Khmer Rouge By Jade Tony Himanshu Rahul Paul

“Khmer Rouge” By- Jade, Tony, Himanshu, Rahul, Paul, and Kevin

Contents: ● Causation and Origin ● Command structure and Regime ● Leaders ● Aftermath ● Fawcett’s Interpretation

Causation and Origin of Khmer Rouge: History of Cambodia. ● ● Since 1960 s, the kingdom of Cambodia has been in a crisis (the country’s pseudodemocratic system has been no match for its authoritarian government). This was caused by there lack of involvement in the cold war (communist backed by Soviet Union and anti-communist backed by the US fighting in Vietnam). Pol Pot believed in revolutionary recause ○ In 1956 him and his wife became the power couple of underground communist movement. In 1963, it was too dangerous for Saloth Sar so he escaped towards the Viet Minh (helped Sar)

Causation of the Khmer Rouge: Thanks Nixon! ● During 1969, Viet Minh utilize the border of vietnam to create a hit and run tactic. ● In response, Richard Nixon bombed Cambodia. ● Upset Cambodians; start to resent anti-communist (drawing more people to Khmer Rouge).

The Rise of Khmer Rouge: Yikes! It’s going to be a bloodbath ● 1975 republic overthrown by Khmer Rouge. ● They dismantled entire civil service, emptying towns, abolishing private ownership, and getting rid of any currency.

Command Structure and Regime (19751979): ● Pyramidal structure: Each group refers to the one above until they get to the top group and once final decision is made it goes straight from top to bottom ● It was more like collective Centralism. ● Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea was abolished. ● Governing structure was split ● Khmer rouge carried out radical programs of isolation. ( Evacuation of cities or Family relations)

Command Structure and Regime (19751979): ● Khmer rouge followed “Pativattana”: return to past. ● Angkor Wat became the capital and entire urban pollution was killed. ● Civil servants, police, and soldiers of the old regime were killed. All Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham and Islamic people were taken as traitor. ● Slogan: Preserve them- no profit, Exterminate them- no loss. We will burn the old grass and the new will grow.

Command Structure and Regime (19751979): ● This lead to death of 2 m people plus 700, 000 during Vietnamese invasion. ● Autobiography execution method, plastic bag method, stab and strangle method (unsuitable people). ● Tuol Sleng Museum

Leaders Pol Pot Nuon Chea Pol Pot 1. Served as the former Prime Minister of Cambodia ( 1976 to 1979) 2. General secretary of communist party of Kampuchea. (1963 to 1981) Nuon Chea 1. Chief ideologist of Khmer Rouge. 2. Responsible for making a labour camp.

Ieng Sary 1. Minister of Foreign Affairs. 2. He was a spokesman and his role was to be in touch with China. Son Sen Son sen 1. He was a former defense minister. 2. He was responsible for ordering mass killing. 3. Decided to advocate peace.

Khieu Samphan He was the chairman of state presidium of Democratic Kampuchea. He is been charged with crimes against humanity and war.

Aftermath Open mass graves in 1979 King Norodom Sihanouk People’s Revolutionary Tribunal Vietnamese troops in Cambodia Rural life Phnom Phe, 2016 Heng Samrin

Fawcett’s Interpretation ● ● ● Fawcett draws parallels to the Khmer Rouge with the Global Village In the same way the Khmer Rouge systematically eradicated individuality, he feels that the Global Village is slowly stripping people of their identities Fawcett believes the Khmer Rouge was a psychosis that resulted from the US bombing of Viet Cong in Cambodia Ironically, Fawcett notes that despite the regime’s desire to go back to the stone age, their torture methods included the use of western technology Even more ironically, Fawcett mentions that the US and most of the West was not-sosecretly in collusion with the Khmer Rouge after they were chased into the jungles

Fawcett & his connection to Joseph Conrad (1857 - 1924) ● Considered one of the greatest writers in the English language ● Author of many famous novels including Heart of Darkness ● Fawcett compares the atrocities in Cambodia to those that happened in Congo in the late 19 th Century ● Heart of Darkness was the base for the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, which Fawcett also makes generous references to in the subtext

Thank You!