Cambodia By Canydeefloyd Nov 9, 1955 Cambodia officially gained its independence from France. 1960 Sihanouk's father dies. Sihanouk becomes head of state. 1969 The US begins a secret bombing campaign against North Vietnamese forces on Cambodian soil. 1977 Fighting breaks out with Vietnam. 1978 Vietnamese forces invade in a lightning assault. 1985 Hun Sen becomes prime minister. Cambodia is plagued by guerrilla warfare. Hundreds of thousands become refugees. 1994 Thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrender in government amnesty. 1996 Deputy leader of Khmer Rouge Ieng Sary forms a new party and is granted amnesty by Sihanouk. 1998 Prince Ranariddh is tried in his absence and found guilty of arms smuggling, but is then pardoned by the king. 2001 First bridge across the Mekong River opens, linking east and west Cambodia. 2010 Comrade Duch is found guilty of crimes against humanity and given 35-year prison sentence. 2017 Opposition leader Kem Sokha is charged with treason. 2018 Cambodia introduces lese-majeste law, which makes it a criminal offence to defame or insult the king.