| The United States contested with the Soviet Union drastically around the world during the Cold War period and the Southeast Asia became one of the most important battlefields that the two countries cross swords. Southeast Asia located between Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean which has an important geopolitical significance of preventing Asian communists advanced southward. The United States put a great deal of manpower, material resources and financial capabilities in this region to ensure the safety of its Asian allies and its own global interests and even involved itself into a war which lasted more than twenty years in Indochina. Influenced by the Domino Theory, the United States believed that the communist movements would spread to the other Southeast Asian countries inevitably if the communists were to take control of Indochina, therefore Indochina policy was long-termly the core of America’s Asian policy during the Cold War period. Vietnam issue was the centre of Indochina issues, and Laos was a wing state of Vietnam, so its geopolitical importance raised gradually. The United States thought that if it could affect or even control Laos and make it an buffer state between its ally Thailand and the communist China and North Vietnam, it would promote the implementation of containment strategy in Asia. Therefore, the importance of America’s policy to Laos raised gradually in America’s foreign policy. Laos, as an insignificant tiny country, was drawn into the complicated and fickle international politics struggles gradually.The policy toward Laos during Johnson administration played a connecting role between the preceding and the following policy to Laos. During this period, the United States deeply involved itself in Laos issue and the characteristic of Cold War became obvious in its policy toward Laos which became one of the most important part of its Cold War strategies. This article aims to systematically research America’s policy toward Laos of Johnson administration so that the people can thoroughly understand the America’s Cold War policies.The main text is divided into four chapters.Chapter One. In this chapter, I mainly discuss the origin of the America’s policy to Laos. For the need of Cold War, Truman administration began to formulate its Indochina policy and Laos also entered into the America’s view because of its important geopolitical significance. During the period of Eisenhower administration, the United States began to involve in Laos issue, which included interfering Laos’ internal politics and trying to turn Laos as the basis of fighting against the communists.. During the period of Kennedy administration, the United States attempted to make Laos a neutral country and a buffer state in Southeast Asia through supporting Phouma government.Chapter Two and Chapter Three. In these two chapters, I elaborate the America’s policy toward Laos during Johnson administration. Politically, the United States sustained Phouma government firmly and suppressed the right wing political power constantly in order to consolidate Phouma’s political position and maintain the stability of Laos’political atmosphere. At the same time, the United States tried to revive the Geneva Settlement via diplomatic approaches and make Laos a pro-American neutral buffer state. Militarily, the United States kept upgrading its actions in order to suppress Pathet Lao and Viet Minh’s troops in Laos. These actions included photo reconnaissances in the early period and air strikes and bombings at the later stage. At the end of Johnson administration, they reassessed the policy toward Laos but failed to make any remarkable changes finally, so the United States engaged in Laos issue more deeply.Chapter Four (as conclusion). In this chapter, I analyze the reasons of the failure of America’s policy toward Laos during Johnson administration from the aspects of policy object, decision-making team, the external factors which affect the decision-making process and the anticipation and strategy of military. |
PDF Full Text Request