Editing Dean Rusk (section)

===Vietnam and Laos===
Against the criticism made by Edward Lansdale of the embassy in Saigon, Rusk defended the performance of the State Department, saying South Vietnam was a difficult assignment.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam''  2000 p.115</ref> On 9 March 1961, the communist Pathet Lao won a notable victory on the Plains of Jars, and for a moment the Pathet Lao seemed on the verge of seizing all of Laos.<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.123">Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' 2000 p.123</ref> Rusk expressed considerable disgust when he learned that neither side in the Lao civil war fought very hard, citing a report that both sides had broken off combat to go celebrate a water festival for ten days before resuming their battle.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' 2000 p.121</ref>  Rusk, who had much experience of Southeast Asia during World War Two, expressed much doubt if bombing alone would stop the Pathet Lao, saying it was his experience that bombing only worked with ground troops to hold the ground or advance.<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.123"/>