The Khmer Rouge held power over the country for a little under 4 years, and in that time, 3 million people, nearly half the population of the country, were either killed or died of starvation or disease. One of the reasons the West claims it didn’t act is that no one knew what was taking place. The Khmer Rouge would not allow any journalists, or any foreigners for that matter, into the country. At the same time, they cut diplomatic ties with every country, but China. Hence, during the Khmer Rouge reign, from 1975-79, few if any people in the outside world knew what was truly happening there.
It is interesting to compare the cultural revolution of China during Mao's reign with that of the Khmer Rouge. They both emphasized destruction of the past in order to advance culture, along with egalitarian and communist principles. However, it is fortunate that the Khmer Rouge did not take this "destruction of the past" concept to the point the Chinese did. Indeed, we are lucky that Angkor Wat and many ancient temples and shrines that dot the Cambodian countryside, and give it richness and culture, were not destroyed.
The downfall of the Khmer Rouge was its own paranoia. Concerned that Vietnam was encroaching on its territory, the Khmer Rouge declared war on Vietnam in 1978. They were crushed in a matter of weeks, and Cambodia was liberated from its brutal oppression by the Vietnamese.
The Vietnamese sponsored a government from 1979-1989 called the People's Republic of Kampuchea. Then in 1989, they withdrew, and the United Nations set up a temporary, transitional government, called the State of Cambodia. Finally, in 1994, the Kingdom of Cambodia was established, and has held the name ever since.
This new government closely resembles a constitutional monarchy, with elected officials, and a mainly-figurehead monarch.
After the Vietnamese victory over the Khmer Rouge in 1979, followers loyal to Pol Pot fled to the jungles bordering Thailand in the Northwest corner of the country. There, they engaged in guerrilla warfare on the new government until the mid-1990's when Pol Pot agreed to dissolve the organization, and then subsequently died, supposedly of natural causes. But during the years of guerrilla warfare, the country was heavily mined. It continues to be one of the most mined countries in the world, with, unsurprisingly, one of the highest amputee rates in the world. Fortunately, many governmental and NGOs are removing mines, and the frequency of death and maiming from mines is decreasing.
So there you have it. A whirlwind tour of Cambodia's history and culture as I see it prior to the trip. It will be interesting to see how this "academic" knowledge plays out in practice as Dan and I land in Siem Reap in 4 days. Until then, happy h0lidays everyone!
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