<p>At the same time, in northern Laos, the Royal Laotian air force began flying its T-28s against ground targets in support of the Laotian army and Neutralist groups who were fighting the Pathet Lao. Laos, according to the Geneva Accords of 23 July 1962, was a country ruled by a tripartite government: Rightists, Neutralists and Pathet Lao (leftists). It never worked, and quickly degenerated into a Pathet Lao attempt to seize total control. They were backed by the North Vietnamese. In the spring of 1964, the Pathet Lao and their NVN supporters went on the offensive and captured control of the Plain of Jars. The Neutralists called for air strikes against the Communists to save the country, and in response the United States began the Barrel Roll air campaign to support Laotian ground forces.
