Kingdom of Cambodia

By Springer0043

  • Independence of Cambodia

    Cambodia wins its independence from France. Under King Sihanouk, it becomes the Kingdom of Cambodia.

  • Prime Minister

    Sihanouk abdicates to pursue a political career. His father becomes king and Sihanouk becomes prime minister.

  • Head of state

    Sihanouk's father dies. Sihanouk becomes head of state.

  • No more relations

    Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US and allows North Vietnamese guerrillas to set up bases in Cambodia in pursuance of their campaign against the US-backed government in South Vietnam.

  • Bombing

    The US begins a secret bombing campaign against North Vietnamese forces on Cambodian soil.

  • Lon Nol

    Prime Minister Lon Nol overthrows Sihanouk in coup. He proclaims the Khmer Republic and sends the army to fight the North Vietnamese in Cambodia. Sihanouk - in exile in China - forms a guerrilla movement. Over next few years the Cambodian army loses territory against the North Vietnamese and communist Khmer Rouge guerrillas

  • Overthrown

    Lon Nol is overthrown as the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot occupy Phnom Penh. Sihanouk briefly becomes head of state, the country is re-named Kampuchea.

  • Democratic Kampuchea

    The country is re-named Democratic Kampuchea. Sihanouk resigns, Khieu Samphan becomes head of state, Pol Pot is prime minister.

  • Fight

    Fighting breaks out with Vietnam.

  • Invasion

    Vietnamese forces invade in a lightning assault.

  • Thailand

    The Vietnamese take Phnom Penh. Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge forces flee to the border region with Thailand.

  • Government

    The pro-Vietnamese Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party wins parliamentary elections. The international community refuses to recognise the new government.

  • New Prime Minister

    Hun Sen becomes prime minister. Cambodia is plagued by guerrilla warfare. Hundreds of thousands become refugees.

  • Troopers

    Vietnamese troops withdraw. Hun Sen tries to attract foreign investment by abandoning socialism. The country is re-named the State of Cambodia. Buddhism is re-established as the state religion.

  • Peace

    A peace agreement is signed in Paris. A UN transitional authority shares power temporarily with representatives of the various factions in Cambodia. Sihanouk becomes head of state.

  • Election

    General election sees the royalist Funcinpec party win the most seats followed by Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party

  • Surrender

    Thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrender in government amnesty.

  • New Party

    Deputy leader of Khmer Rouge Ieng Sary forms a new party and is granted amnesty by Sihanouk.

  • You going to jail

    Hun Sen mounts a coup against the prime minister, Prince Ranariddh, and replaces him with Ung Huot. The coup attracts international condemnation. The Khmer Rouge put Pol Pot on trial and sentence him to life imprisonment.

  • Prince Ranariddh

    Prince Ranariddh is tried in his absence and found guilty of arms smuggling, but is then pardoned by the king.

  • New Law

    A law setting up a tribunal to bring genocide charges against Khmer Rouge leaders is passed. International donors, encouraged by reform efforts, pledge $560 million in aid.

  • New Norodom

    First multi-party local elections; ruling Cambodian People's Party wins in all but 23 out of 1,620 communes. Ranariddh's half-brother Prince Norodom Chakrapong sets up his own Norodom Chakrapong Khmer Soul Party.

  • Diplomatic

    Serious diplomatic upset with Thailand over comments attributed to a Thai TV star that the Angkor Wat temple complex was stolen from Thailand. Angry crowds attack the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party wins general elections but fails to secure sufficient majority to govern alone.

  • Deadlock

    After nearly a year of political deadlock, Prime Minister Hun Sen is re-elected after CPP strikes a deal with the royalist Funcinpec party. Parliament ratifies kingdom's entry into World Trade Organisation (WTO). King Sihanouk abdicates and is succeeded by his son Norodom Sihamoni.

  • Sam Rainsy

    Opposition leader Sam Rainsy goes abroad after parliament strips him of immunity from prosecution, leaving him open to defamation charges brought by the ruling coalition.