Khmer Rouge

[littlechick]

Can anyone explain why they were so determined to begin 'year zero' in Cambodia? And why did it take them so long to realise that they were destroying Cambodia under their rule by working the people to death. I've heard they were influenced by Mao, but who else influenced them?

[Octavius]

Joseph Stalin, and Pol Pot, who declare that 1975 was 'Year Zero' and directed a ruthless program to "purify" Cambodian society of capitalism, Western culture, religion and all foreign influences in favour of an isolated and totally self-sufficient Maoist agrarian state. No opposition was tolerated.

I am not sure they did realise they were destroying Cambodia, Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia, capturing Phnom Penh on January 7, 1979 and deposed the Khmer Rouge regime. And although controlled a small area near the Thai border, the Khmer Rouge effectively ceased to exist in December 1999.

In May 2006 Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana announced that Cambodia's highest judicial body approved 30 Cambodian and U.N. judges to preside over the long-awaited genocide tribunal for surviving Khmer Rouge leaders. The judges were sworn in early July, with trials expected to start mid-2007

[Octavius]

Sorry, meant Stalinism was an influence. And Pol Pot declared....

[littlechick]

Thankyou for your reply octavius - still not sure how they didn't realise they were destroying the country!!! If they'd carried on much longer the entire population would have perished!!

[maxximus]

good answer octavius, here's a short read that should answer your question. http://www.edwebproject.org/sideshow/khmeryear s/index.html

[Octavius]

It is that blind dictatorial determination of self-belief at the expense of the population that gives Stalin and indeed Pol Pot their reputations as evil maniacs. I suppose in their mad and twisted minds they though that to achieve their personal ambitions of power and domination, what they were doing was right.