Cambodia from 1953 to 1998

By gillespiemps

  • Cambodia wins

    Cambodia wins its independence from France.

  • Sihanouk

    Sihanouk abdicates to pursue a political career.

  • Sihanouk's father

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

  • Sihanouk breaks off relations

    Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US and allows North Vietnamese guerrillas to set up bases in Cambodia.

  • Secret bombing campaign

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

  • Prime Minister Lon Nol

    Prime Minister Lon Nol overthrows Sihanouk in a ​coup. He proclaims the Khmer Republic and sends the army to fight the North Vietnamese in Cambodia.

  • Lon Nol is overthrown

    Lon Nol is overthrown as the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot occupy Phnom Penh.

  • The country is re-named

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

  • Vietnam

    Fighting breaks out in Vietnam.

  • Vietnamese

    Vietnamese forces invade is a lightning assault.

  • The Vietnamese take Phnom Penh

    Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge forces flee to the border region with Thailand.

  • Vietnamese Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party

    Vietnamese Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party wins parliamentary elections. The international community refuses to reco​gnise the new government.

  • Hun Sen becomes prime minister

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • General election

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

  • Khmer Rouge

    Thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrender in government amnesty.

  • Deputy leader

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

  • Hun Sen mounts

    Hun Sen mounts a coup against the prime minister, Prince Ranariddh, and replaces him with Ung Huot.

  • Prince Ranariddh and Pol Pot

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