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Operation Triangle was a military operation of the Laotian Civil War staged from 19–29 July 1964. Although planned by the General Staff of the Royal Lao Army, it was subject to American approval because the RLA depended on the Americans for finances, supplies, and munitions. Operation Triangle was an ambitious undertaking dependent on martial skills unfamiliar to the Lao. It not only called for coordination of infantry, artillery, and tactical air strikes among forces of three different nationalities; as a covert operation, it also had to have plausible deniability. On 26 June 1964, American Ambassador to Laos Leonard Unger was ambivalent about Operation Triangle's chances of success, but felt the opportunity for victory too good to resist. The planning of the military operation may have been local; however, approval to proceed had to come from the White House, where President Lyndon Baines Johnson was monitoring the situation. In any case, it was planned that three Royal Lao Army columns would converge on the intersection of Routes 7 and 13 in Laos, trapping a Lao communist force. With any luck, the highly strategic Plain of Jars would be left exposed to Royal Lao Government occupation. Despite the RLA's recent losses at Namtha and Lak Sao, the operation was approved. After some weather delays, the operation kicked off on 19 July 1964. One Royalist column left Luang Prabang headed south towards the road intersection at Sala Phou Khoun. Another headed north from Vientiane. The third column moved westward from Muang Soui on the edge of the Plain of Jars. Stiffened by American forward air controllers, with air power and Thai artillery blasting the way open, the columns closed in on Sala Phou Khoun. On 28 July, two of the columns regrouped just outside the objective. While they coordinated their final attack, Central Intelligence Agency paramilitary officer Tony Poe led an impromptu heliborne assault by Hmong irregulars that occupied the vacant road junction on 29 July. The Royalist victory was capped when they hauled off considerable military stores abandoned by the fleeing communists, including half a dozen armored cars and eight artillery pieces. However, the route to the Plain of Jars was still blocked by communist forces. As a result, there were hard feelings on part of the RLA regulars, who felt cheated of their triumph. Nor was that the only factor dampening Royalist morale; the Tonkin Gulf Incident of 2 August that officially began the Vietnam War immediately overshadowed Operation Triangle. ==Background== The Laotian Civil War came about as the United States moved in to take the place of the French administrators departing Laos as a result of the 1954 Geneva Conference. The American embassy to Laos concealed the resultant American military mission to the Kingdom of Laos from 1955 onwards. Faced with an escalating communist insurgency backed by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Royal Lao Government defended itself at the battles of Luang Namtha and Lak Sao, only to lose badly.〔Conboy and Morrison, pp. 13–29.〕 By May 1964, the communist insurgents had captured the highly strategic Plain of Jars, although they were surrounded by a guerrilla army sponsored by the Central Intelligence Agency. The dry season from October to May favored the road-bound communist forces; aerial support turned the advantage to the Royalists during the rainy season from June to September. Thus began the seesaw pattern of offensives and counter-offensives that would rage throughout northern Laos for the next few years.〔 Laotian Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma was troubled by the increasing belligerence of the Pathet Lao communists in his country. Buoyed by an increase in Royal Lao Air Force strength, he approved the planning of Operation Triangle by the Lao General Staff. Although a limited military operation aimed at a stranded pocket of enemy troops, he hoped it would be the preliminary success needed to recapture the Plain of Jars.〔(Anthony, p. 118 ). Retrieved 31 October 2014.〕 On 13 June, the RLAF flew 17 sorties against Pathet Lao artillery and antiaircraft guns on Phou Kout Mountain menacing Neutralist positions near Muang Soui. Due to an inadequate forward air control system, some of the ordnance struck friendly troops. Although this disclosed a dangerous shortcoming in the Lao military's air management, General Thao Ma, commander of the RLAF, refused to supply Air Liaison Officers to direct the RLAF T-28 Trojans for the planned Lao attack. In fact, Ma transferred nine of his 20 T-28s south to Savannakhet, moving them out of possible range of targets on the Plain of Jars. Arranging air support for the upcoming Operation Triangle was thus left to the air attaché, Colonel Robert Tyrell.〔 Two American pilots from Project Water Pump in Udorn, Thailand were forwarded to the Neutralists to fly O-1 Bird Dogs in their support, but their efforts were foiled by restrictions imposed by American ambassador Leonard Unger. Nevertheless, operational planning continued.〔(Anthony, pp. 119–125 ). Retrieved 31 October 2014.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Operation Triangle」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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