Khmer Rouge

Quick Facts: Who was Khmer Rouge?

Subject:

Khmer Rouge

Known for:

Communist Party of Kampuchea; ruled Cambodia as Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979).

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihanouk to describe his country's heterogeneous, communist-led dissidents, with whom he allied after the 1970 Cambodian coup d'état. The Kampuchea Revolutionary Army was slowly built up in the forests of eastern Cambodia during the late 1960s, supported by the People's Army of Vietnam, the Viet Cong, the Pathet Lao, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Although the Khmer Rouge originally fought against Sihanouk, it changed its position on the CCP's advice and began supporting him after he was overthrown in a 1970 coup d'état by Lon Nol, who established the pro-American Khmer Republic. Despite a massive American bombing campaign (Operation Freedom Deal) against them, the Khmer Rouge won the Cambodian Civil War when they captured the Cambodian capital and overthrew the Khmer Republic in 1975.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Following their victory, the Khmer Rouge—who were led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, and Khieu Samphan—immediately set about forcibly evacuating the country's major cities. In 1976, they renamed the country Democratic Kampuchea. The Khmer Rouge regime was highly autocratic, totalitarian, and repressive. Many deaths resulted from the regime's social engineering policies and the "Moha Lout Plaoh", an imitation of China's Great Leap Forward which had caused the Great Chinese Famine. The Khmer Rouge's attempts at agricultural reform through collectivization similarly led to widespread famine, while its insistence on absolute self-sufficiency, including the supply of medicine, led to the death of many thousands from treatable diseases, such as malaria.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Khmer Rouge regime murdered hundreds of thousands of their perceived political opponents, and their racist emphasis on national purity resulted in the genocide of Cambodian minorities. Its cadres summarily executed and tortured perceived subversive elements, or they killed them during genocidal purges of their own ranks between 1975 and 1979. Ultimately, the Cambodian genocide which took place under the Khmer Rouge regime led to the deaths of 1.5 to 2 million people, around 25% of Cambodia's population. In the 1970s, the Khmer Rouge was largely supported and funded by the CCP, receiving approval from CCP Chairman Mao Zedong; it is estimated that at least 90% of the foreign aid which was provided to the Khmer Rouge came from China. The regime was removed from power in 1979 when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and quickly destroyed most of its forces.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1970: 1970 Milestone — The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihanouk to describe his country's heterogeneous, communist-led dissidents, with whom he allied after the 1970 Cambodian coup d'état.
2. 1975: 1975 Milestone — Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979.
3. 1976: 1976 Milestone — In 1976, they renamed the country Democratic Kampuchea.
4. 1979: 1979 Milestone — The regime was removed from power in 1979 when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and quickly destroyed most of its forces.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Khmer Rouge

True or False: “Did the Khmer Rouge's agricultural reforms primarily focus on modernizing urban industrial centers?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The regime focused heavily on collectivization and rural peasantry, drawing inspiration from Great Leap Forward-type initiatives rather than modernizing urban industry.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Khmer Rouge