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Prime Minister Lol Nol overthrows Sihanouk
Proclaims the Khmer Republic and sends the army to fight the North Vietnamese in Cambodia -
Khmer Rouge takes control
The Khmer Rouge took control with the goal of turning Cambodia into a communist agrarian utopia -
All city dwellers are forced to move to the countryside to become agricultural workers
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Sihanouk briefly becomes head of state
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Period: to
Atleast 1.7 million people died
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Khmer Rouge seizes Phnom Penh
This completes their goal of taking over the country.
Lol Nol is overthrown. -
Sihanouk resigns, Khieu Samphan becomes head of state, Pol Pot is prime minister
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Violence breaks out between Vietnam and Cambodia
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Khmer Rouge purges East Zone
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Vietnam takes Phnom Penh
This begins 11 years of Vietnamese occupation, in response Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot flee to the border region with Thailand -
Period: to
Cambodians celebrate January 7 as liberation day from the Khmer Rouge
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Vietnamese troops withdraw
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A peace agreement is signed in Paris