Before the Quagmire [electronic resource] : American Intervention in Laos, 1954-1961 /
Rust, William J.
Lexington, Ky. : University Press of Kentucky,
c2012.
In the decade preceding the first U.S. combat operations in Vietnam, the Eisenhower administration sought to defeat a communist-led insurgency in neighboring Laos. Although U.S. foreign policy in the 1950s focused primarily on threats posed by the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, the American engagement in Laos evolved from a small cold war skirmish into a superpower confrontation near the end of President Eisenhower's second term. Ultimately, the American experience in Laos foreshadowed many of the mistakes made by the United States in Vietnam in the 1960s.In Before 
Description based upon print version of record.
In the decade preceding the first U.S. combat operations in Vietnam, the Eisenhower administration sought to defeat a communist-led insurgency in neighboring Laos. Although U.S. foreign policy in the 1950s focused primarily on threats posed by the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, the American engagement in Laos evolved from a small cold war skirmish into a superpower confrontation near the end of President Eisenhower's second term. Ultimately, the American experience in Laos foreshadowed many of the mistakes made by the United States in Vietnam in the 1960s.In Before 
Includes bibliographical references and index.
The most difficult post in the entire foreign service -- A frontier country in the Cold War -- Behind the scenes -- Dangerously unstable -- Drawing the line -- Dichotomy -- Normal dishonesty -- Unacceptable developments -- Who the hell is our boy? -- Virtually a traitor -- Epilogue: a legacy of strife and confusion.
Description based on print version record.