The Cambodian Genocide took place from 1975 to 1979 in the Southeastern Asian country of Cambodia. The genocide was a brutal massacre that killed 1.4 to 2.2 million people, about 21% of Cambodia’s population. This essay, will discuss the history of the Cambodian genocide, specifically, what happened, the victims and the perpetrators and the world’s response to the genocide. The Cambodian Genocide has the historical context of the Vietnam War and the country’s own civil war. During the Vietnam War, leading up to the conflicts that would contribute to the genocide, Cambodia was used as a U.S. battleground for the Vietnam War. Cambodia would become a battle ground for American troops fighting in Vietnam for four years; the war would kill up to 750,00 Cambodians through U.S. efforts to destroy suspected North Vietnamese supply lines. This devastation would take its toll on the Cambodian peoples’ morale and would later help to contribute that conflicts that caused the Cambodian genocide. In the 1970’s the Khmer rouge guerilla movement would form. The leader of the Khmer rouge, Pol Pot was educated in France and believed in Maoist Communism. These communist ideas would become important foundations for the ideas of the genocide, and which groups would be persecuted. The genocide it’s self, would be based on Pol Pot’s ideas to bring Cambodia back to an agrarian society, starting at the year zero. His main goal was to achieve this, romanticized idea of old Cambodia, based on the ancient Cambodian ruins, with all citizens having agrarian farming lives, and being equal to each other. Due to him wanting society to be equal, and agrarian based, the victims would be those that were educated, intellectuals, professionals, and minority ethnic g... ... middle of paper ... ...: 215-233. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. SAINATI, TATIANA E. "Toward A Comparative Approach To The Crime Of Genocide." Duke Law Journal 62.1 (2012): 161-202. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Nov. 2013 Williams, Sarah. "Genocide: The Cambodian Experience." International Criminal Law Review 5.3 (2005): 447-461. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. Photo Archive Websites "Cambodian Genocide: Photographs from S-21." www.mtholyoke.edu. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~amamendo/photos.html "Cambodian Genocide Program: Slideshow of S-21 Prisoner Photographs." Cgp.research.yale.edu. Yale University Cambodian Genocide Program, Web. 17 Dec. 2013. http://cgp.research.yale.edu/cgp/cts/cts_slideshow.jsp Source Devoted to Victims "DACHS." The Digital Archive of Cambodia Holocaust Survivors. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. http://www.cybercambodia.com/
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The Cambodian Genocide was a trial and error of someone trying to make all people equal. Khmer Rouge had approximately 1.7 million people executed attempting to equal everyone out and make the world a “better” place. Although he tried very hard at this, he of course failed and and all of his attempts were, in the end pointless.
Greenfield, Daniel M. "Crime of Complicity in Genocide: How the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and Yugoslavia Got It Wrong, and Why It Matters." The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 98.3 (2008): 921-24. HeinOnline. Web. 18 Apr. 2011.
A genocide can be classified as the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a specific ethnic race or or group. All genocides start with certain beliefs. These beliefs grows as they spread to large groups of people. If taken too far these beliefs can negatively impact the lives of many as well as all the future generations to come. When one thinks of genocide they usually only think of the suffering inflicted on the different ethnic groups as well as the devastating losses that ensue. Most do not consider the effects of genocide on countries and people after it happens. Genocide not only impacts the group of people who are persecuted but also the generations of people who come later. The Cambodian Genocide was one
Genocide was one of the traits of the Khmer Rouge’s New Kampuchea, this was often seen in the use of prisons or more correctly referred to as “execution facilities.” Tuol Sleng, previously called S-21, was probably the most infamous of Khmer Rouge prisons, here 20,000 prisoners died and only seven were ever know to make it out alive. The largest massacre in Tuol Sleng was on May 27. 1978 and 582 were executed that day. An even gorier occurrence than a typical day at Tuol Sleng was during the January of 1979 when fleeing Khmer officials slit the throats of all remaining prisoners and left them chained to their cots, blood spilling out. At a typical execution in any of the “prisons”,
Shelton, Dinah. Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2005. Print
"From 1975 to 1779- through execution, starvation, disease, and forced labor-the Khmer Rouge systematically kill an estimated two million Cambodians, almost a fourth of the countries population."(Ung Author's Note). In First They Killed My Father, Loung Ung and her family were victims of Pol Pot's invasion of Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. She, her parents, and her six brothers and sisters were all forced into labor camps to work for the Khmer Rouge and fight a battle that wasn't even theirs to fight. From 1975 until 1979, the Khmer Rouge held control over much of Cambodia. To keep the people under their control the soldiers used many techniques of terror. In the memoir, First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung, the author describes how the Khmer Rouge used the techniques of intimidation, restriction, and isolation in order to keep people
The truth about genocide is each situation is unique, the motivations, mindsets and values can all change from example to example. One thing remains the same, genocide is always a deliberate action that results in the death of many people. Whether a genocide is meant to be a statement of power, a political scheme, or a means of cleansing a nation of people whom someone has deemed unfit to live there, genocide remains unto this day an almost natural reaction by which people solve complex issues. The importance of studying genocide is that understanding the motivations, no matter how deplorable, that lead to genocidal actions is the only way by which we can begin to present new less atrocious ways of handling these complex social issues to the depraved individuals who orchestrate genocide.
Walker, Luke. "Cambodian Genocide." World Without Genocide. William Mitchell College of Law, 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. .
Beecroft, Rachel H. "Armenian Genocide." World Without Genocide. William Mitchell College of Law, 6 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .
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The Cambodian Genocide started because the Khmer Rouge wanted to create a pure Communist society in Cambodia. In order to do this, they decided to deconstruct the entire country back to its peasant beginnings and eliminate anyone who was above the status of a peasant or was not Cambodian. The Khmer Rouge’s dream of perfect communism ultimately failed, however, because it was impossible for a society to succeed with only one profession. Even rural peasants needed doctors an...
In conclusion, Over two million people died in the Cambodian Genocide. It is one of the greatest tragedies of the twentieth century. People were killed for their religion and ethnicity. Many thousands were killed because of their jobs and their families were also killed because they were related to someone with an educated job. Also, thousands were killed on farms and labor camps at the killing fields and pits. Plus, it all happened because of Pol Pot and the Kmer Rouge trying to make Cambodia like the Maoist China. Pol Pot and the Kmer Rouge would kill anyone for any reason. Finally, The Cambodian genocide was one of the greatest tragedies of all time and we should all stay aware of prejudice to avoid yet another genocide.
Cambodian Genocide Rough Draft The Cambodian Genocide occurred between 1975 and 1979. Pol Pot began isolating Cambodia, and deporting all of the foreigners. The Cambodian Genocide was not only an attack on the people, but Cambodia’s pride, because there was no valid reason for doing this, the amount of people who were killed is ghastly, and how Cambodia looked after the genocide is horrendous. The Khmer Rouge was a murderous group, and their plan was to change the Cambodian society.
Marks, Stephen P. "Elusive Justice For The Victims Of The Khmer Rouge." Journal Of International Affairs 52.2 (1999): 691. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. .