Cambodian Genocide

By vinujah
  • Pol Pot in Paris

    Pol Pot in Paris
    • travelled to Paris on a scholarship to study radio electronics
    • he become interested with the Marxist ideology
    • he joined the French Communist Party
    • Pol Pot and many other Cambodian students formed the Paris Group
    • goal of Cambodian students was to spread communism in Cambodia
    • he neglected his studies so, he lost his scholarship
    Impact and Significance:
    • he developed national and communist ideas which he would eventually used to create the Khmer Rouge
  • Period: to

    Cambodia

  • Pol Pot's Return

    Pol Pot's Return
    • he returned to Cambodia and joined the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party
    • he worked in Kampong Cham
    • he later moved to Phnom Penh
    • he supported himself financially by teaching at a private school
    Impact and Significance:
    • he got inspiration from the Vietnamese communists
    • he also got inspiration for his ideology from joining the communist party
  • Prince Sihanouk

    Prince Sihanouk
    • Cambodia is under the rule of the monarch, Prince Sihanouk
    • under his rule Cambodia was actually called Kingdom of Cambodia
    • he won independence for Cambodia
    • he wanted to purse a political career so, his father became king and Sihanouk become Prime Minister
    • Sihanouk's father dies and Sihanouk becomes head of the state
    • he breaks off relations with the US
    Impact and Significance:
    • he allows North Vietnam to enter Cambodia and set up bases to attack South Vietnam and the US
  • Cambodia's Independence

    Cambodia's Independence
    • Cambodia gets its independence from France
    • French's control of Indochina ends
    • France ruled for nearly 90 years
    • France leaves the royal family in charge
    Impact and Significance:
    • gives Cambodia an opportunity to be governed by a monarch again
    • is the beginning of internal power struggles
  • US Bombing Campaign

    US Bombing Campaign
    • start of the civil war between North and South Vietnam
    • North Vietnam is communist
    • South Vietnam is anti-communist and is pro-western
    • the US supports South Vietnam
    • Vietnamese communists are in hideouts in Cambodia
    • the US bombs Cambodia to attack the communists
    • the bombing killed many Cambodian civilians in the process
    Impact and Significance:
    • it gave Khmer Rouge an excuse to recruit followers
    • it allowed Vietnamese communists to enter deeper into Cambodia
  • General Lon Nol

    General Lon Nol
    • Cambodian general and politican
    • he was the defence minister in Prince Sihanouk's government
    • he was anti-communist and was a right wing leader
    • he lead a military coup against Prince Sihanouk
    • he overthrows Prince Sihanouk
    • he exiled the Prince to Bejing
    Impact and Significance:
    - his regime started a fight between his army and the Khmer Rouge
    - caused Prince Sihanouk to join with the Khmer Rouge to attack
    Lon Nol
  • Khmer Rouge

    Khmer Rouge
    • came in power after they seized the capital city, Phnom Penh
    • renamed nation to Democratic Republic of Kampuchea
    • leader of group is Pol Pot
    • Pol Pot wanted to purify society
    Impact and Significance
    • were able to gain popularity because many people favoured communism after US bombing
    • the beginning of Year Zero
    • overthrew Lon Nol
  • Year Zero

    Year Zero
    • city dwellers are forced to move to the countryside
    • everyone is forced to be farmers
    • foreigners are expelled, foreign languages are banned, embassies are closed, foreign assistance is refused
    • money is worthless
    • religion is banned, education and health care is eliminated
    • all media was banned
    • inspired from Communist China
    Impact and Significance:
    • 1.7 million people died because of physical labour, lack of food and sleep
    • economy failed because most of the rich were dead
  • Khmer Rouge vs Vietnam

    Khmer Rouge vs Vietnam
    • Vietnam invades Phnom Penh
    • Khmer Rouge flee to the Thai border
    • Vietnamese establish a pro-Vietnamese regime
    • re-establish elements of life before the Khmer Rouge regime
    • Vietnam troops later withdraw
    Impact and Significance:
    • Khmer Rouge reign ends
  • Peace Agreement

    Peace Agreement
    • Peace Agreement in Paris
    • signed by 18 nations to end conflict in Cambodia
    • agreement talked about the process to end conflict and to create a democratic Cambodia
    • UN decided to send a mission to Cambodia to supervise the ceasefire
    • UN also send missions to remove mines in the country side and they would help refugees
    Impact and Significance:
    • conflict in Cambodia would end
    • Cambodia would be placed under the UN administration until elections in 1993
  • Mass Graves

    Mass Graves
    • bodies of people who died in S-21 discovered
    • they were buried outside of the prison camp
    • the bodies are still there to be kept as evidence
    • other evidence: records that Khmer Rouge kept and before and after pictures of the Cambodians that were tortured
    Impact and Significance:
    • can be used as evidence to recognize this as genocide and crimes against humanity
    • also it can be used against the Khmer Rouge leaders
  • Pol Pot dies

    Pol Pot dies
    • Pol Pot dies at the age of 73
    • dies while he is in a hideout in Thailand
    • died of natural causes
    Impact and Significance:
    • Cambodians feel that they did not get justice because he was never put on a proper trial
    • They also were angered because he died peacefully and he was the reason for many people died
  • UN Tribunals

    UN Tribunals
    • purpose was to convict members of the Khmer Rouge
    • was a mixed tribunal (international judges and Cambodian judges)
    • it was always delayed
    • Delaying the trial could cause loss of evidence and missed opportunities to convict former Khmer Rouge leaders
    • Pol Pot was not put on trial
    • Comrade Duch (Brother Number Two) was given 35 years in prison
    Impact and Significance:
    • Cambodians were angered again because Comrade Duch was only given 35 years and he only had to serve 19 years