Editing History of Laos (section)

===World War II===
In February 1945, a detachment from the [[Japanese Imperial Army]] moved into [[Xieng Khouang Province|Xieng Khouang]]. The [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] preempted that the [[Vichy government|Vichy]] administration of [[French Indochina]] under Admiral Decoux would be replaced by a representative of the [[Free French]] loyal to [[Charles DeGaulle]] and initiated [[Japanese coup d'état in French Indochina|Operation Meigo]] ("bright moon"). The Japanese succeeded in the [[internment]] of the French living in Vietnam and Cambodia, and in some areas of Laos the French were able with the help of the Lao and ''Garde Indigene'' to establish jungle bases which were supplied by British airdrops from Burma. French control in Laos had been sidelined.<ref name="Manich"/>