Office of the Historian

333. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State1

Vientiane, January 6, 1956—5 p.m.

848. Department pass Defense and CINCPAC. Saigon pass CHMAAG. Reference Embtel 814 repeated Bangkok 489, Saigon 226, Paris 106.2 During call on Crown Prince with Ambassador Reinhardt at Luang Prabang yesterday, Savang again requested prompt aid for auto-defense and asked we discuss matter further with Ouan which I did. Prince said he had gone over plans briefly with Katay and latter approved in principle.

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Both Prince and Ouan spoke in highly optimistic terms of progress auto-defense in Phongsaly so far, claimed all PL supply routes from north Vietnam and China have been interdicted with one exception, and insisted, if necessary aid provided within one month, province can be completely cleaned out within four or five. … Ouan outlined his needs and I pointed out some can and should be met from stocks already in Vientiane.

Comment: While not as sanguine as Prince and Ouan, I consider these operations offer prospects substantial returns and should be supported, at once in Phongsaly and as soon as feasible in Sam Neua. However, support should be supplied to fullest extent possible through Defense Ministry, and supplemented directly to Ouan only where serious delay would otherwise occur. We have already discussed auto-defense with general staff and find them not so much opposed as preoccupied with other plans. I shall take matter up with Katay upon his return next week to ascertain whether he fully supports Crown Prince’s plans and whether he can overcome Defense Ministry bottlenecks. …

Yost
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.5/1’1–656. Top Secret. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, and Paris.↩
  2. Document 331.↩