Operation Triangle
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Operation Triangle was a military operation of the
Laotian Civil War The Laotian Civil War (1959–1975) was a civil war in Laos which was waged between the Communist Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao Government from 23 May 1959 to 2 December 1975. It is associated with the Cambodian Civil War and the Vietnam War ...
staged from 19—29 July 1964. Although planned by the
General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...
of the
Royal Lao Army The Royal Lao Army (french: Armée royale du Laos – ARL), also designated by its anglicized title RLA, was the Land Component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Kingdom of Laos during the North Vietnamese invasio ...
, it was subject to American approval because the RLA depended on the Americans for finances, supplies, and munitions. Operation Triangle was an ambitious undertaking dependent on martial skills unfamiliar to the Lao. It not only called for coordination of infantry, artillery, and tactical air strikes among forces of three different nationalities; as a
covert operation A covert operation is a military operation intended to conceal the identity of (or allow plausible deniability by) the party that instigated the operation. Covert operations should not be confused with clandestine operations, which are performe ...
, it also had to have
plausible deniability Plausible deniability is the ability of people, typically senior officials in a formal or informal chain of command, to denial, deny knowledge of or responsibility for any damnable actions committed by members of their organizational hierarchy. Th ...
. On 26 June 1964, American ambassador to Laos
Leonard Unger Leonard Seidman Unger (December 17, 1917 – June 3, 2010) was a diplomat and United States Ambassador to Laos (1962–64), Thailand (1967–73), and was the last US ambassador to the Republic of China on Taiwan (1974–79). Personal life Unge ...
was ambivalent about Operation Triangle's chances of success, but felt the opportunity for victory too good to resist. The planning of the military operation may have been local; however, approval to proceed had to come from the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
, where President Lyndon Baines Johnson was monitoring the situation. In any case, it was planned that three Royal Lao Army columns would converge on the intersection of Routes 7 and 13 in Laos, trapping a Lao communist force. With any luck, the highly strategic
Plain of Jars The Plain of Jars ( Lao: ທົ່ງໄຫຫິນ ''Thong Hai Hin'', ) is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. It consists of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of ...
would be left exposed to
Royal Lao Government The Royal Lao Government was the ruling authority in the Kingdom of Laos from 1947 until the communist seizure of power in December 1975 and the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953 gave Laos full i ...
occupation. Despite the RLA's recent losses at Namtha and
Lak Sao Lak Sao (Lakxao, Ban Lak Xao) is a small town in Khamkeut District, Bolikhamsai Province, of central Laos. It is located at the major crossroads where the 1E comes from the south, and the AH15, as Lao National Route 8, comes from the northea ...
, the operation was approved. After some weather delays, the operation kicked off on 19 July 1964. One Royalist column left
Luang Prabang Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...
headed south towards the road intersection at Sala Phou Khoun. Another headed north from
Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...
. The third column moved westward from
Muang Soui Muang Soui(In Lao: ເມືອງສຸຍ) (also called Muang Souy or Muong Soui) is a small town in Xiangkhouang Province Laos. It is located on Route 7 of Laos, so east of Phoukhoune district, northwest of Phonsavan, and Ban Phou Pheung Noi, ...
on the edge of the Plain of Jars. Stiffened by American forward air controllers, with air power and Thai artillery blasting the way open, the columns closed in on Sala Phou Khoun. On 28 July, two of the columns regrouped just outside the objective. While they coordinated their final attack,
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
paramilitary officer
Tony Poe Anthony Alexander Poshepny (September 18, 1924 – June 27, 2003), known as Tony Poe, was a CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer in what became the Special Activities Division (renamed Special Activities Center in 2016). He was known for h ...
led an impromptu heliborne assault by Hmong irregulars that occupied the vacant road junction on 29 July. The Royalist victory was capped when they hauled off considerable military stores abandoned by the fleeing communists, including half a dozen armored cars and eight artillery pieces. However, the route to the Plain of Jars was still blocked by communist forces. As a result, there were hard feelings on part of the RLA regulars, who felt cheated of their triumph. Nor was that the only factor dampening Royalist morale; the
Tonkin Gulf Incident The Gulf of Tonkin incident ( vi, Sự kiện Vịnh Bắc Bộ) was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. It involved both a proven confrontation on August 2, 1964, carried out b ...
of 2 August that officially began the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
immediately overshadowed Operation Triangle.


Background

The Laotian Civil War came about as the United States moved in to take the place of the French administrators departing Laos as a result of the
1954 Geneva Conference The Geneva Conference, intended to settle outstanding issues resulting from the Korean War and the First Indochina War, was a conference involving several nations that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 26 April to 20 July 1954. The part o ...
. The American embassy to Laos concealed the resultant American military mission to the
Kingdom of Laos The Kingdom of Laos was a landlocked country in Southeast Asia at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula. It was bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, North Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
from 1955 onwards. Faced with an escalating communist insurgency backed by the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
, the
Royal Lao Government The Royal Lao Government was the ruling authority in the Kingdom of Laos from 1947 until the communist seizure of power in December 1975 and the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953 gave Laos full i ...
defended itself at the battles of
Luang Namtha Luang Namtha (''Luang Nam Tha'') ( Lao: ມ. ຫລວງນໍ້າທາ) is a district as well as the capital of Luang Namtha Province in northern Laos. The city lies on the Tha River (''Nam Tha''). Luang Namtha is a popular tourist desti ...
and
Lak Sao Lak Sao (Lakxao, Ban Lak Xao) is a small town in Khamkeut District, Bolikhamsai Province, of central Laos. It is located at the major crossroads where the 1E comes from the south, and the AH15, as Lao National Route 8, comes from the northea ...
, only to lose badly. By May 1964, the communist
insurgent An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric warfare, asymmetric na ...
s had captured the highly strategic
Plain of Jars The Plain of Jars ( Lao: ທົ່ງໄຫຫິນ ''Thong Hai Hin'', ) is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. It consists of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of ...
, although they were surrounded by a guerrilla army sponsored by the
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
. The dry season from October to May favored the road-bound communist forces; aerial support turned the advantage to the Royalists during the rainy season from June to September. Thus began the seesaw pattern of offensives and counter-offensives that would rage throughout northern Laos for the next few years. Laotian Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma was troubled by the increasing belligerence of the
Pathet Lao The Pathet Lao ( lo, ປະເທດລາວ, translit=Pa thēt Lāo, translation=Lao Nation), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The gro ...
communists in his country. Buoyed by an increase in
Royal Lao Air Force The Royal Lao Air Force (french: Aviation Royale Laotiènne – AVRL), best known to the Americans by its English acronym RLAF, was the air force component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Royal Lao Government and ...
strength, he approved the planning of Operation Triangle by the Lao
General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...
. Although a limited military operation aimed at a stranded pocket of enemy troops, he hoped it would be the preliminary success needed to recapture the
Plain of Jars The Plain of Jars ( Lao: ທົ່ງໄຫຫິນ ''Thong Hai Hin'', ) is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. It consists of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of ...
.Anthony, p. 118
Retrieved 31 October 2014.
On 13 June, the RLAF flew 17 sorties against Pathet Lao artillery and antiaircraft guns on Phou Kout Mountain menacing Neutralist positions near
Muang Soui Muang Soui(In Lao: ເມືອງສຸຍ) (also called Muang Souy or Muong Soui) is a small town in Xiangkhouang Province Laos. It is located on Route 7 of Laos, so east of Phoukhoune district, northwest of Phonsavan, and Ban Phou Pheung Noi, ...
. Due to an inadequate
forward air control Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC). ...
system, some of the ordnance struck friendly troops. Although this disclosed a dangerous shortcoming in the Lao military's air management, General
Thao Ma Brigadier-General Thao Ma (1931–1973) was a Laotian military and political figure of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War (aka Second Indochina War). Thao Ma began his military career as a paratrooper in the French Union Army, when Fran ...
, commander of the RLAF, refused to supply Air Liaison Officers to direct the RLAF T-28 Trojans for the planned Lao attack. In fact, Ma transferred nine of his 20 T-28s south to
Savannakhet Savannakhet (ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ), officially named Kaysone Phomvihane ( lo, ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ; th, ไกสอน พมวิหาน) since 2005 and previously known as ''Khanthaboury'' (ຄັນທະ ...
, moving them out of possible range of targets on the Plain of Jars. Arranging air support for the upcoming Operation Triangle was thus left to the air attaché, Colonel Robert Tyrell. Two American pilots from Project Waterpump in Udorn, Thailand were forwarded to the Neutralists to fly O-1 Bird Dogs in their support, but their efforts were foiled by restrictions imposed by American ambassador
Leonard Unger Leonard Seidman Unger (December 17, 1917 – June 3, 2010) was a diplomat and United States Ambassador to Laos (1962–64), Thailand (1967–73), and was the last US ambassador to the Republic of China on Taiwan (1974–79). Personal life Unge ...
. Nevertheless, operational planning continued.Anthony, pp. 119–125
Retrieved 31 October 2014.


Planning and preparation

At a meeting on 23 June 1964, the Lao General Staff approved the upcoming operation. Operation Triangle (Lao name ''Sam Sone'', Three Arrows)Conboy, Morrison, p. 114 note 31. was designed as a three pronged attack by armed columns of the
Royal Lao Armed Forces The Royal Lao Armed Forces (french: Forces Armées du Royaume), best known by its French acronym FAR, were the official armed defense forces of the Kingdom of Laos, a state that existed from 1949 to 1975 in what is now the Laos, Lao People's Dem ...
converging on enemy units occupying a vital road junction. Route 13 was the only road running northward between
Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...
and
Luang Prabang Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...
. At its approximate midpoint, Route 7 branched to the east to cross the
Plain of Jars The Plain of Jars ( Lao: ທົ່ງໄຫຫິນ ''Thong Hai Hin'', ) is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. It consists of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of ...
into the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
.
Royal Lao Government The Royal Lao Government was the ruling authority in the Kingdom of Laos from 1947 until the communist seizure of power in December 1975 and the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953 gave Laos full i ...
units were tasked to converge on Sala Phou Khoun at the 7/13 junction from their starting points at Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Muang Soui.Conboy and Morrison, pp. 110–112. The initial deployment of Royalist and Neutralist troops would begin on 1 July, with the offensive kicking off on the 7th. Notable was the airlifting of three battalions of troops numbering 1,800 soldiers into northern Laos from the south;
Royal Lao Army The Royal Lao Army (french: Armée royale du Laos – ARL), also designated by its anglicized title RLA, was the Land Component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Kingdom of Laos during the North Vietnamese invasio ...
battalions usually remained in their assigned Military Regions. A total of ten battalions were tasked for the operation. At the Sala Phou Khoun intersection, there were believed to be three
Pathet Lao The Pathet Lao ( lo, ປະເທດລາວ, translit=Pa thēt Lāo, translation=Lao Nation), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The gro ...
battalions armed with some anti-aircraft guns and two armored cars. With
Kong Le Captain (later Major General) Kong Le ( Lao: ກອງແລ; 6 March 1934 – 17 January 2014) was a paratrooper in the Royal Lao Army. He led the premier unit of the Royal Lao Army, ''2ème bataillon de parachutistes'' (Parachute Battalion 2), ...
's
Forces Armées Neutralistes Forces Armées Neutralistes (Neutralist Armed Forces) was an armed political movement of the Laotian Civil War. History Forces Armées Neutralistes has founded upon the basis of the mutinous ''Bataillon Parachustistes 2'' (Battalion of Parachutists ...
- FAN (Neutralist Armed Forces) blocking Route 7 at Muang Soui, the Lao communist supply line was interdicted, and they were short of supplies and in low spirits. However, by late June it was doubted that
operational security Operations security (OPSEC) is a process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, a ...
could keep the RLG plans secret; if the Pathet Lao were tipped off, they might reinforce with North Vietnamese regulars. The U.S. Embassy, which supplied and trained the Royalists and Neutralists, was equivocal about the attack. The projected manpower odds were six to one favoring the RLG. Ambassador Unger noted that success was chancy, and that the overt American action involved might call attention to the U.S. violation of the
International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos The International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos is an international agreement signed in Geneva on July 23, 1962 between 14 states, including Laos, as a result of the International Conference on the Settlement of the Laotian Question, which la ...
. He thought even success might bring "bitter criticism" upon the Lao government and himself. The 26 June 1964 assessment by the Embassy stated that the Pathet Lao's "exposed position and other difficulties create an opportunity rarely encountered in Laos. Failure to take advantage of it might be nearly as bad psychologically as trying and failing." Despite this wishy-washy estimate, and the RLG failure in the recent Battles of Lak Sao and
Luang Namtha Luang Namtha (''Luang Nam Tha'') ( Lao: ມ. ຫລວງນໍ້າທາ) is a district as well as the capital of Luang Namtha Province in northern Laos. The city lies on the Tha River (''Nam Tha''). Luang Namtha is a popular tourist desti ...
, the Embassy favored Operation Triangle. Unger was told that President Lyndon Baines Johnson was personally monitoring the worth of the operation. The President's approval was not the only Washington influence on the operation; upper level bureaucrats were also involved in managing it.Warner, pp. 139–141. Major problems loomed in the planning. There was not only the complexity of coordinating three columns from different armed forces; there was also a need for coordination with imported Thai artillery units and the
Royal Lao Air Force The Royal Lao Air Force (french: Aviation Royale Laotiènne – AVRL), best known to the Americans by its English acronym RLAF, was the air force component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Royal Lao Government and ...
. This led to 11 American advisers being sneaked into Laos to help the Lao in this effort. However, preparations went forward with the
Requirements Office The Requirements Office (RO) was a ''sub rosa'' Military Assistance Advisory Group set up during the Laotian Civil War. It was established in September 1962 in the United States embassy in Laos, as a replacement for a similar preceding unit, the Pro ...
issuing fresh uniforms and weapons to RLG units. On 29 June 1964, the U.S. government approved Operation Triangle. That same day, the contract was let for resupply of the operation by the
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
's proprietary airline, Air America. It called for aerial
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
by Air America, the daily delivery of 23 tons of supplies to the columns, and
napalm Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated al ...
for arming the RLAF's T-28 Trojans. On 4 July, the 279-man Thai artillery battalion arrived at Muang Soui from Korat with one 155mm
howitzer A howitzer () is a long- ranged weapon, falling between a cannon (also known as an artillery gun in the United States), which fires shells at flat trajectories, and a mortar, which fires at high angles of ascent and descent. Howitzers, like ot ...
and five 105mm howitzers. They had been brought in because the Neutralist gunners were incapable of serving their own cannons. Bad weather intervened to delay arrival of the regimental-sized reinforcements of ''Group Mobile 16'' (Mobile Group 16) at Muang Soui until 15 July; they were needed to prevent the possibility of fleeing Pathet Lao fleeing down Route 7 and overrunning the Neutralist outpost.


The offensive

The Pathet Lao staged a pre-emptive regimental attack on Neutralist headquarters at Muang Soui, supported by 85mm and 105mm artillery. They were repulsed by RLAF T-28 strikes. The communists withdrew to Phou Kout Mountain. Its 400-meter elevation commanded the eastern end of the Muang Soui Valley. On 19 July, the offensive kicked off under command of General
Kouprasith Abhay Major-General Kouprasith Abhay ( lo, ກຸປຣະສິທທິ໌ ອະພັຍ; nicknamed 'Fat K'; 1926–1999?Stuart-Fox, pp. 169–170.) was a prominent military leader of the Kingdom of Laos during the Laotian Civil War. Scion of a s ...
. ''Group Mobile 11'' (Mobile Group 11) traipsed south on Route 13 from Luang Prabang. Pushing against little opposition, they captured a 105mm howitzer, an
81mm mortar An 81 mm mortar is a medium-weight mortar. It is a smooth-bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to light infantry, air assault, and airborne units across the entire front of a battalion zone o ...
, and nine Pathet Lao soldiers. Meanwhile, ''Group Mobile 17'' (Mobile Group 17) accompanied FAN forces northward toward the junction. Also on the 19th, GM 16 pushed westwards, screened by about 1,200 rounds of Thai artillery fire and 32 bombing sorties by RLAF T-28s. GM 16 covered a third of the distance from Muang Soui to their objective in just two days. Simultaneously, following heavy T-28 strikes, the Neutralist ''Bataillon Parachutistes 2'' (Paratroop Battalion 2) from Muang Soui began its attacks on Phou Kout. Despite this early promise, from 21 July onwards GM 16 slowed its march westward on the poorly constructed Route 7 toward Sala Phou Khoun, fearing land mines. On 22 July, GM 11 from Luang Prabang departed its intermediate objective at Phou Chia accompanied by an American
combat controller United States Air Force Combat Control Teams, singular Combat Controller (CCT) ( AFSC 1Z2X1), are an elite American special operations force (specifically known as "special tactics operators") who specialize in all aspects of air-ground communi ...
and a U.S. Army adviser. The Neutralists from the southern column also had
forward air control Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC). ...
help. Relaying instructions through an airborne radio link and using large bamboo arrows as target designators, they had the RLAF's Lao and Thai pilots clearing the road ahead of them with bombs. Having reached Muong Kassy south of the 7/13 junction on 25 July, they waited five days for GM 17 to arrive. By 28 July, GM 16 from Muang Soui encamped on the mountain just east of the Route 7/13 intersection. GM 11 was only a hill away to the north. There was a pause to coordinate action between the two columns. The following day, three ADC companies of irregulars led by CIA case officer
Tony Poe Anthony Alexander Poshepny (September 18, 1924 – June 27, 2003), known as Tony Poe, was a CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer in what became the Special Activities Division (renamed Special Activities Center in 2016). He was known for h ...
were heli-lifted into Sala Phou Khoun by Air America. On impulse, Poe ignored CIA restrictions on engaging in combat, and led his troops in the unauthorized assault. At 2100 hours, the three companies of guerrillas occupied the empty intersection. GM 11 and GM 16 did not move in until the following day.


Aftermath

Phou Kout, overlooking Muang Soui, still remained in enemy hands, blocking the RLG path to the Plain of Jars. The U.S. proposal to bomb the mountain with napalm was scotched because British ambassador Donald Hopson objected to its use, and the paratroopers were unable to capture the heights in four attempts. Running into
minefield A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
s, the paratroopers suffered 106 casualties from the explosives. The communists hung onto the Plain of Jars. Captured booty from Sala Phou Khoun included six armored cars, four Soviet 85mm field guns, four 105mm howitzers, 12 trucks, and tons of munitions. The
General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...
of the
Royal Lao Army The Royal Lao Army (french: Armée royale du Laos – ARL), also designated by its anglicized title RLA, was the Land Component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Kingdom of Laos during the North Vietnamese invasio ...
was ecstatic. Some enthusiasts thought recapture of the entire Plain of Jars might still be possible. Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma, as well as Generals Kouprasith and
Vang Pao Vang Pao ( RPA: ''Vaj Pov'' , Lao: ວັງປາວ; 8 December 1929 – 6 January 2011) was a major general in the Royal Lao Army. He was a leader of the Hmong American community in the United States. He was also known as General Vang P ...
all visited the site for inspection tours on 30 July 1964. However, matters were not helped by GM 11's arrival being greeted with an accidental discharge from a guerrilla
recoilless rifle A recoilless rifle, recoilless launcher or recoilless gun, sometimes abbreviated "RR" or "RCL" (for ReCoilLess) is a type of lightweight artillery system or man-portable launcher that is designed to eject some form of countermass such as propel ...
that nearly hit its headquarters section. The commander of GM 16 was furious at being robbed of his victory. Morale sagged among all the Lao government regulars despite their partial success. The fact that Poe and the Hmong irregulars had actually captured the objective was downplayed. The purpose of the operation had been as much public relations as seizure of territory; the Royal Lao Army needed success as a morale booster. At any rate, timing favored obscurity, as the
Tonkin Gulf Incident The Gulf of Tonkin incident ( vi, Sự kiện Vịnh Bắc Bộ) was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. It involved both a proven confrontation on August 2, 1964, carried out b ...
of 2 August pulled America into the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
even as Operation Triangle was ending. As the Tonkin Gulf Incident overshadowed Operation Triangle and the focus of American attention switched to Vietnam, the CIA was tasked with generating support within Laos for the Vietnam theater.


Notes


References

* Anthony, Victor B. and Richard R. Sexton (1993). ''The War in Northern Laos''. Center for Air Force History, OCLC 232549943. * Conboy, Kenneth and James Morrison (1995). ''Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos''. Paladin Press, ISBNs 0-87364-825-0, 978-1-58160-535-8. * Warner, Roger (1995). ''Back Fire: The CIA's Secret War in Laos and Its Link to the War in Vietnam''. Simon & Schuster, ISBNs 0684802929, 9780684802923. {{coord missing, Laos 20th century in Laos Hmong-American culture and history
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
1964 in Laos