lao Pen Lao ('Laos for the Lao').Stuart-Fox, pp. 180, 258. He was also in the short-lived Lao Issara (Free Laos)Stuart-Fox, p. 178-179. government until the French return in 1946 drove him into exile in the Kingdom of Thailand. As part of the Lao Itsara ('Free Laos') command, he briefly ran their military operations in southern Laos in coordination with the Viet Minh.
In early 1949, he returned to Thailand before repatriating himself to Laos. In 1950 he joined the nascent Laotian National Army () and served as a military adviser at the 1954 Geneva Conference.Castle, p. 149 note 136. By 1955 he had risen to lieutenant colonel, serving as Chief of Staff of the newly constituted Royal Lao Army in the newly independent Kingdom of Laos.
Service after independence
Under Colonel Phoumi, there was a massive appointment of military officers subordinate to him into command positions in the Royal Lao Army. One of the criteria for these appointments was seniority in the military. However, the urban elite families were interested in procuring these command positions; they brought influence to bear to secure appointments for their family members or adherents.Conboy & Morrison, p. 14. As the families were regionally based, officers from the elite both saw government service as a tool for political advancement and as another way to command the allegiance of the Lao peasantry in their region.Anthony & Sexton, pp. 11–13.
Phoumi then attended the Ecole de Guerre from 1957 to 1958; he was the first Lao officer to do so. He took Siho Lamphouthacoul as his aide de camp.Conboy & Morrison, p. 27 note 45. While there, Phoumi became acquainted with Central Intelligence Agency operative John F. "Jack" Hasey.Ahern, p. 14. Phoumi returned from France to command the newly created Military Region 5; he added the political post of Deputy Minister for Internal Security.Conboy & Morrison, p. 25. When the May 1958 national election results favored the communist candidates, the rightwing Committee for the Defence of National Interests was formed with American support on 17 June 1958 to counterbalance the leftists. Phoumi was a charter member of the CDNI.Fall, pp. 93–94.
Promoted to colonel, Phoumi joined Phoui Sananikone's government to assume the portfolio for national defense in 1959. On 4 September 1959, the Royal Lao Government appealed to the United Nations for an intervention against invasion by North Vietnamese communists. Sparked by a Washington Post article by Joseph Alsop, as well as a 5 September editorial by the paper, on 7 September, the United States pushed for a United Nations subcommittee of its Security Council be sent to Laos to investigate the charges of aggression against it. Also, on 7 September, Phoui proclaimed martial law even as his government insisted that "foreign invaders" had vacated Houaphanh Province. While Phoui made that announcement, Phoumi told the Associated Press (AP) that if the United Nations turned down the Lao request, the Royal Lao Government (RLG) would request help from the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). As the Laotian crisis began to gather skeptical coverage in the international press, Phoumi flew to Bangkok for a four-day visit. Once there, he solicited aid from his uncle, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat. Sarit declined help unless Phoumi had American backing.Fall, pp. 135–141. The United Nations subcommittee visited Laos from 15 to 20 September; however, it received no persuasive proof of an invasion.Fall, pp. 145–146. In any case, neither the United Nations nor SEATO aid arrived. In mid-November, Secretary-General of the United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld visited Laos. He advised the Royal Lao Government that its policy should be strictly neutral if it is expected to receive support from the United Nations.Fall, p. 178.
Military rule 1960 Laotian Coups
On 16 December 1959, Phoui fired the CDNI ministers from his cabinet, including Phoumi. On 25 December, General Phoumi took charge of the government in a bloodless coup, using Captain Kong Le and his 2nd Parachute Battalion () to occupy Vientiane's infrastructure. The takeover had the approval of King Sisavang Vatthana; moreover, Phoumi was the only one chosen by his monarch for the new government. Phoumi believed he could impose an authoritarian "directed democracy" upon an ignorant populace for their welfare.Ahern, pp. 8–9.
When the 1960 election results again favored leftists and communists, Phoumi founded the Pasa Sangkhom ('People's Society') political party on 12 May 1960 as a means of furthering his political ends.Ahern, p. 10. It was about this time he became friends with Thao Ma, head of the Royal Lao Air Force.Conboy & Morrison, p. 156.
On 10 August 1960, Kong Le would oust Phoumi in his own coup. In return, Phoumi would return to power with the aid of the Central Intelligence Agency (including John Hasey) on 16 December in the Battle of Vientiane during his counter-coup. He was aided in this by Generals Kouprasith Abhay and Siho Lamphouthacoul. Phoumi reclaimed the Ministry of Defense after his counter-coup reclaimed the country,Conboy & Morrison, pp. 21, 25–26, 31–43.Stuart-Fox, pp. 251, 258. as well as becoming the deputy prime minister on 4 January 1961.Castle, p. 27. He appointed his close friend Thao Ma to command the Royal Lao Air Force; he would act only on Phoumi's commands.Anthony & Sexton, pp. 55–56.
As Kong Le established his Neutralist Armed Forces in Military Region 2 as a third party in the Laotian Civil War, Phoumi ordered a pursuit. It moved slowly northward toward the Plain of Jars.Conboy & Morrison, pp. 42–43. On 13 March, a FAN counter-offensive quickly wiped out all the Royal Lao Army gains. To bolster Phoumi's forces, Operation Millpond was founded to secretively import American air power on the Royal Lao Government's side.Anthony & Sexton, p. 42. Phoumi also tried to co-opt the Operation Momentum guerrillas, despite his dislike and distrust of the Hmong hill tribes.Anthony & Sexton, pp. 44–45.
Phoumi himself remained in Vientiane to maintain his control over the nation, and to organize the Royal Lao Army battalions into regiments during March 1961; the Royal Lao Air Force (RLAF) also received their first strike aircraft, in the form of four T-6 Texans. Phoumi rewarded his subordinate officers with promotions and appointments. He also promoted himself to Major general and began construction of a downtown monument in Vientiane celebrating his victory in the battle for control of the city. Meanwhile, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was so concerned that Phoumi might lose Laos to the communists that an American task force was placed on alert, and the Royal Thai Government was approached by the Americans as a source of reinforcements.Conboy & Morrison, pp. 42–44, 47, 52.
The International Control Commission established by the 1954 Geneva Conference was renewed and engineered a truce on 11 May 1961, while the details of a new Lao government could be settled.Castle, pp. 41–42. On 19 June 1961, the three feuding princes met in Zürich, with Cambodian Prince Norodom Sihanouk mediating. On the 22nd, Prince Souphanouvong, Prince Souvanna Phouma, and Prince Boun Oum agreed in principle upon provisional rule by an interim Lao government until elections could be held. However, Phoumi stalled upon details of the coalition government, insisting upon knowing the composition of the new cabinet. He intended to stonewall it until he could foster a new government headed by King Sisavang Vatthana instead. His visit to Washington, DC after a Zürich meeting left him believing that the U.S. would back him, no matter what the circumstances.Anthony & Sexton, pp. 61–62. After his return to Laos, despite a ceasefire, troops under his command probed between Royal Lao Army and communist/Pathet Lao lines, retreating whenever they came up against the enemy. The communists fought them off, but did not retaliated.Anthony & Sexton, p. 64.
Much to the despair of the American advisers attached to his forces, Phoumi preferred to promote officers known for their incompetence while demoting his competent officers as Phoumi feared able and intelligent officers might be able to overthrow him while inept and stupid officers never would.Kaplan, Landa and Drea p. 251-252 General William H. Craig of the U.S. Army wrote after visiting Laos in August-September 1961 that: "He is the only driving force in Laos but to make him function successfully, we must get tough with him". Craig wanted Phoumi to change his promotion policy to start promoting able officers at the expense of his inept appointees.Kaplan, Landa and Drea p. 252