Pathet Lao

Pathet Lao
Flag of the Pathet Lao
Leaders	Prince Souphanouvong Kaysone Phomvihane Nouhak Phoumsavanh
Dates of operation	1950 – 2 December 1975
Headquarters	Vientiane
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism Left-wing nationalism Pro-Vietnam
Allies	State allies:  North Vietnam  People's Republic of China  Soviet Union  Albania  North Korea  East Germany  Cuba  Romania Non-state allies: Viet Cong Khmer Rouge
Opponents	State opponents:  Kingdom of Laos  South Vietnam  Khmer Republic  Australia  South Korea  New Zealand  Philippines  Republic of China (Taiwan)  Thailand  United States Non-state opponents: FULRO
Battles and wars	Indochina War Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Communist insurgency in Thailand

Part of a series on the
History of Laos
Muang city-states era
Muang Sua 698–1353
Lan Xang era
Lan Xang 1353–1707
Regional kingdoms era
Kingdom of Vientiane 1707–1828 Kingdom of Luang Phrabang 1707–1893 Muang Phuan 1707–1899 Kingdom of Champasak 1713–1904
Colonial era
Lao rebellion 1826–1828 Haw wars 1865–1890 Franco-Siamese crisis 1893 French Protectorate of Laos 1893–1953 Franco-Thai War 1940–1941 Japanese puppet state 1945 Free Lao Movement (Lao Issara) 1945–1949
Independent era
Kingdom of Laos 1946–1975 Laotian Civil War 1953–1975 North Vietnamese invasion of Laos 1958–1959 Anti-Communist Insurgency 1975–2007 Lao People's Democratic Republic 1975–1991 Laos after Soviet dominance 1991–present
See also
History of Laos History of Isan
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This article contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script.

The Pathet Lao (Lao: ປະເທດລາວ, romanized: Pa thēt Lāo, lit. 'Lao Nation'^[1]), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group ultimately conquered the entire country in 1975, after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were always closely associated with Vietnamese communists and North Vietnam. During the civil war, it was effectively organized, equipped and even led by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). They fought against the anti-communist forces in the Vietnam War. Eventually, the term became the generic name for Laotian communists. Under orders from Mao Zedong, the People's Liberation Army provided 115,000 guns, 920,000 grenades and 170 million bullets, and trained more than 700 of its military officers.^[2]