December 31, 1960: US Warns Reds on Laos

The U.S. State Department today warned the Reds in China and North Vietnam not to support the Communist rebels in Laos. A spokesman said the US would take "the most serious view" of intervention. The invasion comes after weeks of Soviet help for the rebels in Laos. The Soviets have dropped supplies to the fighters. An American plan observing the operation was fired on. US officials think Vietnamese soldiers accompanied some Soviet shipments of howitzers.

In Moscow Premier Khrushchev extended an olive branch to the incoming Kennedy administration. Khrushchev said he would drop the U-2 spy plane issue that had been such a bone of contention with the US.