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Pathet Lao is the communist movement that took place between the French and Ho Chi Minh's government. The war broke out in 1946. In 1949 a resistance army was formed. The Communists created the Free Lao Front in 1950. Their main aim was a united struggle against the French. Since the phrase Pathet Lao is in use.
The Communist Party of Laos was dependent on Vietnam. Souphanouvong's Pathet Lao government had leaders who maintained ties to Viet Minh as well as the member of Lao aristocracy along with the former officials of the RLG. Two representatives were also included. They were made ministers without portfolio. This government includes people like Kaysone, Nouhak, Tiao Souk Vongsak etc.
Kaysone and Nouhak became the ICP by 1950. The Party was capable of drawing the attention of those people who took no interest in Marxism and Leninism. To establish Communism in Laos was difficult as it had a strong notion of Buddhist harmony and here land reform or class struggle was not a big deal. Even the overthrow of the monarchy was not published.
Pathet Lao government operated in Laos for a long time. This organization of Laos gained paramount power in this country after a civil war that lasted from 1950 to 1975. It was as powerful in Laos as Viet Minh and Viet Cong in Vietnam. The term gradually became applicable to Laotian communist. The party was also named after this Communist Movement in Laos as Lao People's Party, which was later renamed as Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
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