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Freedom
In 1953 Cambodia gained independance after nearly 100 years of French Rule.Prince Sihanouk went to France in 1953 to presurade the French into giving Cambodia full independance. Prince Sihanouk was under pressure at the time, for if he did not attain independance for Cambodia, the Cambodians would turn Son Ngcoc the leader of the Khmer Issarak (political group) who promis fully to attainCambodia's freedom. The pressure on Prince Sihanouk from the Cambodians is what lead to their own freedom. -
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Ruling of Royalty
Prince Norodom Sihanouk was the leader and the King of Cambodia after Cambodia recieved independace from the French in 1953. He guided his country through half a century of revolution and war in Indo-China. He served most of his time as crown prince, elected Prime minister and for 20 years ruler-in-exile. Sihanouk was loyal to his country of Cambodia. He would travel around the country hearing complaints, adminstering justice, and he also gave away gifts and money to the poor Cambodians. -
Combodia- The battlefield
Cambodia was caught up in the war between the U.S.A and the Vietnamese. After Lon Nol gained power of Cambodia in 1970, U.S troops were allowed to move into Cambodia to establish a base, due to the fact that Lon Nol was a supporter of America. In the process many Cambodians were killed in the crossfire as American troops mistook innocent civilians for Vietnam soldiers. Over 750,000 Cambodians died due to U.S B-52 Bombing, napal strikes, and dart-cluster bombings on Cambodia. -
Right Winged Government Established/Civil War begins
The leader of the new right winged government was lieutenant- general Lon Nol. He was the president of the "Khmer Republic". The previous fallen government led by Prince Sihanouk formed the communist gureilla movement of the "Khmer Rouge" with the support of Cambodians. This formation of 2 seperate political groups is what sparked the civil war in Cambodia, The Khmer Rouge was a small gurilla movement in the 1970's. Their new leader was Pol Pot who was a well educated politician. -
End of the War------Hope
In 1975 North Vietnamese forces seized South Vietnam's captial, Saignon. Lol Nol was defeated this year by the Khmer Rouge. The war between the Khmer Rouge and the Khmer Republic suffered an estimated 156,000 casualties, half of the casualties were innocent civilians. Cambodian citizens celebrated, not to the fact that the Khmer Rouge were the ones in power, but due to that their country was finally at peace after a 5 year civil war. -
Torture School S-21
S-21 was a former highschool in Cambodia which was later changed into an execution and interrogation centre for its victims. Of the 14,000 people known to have entered, only seven survived.The prisoners of the interrogation camp, were carefully photographed and a vast amount of data on each personnel was kept on them by the Khmer Rouge. The prisoners of the camp suffered many different methods of exexution from whipping to electrical shock. -
Democratic Kampuchea
The "Khmer Rouge" led by Pol Pot took control of Comdodia and renamed the country Democratic Kampuchea throwing off Prime Minister Lon Nol. Many of the citizens of Cambodia greeted the KR soilders with joy, in belief that that peace had finally arrived. The KR's goal to promote equality was what attracted the Cambodian citizens, little did they know that the KR would take communism, and equality to its extremes. -
End of the Riegn
The "Khmer Rouge" were removed from power once the communist Vietnam invaded in January of 1979. After the invasion the Vietnam established a pro-Vietnamese regime in Cambodia. The "Khmer Rouge" killed over 1.5million Cambodians through starvation, torture, and work during their reign of terror.This was due to the beliefs and values that the "Khmer Rouge" held. They belived that Cambodians were being tanted by the modern western civilization. Pol Pot the leader of the KR managed to get away. -
A New Government
After Pol Pot and the KR lost their power, during the Vietnamese invasion on January 8th, 1979, a new pro-Hanoi government was installed led by Heng Samrin. The Khmer Rouge Regime collapsed. Pol Pot as well as 35,000 of his Cambodian supporters feld to the western hills in Cambodia to avoid being caught and imprisoned by Heng Smarin. After Heng took control of the government, he was committed towards creating an independant democracy and was moving towards "socialism". -
Death of Pol Pot
Pol Pot died on April 15, 1998 due to a heart attack. His riegn of terror lead to over 1.5 million Cambodians death. His reform policies drove Cambodians from major cities and forced 10,000's into labor. Victims were denied food, and medical care and many were killed in mass. He was captured in June of 1997 and was sentenced to life in prison. He recieved is heart attack while under house arrest and passed away on this date. -
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The Trial of Duch
Duch was the commander of S-21. In 1979 Duch went into hiding but was later found by journalists in 1999. On July 31, 2007 he was charged with Crimes Against Humanity, and his trial began on February 17, 2009. Duch was found guilty for Crimes Against Humanity and was senteced 35 years in prison on July 26, 2010. He is likely to serve only 19 years of this sentence. Many Cambodians are still displeased with the sentence and wanted an execution penalty.
