Cambodia History

Cambodia Pre-history Period

There was a few of evidences of human occupation of this period. However, through quartz and quartzite pebble tools found in terraces along the Mekong River, we can partly imagine how people lived and worked.

Cambodia Pre Angkorian era and Angkorian era

The first kingdom of Cambodia - Funan existed from the 1st century to 630 located in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam and the southern part of Cambodia today.

Dark ages of Cambodia

From the 15th to 19th century was the dark age of Khmer Kingdom when the land continued to be narrowed. Angkor was invaded and destroyed several times.

Cambodia - French Colonial Period (1863-1953)

In 1863, King Norodom signed an agreement with the French to establish a protectorate over his kingdom. The state gradually came under French colonial rule.

Cambodia Independence and Vietnam War

Neutrality was the central element of Cambodian foreign policy during the 1950s and 1960s. By the mid-1960s, parts of Cambodia's eastern provinces were serving as bases for North Vietnamese Army against South Vietnam. Cambodia actively supported North Vietnamese Army in food and military bases.

Khmer Republic

While visiting Beijing in 1970, Sihanouk was ousted by a military coup led by Prime Minister General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak in the early hours of March 18, 1970. On October 9, the Cambodian monarchy was abolished, and the country was renamed the Khmer Republic. The new regime immediately demanded that the Vietnamese communists leave Cambodia, however, Vietnam rejected. American tr

Khmer Rouge regime (1975 - 1979)

It could be considered as the most miserable and darkest time of Cambodian history. CPK continued carrying out inappropriate policies of ending the entire urban population into the countryside to work as farmers.

Modern Cambodia

On January 10, 1979, after the Vietnamese army and the KUFNS invaded Cambodia, the new People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK) was established with Heng Samrin as head of state. Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge forces retreated rapidly to the Thai border.

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