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Prince Sihanouk’s Buddhist-socialist regime
Cambodia came under the rule of Prince Sihanouk’s Buddhist-socialist regime -
Pol Pot's Armed Resistence
Beginning in 1967, this opposition developed into an armed resistance led by Pol Pot -
Coup D'etat
In 1970, a coup d’état led by pro-American general Lon Nol brought about Prince Sihanouk’s deposal. -
Lon Nol's Surrender
In 1975, Lon Nol, who had depended on American support, was forced to surrender. The Khmer Rouge took power and swiftly turned against all of their former allies. One of the Khmer Rouge’s first acts was its forced evacuation of the main cities in the country, under the thought that there was a threat of American air raids. The period was marked by the forced evacuation of urban populations into the countryside, the elimination of the intellectual elite, famine and genocide.