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Genocide in Cambodia
Khmer Rouge regime led by Pol Pot killed and tortured the citizens of Cambodia after gaining control of the country. -
Khmer Rouge Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), led by Pol Pot, oppossed Prince Sihanouk’s Buddhist-socialist regime. Pol Pot's regime developed into an armed force, using local peasants as soldiers.
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In 1970, Lon Nol, associated with the Americans, overtook the Prince Sihanouk as the leader of the socialsist regime.
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As Lon Nol takes the lead of the socialist party, Prince Sihanouk then sought out his former enemies, the Khmer Rouge, and joined their ranks. The Prince joining the Khmer Rouge greatly enhanced their reputation throughout the international community.
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Lon Nol was forced to surrender as the Americans, who he relied on greatly, pulled out of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge was then free to rule Cambodia and turned on their former enemies with swift and brutal action.
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Khmer Rouge did many things; forced urban towns to move to rural areas, kill people that were intelligent, introduced forced labour, made the state go into famine, created paranoia and conducted torture, exucutions and genocide. Cambodia was sealed off from the international community and a single television station was provided by the Khmer Rouge. All other forms of education and communication were banned throughout Cambodia. Any person who was a civil servant to those before the Khmer Rouge wa
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Cambodia was invaded by the Vietnamese army, released the Khmer Rouge of their power, and clamied Cambodia. Following this, the United States helped the Khmer Rouge regain power. The USA did this because the Vietnamese represented the Soviet Union, enemies of the US.
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Sihanouk’s socialist army and Son Sann’s nationalist army join with Khmer Rouge to fight against Vietnamese. USA also join Khmer Rouge's ranks.
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Around the 1990's, Vietnam withdraw from Cambodia as it is too difficult to stay. The economic crisis in Vietnam was a reason why the withdrew. Also is the lack of support from allies such as the Soviet Union.
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Regional and world powers Australia, China, America and Russia put Cambodia under the watch of the United Nations (UN).
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Free elections, after great trouble, commenced in 1993 after a boycott of the Khmer Rouge. The royalist party beat the communist party by 47% of votes.
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The civil war still continued until 1999. But the Khmer Rouge's leaders, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea, recognised Hun Sen's authority as the royalist leader and surrended.