The History of Cambodia From Independence to Today

By MeganRoseDavis

  • Independence of Cambodia

    The French finally gave Cambodia independence.

  • The King abdicated in favor of his father

    King Sihanouk abdicated in favor of his father, Norodom Suramarit.

  • Death and head of state

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

  • South Vietnam

    Cambodia severed ties with South Vietnam.

  • Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US

    Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US and allows North Vietnamese guerrillas to set up bases in Cambodia in pursuance of their campaign against the US-backed government in South Vietnam.

  • Fighting

    Fighting breaks out with Vietnam.

  • Lightning Assault

    Vietnamese forces invade in a lightning assault.

  • Hun Sen becomes prime minister

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

  • Surrender

    Thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrender in government amnesty.

  • New Party

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

  • Approved law

    Senate approves a law to create a tribunal to bring genocide charges against Khmer Rouge leaders.

  • $560 million

    International donors, encouraged by Cambodia's reform efforts, pledge $560 million in aid at a donor conference in Tokyo.

  • First bridge across the Mekong River opens

    First bridge across the Mekong River opens, linking the east and west of the country. The 1.36km bridge cost $56 million.

  • First multi-party local elections

    First multi-party local elections; ruling Cambodian People's Party wins in all but 23 out of 1,620 communes.

  • World Trade Organization

    Parliament ratifies kingdom's entry into World Trade Organization

  • King Sihanouk abdicates

    King Sihanouk abdicates and is succeeded by his son Norodom Sihamoni.

  • Opposition leader Sam Rainsy leaves

    Opposition leader Sam Rainsy leaves Cambodia after parliament strips him of his immunity from prosecution, leaving him open to defamation charges brought by the ruling coalition.

  • Surviving Khmer Rouge

    Tribunal to try surviving Khmer Rouge leaders gets green light from UN after years of debate about funding.

  • Prime minister signs a controversial border

    Prime minister signs a controversial border agreement with Vietnam. Legal action is taken against some critics of the deal, prompting international concern.

  • Opposition leader Sam Rainsy

    Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, in exile in France, is convicted by a Cambodian court of defaming PM Hun Sen and is sentenced to nine months in prison.

  • Sam Rainsy receives a royal pardon

    Sam Rainsy receives a royal pardon and comes home after a year in exile.

  • Parliament votes

    Parliament votes to abolish prison terms for defamation. The legislation had been used to jail some government critics.

  • Ta Mok dies

    Ta Mok, one of the top leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, dies aged 80.

  • Royalist Funcinpec party drops Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its leader

    Royalist Funcinpec party, a junior partner in the ruling coalition, drops Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its leader.

  • Prince Norodom Ranariddh sentenced in absentia to 18 months in prison

    Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who now lives abroad, is sentenced in absentia to 18 months in prison for selling the Funcinpec party's headquarters. He denies the charge.

  • Sources

    https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/cambodia/independence_day.php
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13006828
    https://www.britannica.com/biography/Norodom-Sihanouk
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29106034
    https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/12/24/Christmas-1978-brought-a-blitzkrieg-Vietnamese-invasion-of-Cambodia/8393567320400/