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.
In 1969, the United States began a 14 month long series of bombing raids targeted at Vietnam’s bases including bases in Cambodia. This action caused huge casualties to Cambodian. From the neutral position, Cambodia was pushed in Vietnam War.
Throughout the 1960s, domestic Cambodian politics became polarized. A group of people under the clandestine of Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) stood in opposite position to the government. Sihanouk called these insurgents the Khmer Rouge, literally the "Red Khmer." But the 1966 national assembly elections showed a significant swing to the right, and General Lon Nol formed a new government, which lasted until 1967. During 1968 and 1969, the insurgency worsened. However members of the government and army, who resented Sihanouk's ruling style as well as his tilt away from the United States, did have a motivation to overthrow him.
You might also like ...
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...
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.
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...
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...
