:: Facts about Cambodia ::

From 1953 independence from French occupation to 1970s Khmer Rouge Communist Regime to today’s UN-mandated democratic coalition government, Cambodia is still struggling for peace and unity atop a tumultuous political playground.

1955-1969 - Sangkum Reastr Niyum, King Sihanouk Head of State

After the French withdrew from Cambodia, King Norodom Sihanouk became the country’s new political leader of the Popular Socialist Party. Throughout the 1960s, Sihanouk struggled to keep Cambodia neutral as neighboring countries of Laos and South Vietnam came under increasing Communist attack during the Vietnam War.

King Sihanouk gave considerable power to his defense minister and supreme commander of the army, Lt. Gen. Lon Nol who overthrow the Sihanouk as Head of State. Sihanouk went into exile in Beijing, China. Soon after the coup, South Vietnam and U.S. used Cambodia as another battleground against the Communists. Cambodia was no longer a neutral state.

In 1970, U.S. supported the South Vietnamese fighting in Cambodia with air bombings that destroyed villages and killed thousands of civilians. This angered many Cambodians and led them to follow the growing communist regime in Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge.

The withdrawal of North and South Vietnamese and U.S. troops from Cambodia led way to civil war between Lon Nol’s troops and the Khmer Rouge communists, which grew to 30,000. Lon Nol fled to Hawaii when the Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975, beginning the reign of terror in Cambodia.

1970-1974 Republican of Cambodia: Lon Nol Regimes

King Sihanouk gave considerable power to defense minister and supreme commander of the army, Lt. Gen Lon Nol who overthrow the Sihanouk as Head of State. Sihanouk went into exile in Beijing, China. Soon after the coup, south Vietnam and U. S based Cambodia as another battleground against Communist. Cambodia was no longer a neutral State.

In 1970, U. S. supported the South Vietnamese fighting in Cambodia with air bombings that destroyed villages and killed thousands of civilians. This angered many Cambodians and led them to follow the growing communist regime in Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge.

The withdrawal of the North and South Vietnamese and U.S. troops from Cambodia led way to civil war between Lon Nol's troops and the Khmer Rouge Communist, which grew to 30,000. Lon Nol fled to Hawaii when the Khmer rouge seized power in 1975, begin the reign of terror in Cambodia

1975-1979 - Democratic Kampuchea: Khmer Rouge Communist

Following the take over in 1975, Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot renamed the country Democratic Kampuchea and forced entire populations of the country’s urban areas, including Phnom Penh, to the rural areas and work in agriculture.

About one million and a half people were executed by the Khmer Rouge over the next four years. Members of the upper, middle, or educated classes, as well as suspected enemies of the Khmer Rouge, were victims of the genocide

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