The Cambodian Civil War
A tragic genocide
Important leaders
Pol Pot- Led Khmer Rouge
Khieu Samphan- Cambodian Politician, former Cambodian communist, president of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976-1979
Lon Nol-a Cambodian politician who had previously served as prime minister, and the leader of the forces against the Khmer Rouge after kicking Prince Sihanouk out of leadership
Prince Sihanouk- Prince that was kicked out of office by Pol Pot
Why did this happen in the first place?
This civil war was mostly fought because Pol Pot had his own idea of society and wanted others to follow. Pol Pot was against city people and anything that made them them. Such as occupations, education, money, religion, and any sentimental possessions. Pol pot stripped everything from them and under his control created his “ideal” country. This is an issue because families were separated, people starved to death, and were killed. Pol pot controlled all aspects of life.
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The map Above Represents....
This map represents enemy attacks and shows where the Fank Defence Sector’s are. This map helps understand the Cambodian Civil War by showing where the attacks were.
Precursor Events
-In March 1970, Marshal Lon Nol staged a successful coup to depose Prince Sihanouk as head of state.
-Their army was led by Pol Pot, who was appointed CPK’s party secretary and leader in 1963. Pol Pot, born in Cambodia as Solath Sar, spent an amount of time in France and became member of the French Communist Party. Upon returning to Cambodia in 1953, he joined a clandestine communist movement and began his rise up the ranks.
-The Khmer Rouge was aided by the Vietnamese and began to defeat Lon Nol’s forces on the battlefields. By the end of 1972, the Vietnamese withdrew from Cambodia and turned the major responsibilities for the war over to the CPK or Communist Party of Kampuchea
Arms & Army
The Khmer Rouge used guns in this civil war. They traded things with China in return for weapons. Also another tactic to exterminate the city was the use of labor camps, death camps, and killing fields. Civilians had nothing to fight back with and simply were left to die.
Resources & Technology
Alliances
Society
Early before the Cambodian genocide, just 2 years back. The civil rights movement was going on in America and ended in 1968. The cambodian genocide began in 1970.