Kingdom of Luang Phrabang (1945)

The Kingdom of Luang Phrabang (Lao; ອານາຈັກຫຼວງພະບາງ; anachak ruangphabang; French: Royaume de Luang Phrabang), was a puppet state of Japan from 8th April 1945 to 15th September 1945.

Kingdom of Luang Phrabang

ອານາຈັກຫຼວງພະບາງ (Lao)

ルアンプラバン王国 (Japanese)
1945
StatusPuppet state of the Empire of Japan
CapitalLuang Prabang
Common languagesLao
GovernmentConstitutional monarchy
King 
• 1945
Sisavang Vong
Prime Minister 
• 1945
Prince Phetsarath
Historical eraWorld War II
8 April 1945
12 October 1945
Currencypiastre
Preceded by		Succeeded by
French protectorate of Laos
Lao Issara

History

In 1944, France was liberated under General Charles de Gaulle. At the same time, Imperial Japanese troops were being largely defeated in the Pacific Front and in a last-minute attempt to draw support Japan dissolved French control over its Indochinese colonies in March 1945. Large numbers of French officials in Laos were then imprisoned or executed by the Japanese. The staunchly pro-French King Sisavang Vong was also imprisoned and forced by the Japanese, and at much urging from Prince Phetsarath, into declaring the French protectorate over his kingdom over while accepting the nation into the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere on 8 April 1945.[1] Prince Phetsarath remained as Prime Minister in the newly independent puppet state.

After Japan's surrender in August, Prince Phetsarath moved to unite the southern provinces with the now independent Luang Phrabang. This put him at odds with King Sisavong and the royal court, the King had already agreed with the French that he intended to have the country resume its former status as a French colony. Prince Phetsarath urged the King to reconsider and sent telegrams to all Laotian provincial governors notifying them that the Japanese surrender did not affect Laos' status as independent and warned them to resist any foreign intervention. On 15 September he declared the unification of the Kingdom of Laos with the southern regions; this caused the King to dismiss him from his post as Prime Minister on 10 October.[1]

See Also

References
  1. Evans, Grant (2002). A Short history of Laos, the land in between (PDF). Allen & Unwin.
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