Britain and the Neutralisation of Laos

Contents

vii Contents List of Abbreviations x Preface xiii Chapter One: Introduction 1 The objectives of the book 1 From Lan Xang to Laos 8 Dien Bien Phu 12 The first Geneva conference 14 The Geneva agreements 19 SEATO 21 Pathet Lao 26 Suvanna Phuma and coalition 27 The Konglae coup 34 The neighbours and the major powers 37 Chapter Two:The Return of the Control Commission 43 Anglo-American differences 43 The Boun Oum government 51 India’s ‘bouncing’ 58 The advent of the Kennedy Administration 69 A neutral nations commission 78 Chapter Three:The Agreement on a Conference 90 A political solution 90 The Thompson-Khrushchev exchange 94 Suvanna and Phumi in Phnom Penh 97 Kennedy’s meetings 99 Talks with the President 104 The Soviet reply 122 The officials’ talks 135 Officers in uniform 139 viii Contents Chapter Four:The Co-Chairmen’s Message 143 Ceasefire conditions 143 Midnight conversation 153 The first ICC report 159 Inviting Sihanouk 160 The American package 165 Seating at the conference 178 Chinese and South Vietnamese 184 The Americans and the British 186 Chapter Five:The Opening of the Geneva Conference 188 Gromyko’s documents 188 Instructions for the ICC 194 The Vienna summit 204 Control proposals 206 The impact of Padong 213 The resumption of the conference 217 Prince Suvanna Phuma and Lord Home 224 Plan 5 228 Chapter Six:The Zurich Agreement 232 The communiqué 232 Phumi in Washington 237 MacDonald in London 240 The apprehensive Prime Minister 243 Conference procedures 245 Supporting Suvanna 252 The Paris consultation 260 Intensified diplomacy 268 The concept of partition 275 Setting priorities 278 Chapter Seven:The Future Role of the Co-Chairmen 280 Discussing and drafting 280 The Co-Chairmen’s responsibilities 295 The SEATO protocol 302 Laos and South Vietnam 308 Sabotage 314 Phumi and a Suvanna Phuma government 317 Contents ix Chapter Eight:The Princes’ Meeting in Geneva 325 Persuading Phumi 325 The Filipinos and SEATO 333 Private armies 336 The Thais and SEATO 341 Talks in Viang Chan 345 Talks in Switzerland 352 Chapter Nine:The Involvement of the Thais 364 The defence of Nam Tha 364 The question of sanctions 379 Drafting a ceasefire proclamation 393 Chapter Ten:The Conclusion of the Negotiations 401 The capture of Nam Tha 401 Sending troops to Thailand 407 The formation of a Cabinet 413 Preparations for reconvening the conference 419 The conclusion of the conference 424 The reports on the negotiations 430 Perspectives 433 Notes 449 Bibliography 503 Index 509 ...