President John F. Kennedy at Press Conference
3/23/1961
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This photograph shows President Kennedy standing at a lectern in the State Department auditorium in Washington, DC. A map of Laos on the left reads "Communist Rebel Areas, 22 March 1961."
When Kennedy took office, the communist-backed Pathet Lao insurgents were about to take over Laos. In 1962, the Geneva Conference agreed to a declaration on the neutrality of Laos under a coalition government. The Indochinese Communist Party used land it seized in Laos to build part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It was a major conduit for Communist supplies and support, ensuring that Laos would remain a battlefront throughout the Vietnam War.
When Kennedy took office, the communist-backed Pathet Lao insurgents were about to take over Laos. In 1962, the Geneva Conference agreed to a declaration on the neutrality of Laos under a coalition government. The Indochinese Communist Party used land it seized in Laos to build part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It was a major conduit for Communist supplies and support, ensuring that Laos would remain a battlefront throughout the Vietnam War.
This primary source comes from the Collection JFK-WHP: White House Photographs.
Full Citation: Photograph AR6454-B; President John F. Kennedy at Press Conference; 3/23/1961; Press Conference, State Department Auditorium, 6:00PM; Abbie Rowe White House Photographs, 12/6/1960 - 3/11/1964; Collection JFK-WHP: White House Photographs; John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, MA. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/jfk-laos, September 15, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
