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Independence of Cambodia
On the 9th of November 1953 the French granted Cambodia full independence crowning Sihanouk as the first king. In relation to the threat of the Khmer Rouge the independence of Cambodia meant that they wouldn’t have the support from the French army if an uprising were to happen. Because of the lack of military support the Khmer Rouge was able to take over Cambodia with little resistance. -
Cambodia breaks ties with the U.S
Following an uneasy relationship Cambodia breaks ties with the U.S. This allowed Sihanouk increase his disapproval of the U.S presence in Vietnam. Cambodia had very little diplomatic ties therefore in a time of need they had no one to fall back on. Cambodia allows the North Vietnamese to start guerrilla warfare against the U.S supported government in South Vietnam by enabling them to set up bases in Cambodia. -
Operation Menu
Originally targeting South Vietnam, the U.S B-25 bombers divert to Cambodia for the first time in the war. They begin by bombing what they thought were communist camps and supply areas. This continued throughout 1969 ending 28th of May 1970. Over this time 3,630 flights dropped 110,000 tons of bombs over Cambodia. The bombing was kept confidential as Cambodia was neutral at the time -
Lon Nol takes control of Cambodia
Lon Nol forcefully takes control of Cambodia in 1970 when Sihanouk returns from Moscow. Sihanouk had been trying to maintain the peace between the Khmer Rouge however with the help of the North Vietnamese, they fought for power over Cambodia. Lon Nol along with the U.S army fought to push the Khmer Rouge out of Cambodia. -
U.S forces Depart South Vietnam
As a result of the U.S pulling their forces from South Vietnam, the Cambodians and South Vietnamese Struggled to fight the North Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge -
Khmer Rouge set up labour camps
Following the mass departure of Phnom Penh. Labour camps are set up where all city dwellers will become agricultural workers. Religion is banned and money is abolished. Throughout the next 3 years the workers were forced to work excruciatingly long days with barely enough food. An estimated 1.7 million people died due to execution, exhaustion, disease or malnutrition. -
Khmer Rouge takes control of Phnom Penh
Due to the lack of support Lon Nol's forces fall to the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge evacuated all of Phnom Penh to the farmlands of Cambodia. -
Pol Pot becomes prime minister
Renaming the country Democratic Kampuchea. Pol Pot becomes prime minister and Khieu Samphan becomes head of state due to Sihanouk being removed. -
Vietnam invades Cambodia
As of 1978 the Vietnamese realised that the Khmer Rouge could not be stopped without military intervention. The Vietnamese launched an invasion on the 25th of December 1978 which included 14 Vietnamese divisions and three Khmer regiments adding up to around 100,000 people. This was the beginning of the end for Democratic Kampuchea. -
Vietnamese take Phnom Penh
The Vietnamese took Phnom Penh in a matter of months. Tanks, air support, Vietnamese and Cambodian exile soldiers crossed the border late 1978 taking the Khmer Rouge by storm. Upon entering Phnom Penh the majority of the Khmer army was defeated therefore the Vietnamese met little Khmer defiance. The city was completely empty of citizens due to the evacuation just 4 years ago. The rest of the Khmer force and Pol Pot flee to Thailand and the People's Republic of Kampuchea is founded. -
Abandoning Socialism
1989 marks the eleventh year and the last year of Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia, after removing its last 26,000 troops. Hun Sen the prime minister at the time abandoned socialism in an attempt to attract foreign attention. The country is re-named Cambodia and Buddhism is re-instated as the state religion -
Paris Peace Agreements
23rd of October 1991 marked the day that 19 governments gathered to sign a treaty that would end bloodshed and conflict in Cambodia. This meant that the on going Khmer Rouge conflict would be stopped. A United Nations mission was sent to help the ceasefire, help with a new constitution which would help provide fair and free laws. The mission was also involved in supervising and maintaining the human rights throughout Cambodia -
1997 Coup
In 1997 a coup in Cambodia broke out due to long running tensions between supporters of Prince Norodom Ranariddh and supporters on Hun Sen. It resulted in a number of casualties as Hun Sen's troops defeated Prince Norodom Ranariddh in Phnom Penh. Hun Sen suspected Ranariddh was sneaking Khmer Rouge fighters into the capital to take it over. It attracted international shame. Pol Pot is put on trial -
Khmer Rouge trials
March 2007 marked the beginning of the Khmer Rouge trials. Ranariddh was the first to be charged for selling Funcinpec's party headquarters being sentenced to 18 months in prison. Questioning of Khmer Rouge suspects on allegations of genocide began in July. In September the most senior Khmer official after Pol Pot's passing Nuon Chea is charged with crimes against humanity and arrested. -
Conflict with Thailand and Khmer Rouge leader is put on trial
Kaing Guek Eav a former Khmer Rouge leader is put on trial due to the murder and torture of the captives in the infamous Tuol Sleng camp as the head of the camp. A new conflict with Thailand breaks out after Cambodia refuses to hand over the Thai prime minister, instead appointing him as the Cambodian economic adviser.
