Word: phoumi
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...troops and arms, but the Pathet Lao ignored the ban; Viet Minh cadres poured across the border to train Pathet Lao troops in guerrilla and conventional warfare. In 1957 the U.S. grew alarmed, began casting about for a rightist leader to counter the Communists. It found him in General Phoumi Nosavan, a tubby but talented field commander whose cousin, the late Strongman Sarit Thanarat of Thailand, was a firm supporter...
...years later, Phoumi led the first of five coups that have kept Laos in turmoil ever since. In April 1960 Phoumi's slate of candidates won handily in a rigged election, but the Pathet Lao were back in business as guerrillas, and the prospect of another long, bloody civil war faced the country. Then, in August 1960, Kong Le acted...
...with a pet baby elephant, an incipient ulcer and a reliance on sedatives; Siho plays the dandy, wears three gold rings and affects an ivory-handled pistol to go with his favorite blue dress uniform. Although Siho is generally regarded as a henchman of rightist, anti-Communist boss, General Phoumi Nosavan, both coup leaders claimed to have acted without involving Phoumi, who, as Deputy Premier and Defense Minister in Prince Souvanna's government, could not very well be leading a coup d'état. Said Phoumi after the coup: "I am in rather large difficulties." So was everybody...
Showing up in Edwardian splendor, the moustached Souvanna Phouma sported a pearl stickpin, Homburg, and carved Laotian walking stick. He received a hug and kiss from Half Brother Souphanouvong, himself resplendent in a most unproletarian two-button suit with a bigger pearl stickpin. Paunchy Soldier Phoumi thought it more appropriate to wear combat fatigues. The trio conferred for an hour, broke for box lunches and Scotch airlifted in from Vientiane...
...calling itself the Revolutionary Committee of the National Army was on the radio, announcing that it had seized power. Their leader: General Kouprasith Abhay, who has been fighting the neutralists and leftists for years. As commander of the Vientiane military district Kouprasith was the top soldier under Rightist Boss Phoumi, but also acquired a great deal of power...