quick note on Laos, from memory, so prob very wrong!!

Laos was part of the French Indochine empire, but was independant from France during the 50's - however the worry of a communist asia prompted the USA to start what was called the 'secret war' and apprently dhad 1.5 times more bombs dropped on it than Vietnam did during the whole period of the conflicts , not many people know that, hence the secret war

ceasefire in 73, and then independance a few years later

i think