The Kingdom of Laos (1953-1975) was a constitutional monarchy that ruled Laos for 22 years with only two kings, Sisavang Vong and Savang Vatthana. It gained its independence from France in 1953, but the lack of a clear leader led to a civil war that lasted all but one month of the kingdom's existence, ending with the Pathet Lao communist faction of Prince Souphanouvong seizing power.
History[]
The location of Laos
On 11 May 1947, Laos was given autonomy under a new constitution as a part of French Indochina, and on 22 October 1953 France granted Laos its freedom. However, no ruler was explicitly stated, so the "Three Princes" Souvanna Phouma (a centrist), Boun Oum (a right-winger), and Souphanouvong (a leftist) ruled over separate parts of the country. From 9 November 1953 until 2 December 1975 Laos was engaged in the Laotian Civil War between Boun Oum and Souvanna Phouma and the Pathet Lao communist rebels of Souphanouvong. In 1958-1959, neighboring North Vietnam invaded Laos to help the Pathet Lao, and Laos was caught up in the Vietnam War. The United States bombed the Sam Neua and Phong Saly regions under Pathet Lao control, and they fought against the Pathet Lao, who allowed Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) troops into Laos to fight the Americans. After the United States left South Vietnam in 1973, the situation in Southeast Asia became untenable for the dictatorships and kingdoms, and in 1975 Vietnam was reunited and the Khmer Rouge seized power in Cambodia. On 2 December 1975 the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR) seized power, ending the wars in Indochina and installing a communist government in Laos.