The developments leading up to and including the Laotian crisis in mid-1959 fall into several well-defined stages. The f i r s t Stage, in summer 1958, saw the formation of an anti-Communist coalition government vested with emergency powers and intent on aligning Laos more closely with the West. In order to deal more effectively with internal Communist subversion and prepare the way for more active American assistance, the
This action was strongly protested by Hanoi and Peiping, the latter underlining its right to be heard with the reminder that it was "a close neighbor of Laos." Probably more deci- sive in indicating to Hanoi that a resumption of Communist military action was necessary was Premier Phoui's Civic Action program, started in August 1958, t o wipe out Communist influ- ence in the countryside. In ominous response, North Vietnam charged Laotian violation of its borders in December and sent troops into the disputed border areas.
Lao Government succeeded in July 1958 in bringing about an indefinite, adjournment of the International Control Commission,