Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Lon Nol

Role / Field:

Cambodian-Chinese military officer and politician who led the 1970 coup and established the Khmer Republic.

Born:

1913-11-13

Died:

1985-11-17

Century / Era:

1913s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Lon Nol (Khmer: លន់ នល់, also លន់ ណុល; 13 November 1913 – 17 November 1985) was a Cambodian-Chinese military officer, politician who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice (1966–1967; 1969–1971), as well as serving repeatedly as defence minister and provincial governor. As a right-wing nationalist, he led the military coup of 1970 against Prince Norodom Sihanouk, abolished the monarchy, and established the short-lived Khmer Republic. Constitutionally a semi-presidential republic, Cambodia was de facto governed under a military dictatorship. He was the commander-in-chief of the Khmer National Armed Forces during the Cambodian Civil War and became President of the Khmer Republic on 10 March 1972.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His rule was also marked by massacres of Vietnamese Cambodians. On 1 April 1975, as the only president of the republic 16 days before Angkar and the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, Lon Nol fled to Indonesia and later the United States; first to the state of Hawaii and then to California, where he remained until his death in 1985. Lon Nol was born in Prey Veng Province on 13 November 1913, to a family of mixed Khmer-Chinese descent. His father Lon Hin was the son of a Khmer...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aimé Césaire — Contemporary (Born in 1913) (1913): Afro-Martinican poet, politician, and founder of the Négritude movement.
• Albert Camus — Contemporary (Born in 1913) (1913): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
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• Alex Honnold — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Pioneering free solo climber, famous for conquering El Capitan.
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• Allyson Felix — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Legendary American track and field athlete, specializing in the 200m and 400m.
• Abraham Flexner — Shared historical date (11-13 · Born) (1866): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
• Alexander Grothendieck — Shared historical date (11-13 · Died) (2014): Pioneering figure in modern algebraic geometry and category theory.
• Abba Eban — Shared historical date (11-17 · Died) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Audre Lorde — Shared historical date (11-17 · Died) (1992): Pioneering voice in intersectional feminism, poetry, and civil rights activism.
• 1913 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1913
• November 13 (11-13) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 13
• 1985 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1985
• November 17 (11-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 17

Frequently Asked Questions about Lon Nol