query: conflict souvanna phouma
supports: The Kingdom of Laos was a constitutional monarchy that ruled Laos beginning with its independence on 9 November 1953. The monarchy survived until December 1975, when its last king, Savang Vatthana, surrendered the throne to the Pathet Lao, who abolished the monarchy in favor of a Marxist state called the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which has controlled Laos since. Prince Souvanna Phouma ( 7 October 1901 -- 10 January 1984 ) was the leader of the neutralist faction and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Laos several times from 1951 -- 1954 , 1956 -- 1958 , 1960 and 1962 -- 1975 . The Pathet Lao (Lao: , "Lao Nation") was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group was ultimately successful in assuming political power in 1975, after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were always closely associated with Vietnamese communists. During the civil war, it was effectively organized, equipped and even led by the Army of North Vietnam. They fought against the anti-communist forces in the Vietnam War. Eventually, the term became the generic name for Laotian communists. Laos, (, , or  , "Lo") officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, (Lao:   , "Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao") or commonly referred to its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: , "Muang Lao") is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest, and Thailand to the west and southwest.
candidates: laotian civil war vietnam vietnam war
answer: vietnam war