Child Soldiers
“Your number one duty is to the Angkar and no one else. You should be happy with yourself. This camp is for the weaklings. The camp you are going to is for the bigger, stronger children. There you will be trained as a soldier so you can soon help fight the war. You will learn many more things there than the children here” (Ung 130).
Cambodian children, just like Loung Ung, were forced into combat through the use of propaganda and persuasion. At many camps throughout Cambodia, children were taught to love and respect the Angkar; they were instructed to put the Khmer Rouge before themselves and die for the cause. These young children were brainwashed to believe the Angkar loves and protects, so going into the war was a service and duty. Knowing any opposition would result in harsh consequences, Ung listened to what she was told and became a child soldier. Needing service, camp supervisors often sent children out to training and battle, well aware of the fact they would oblige due to the persuasion …show more content…
I feel sorry for them knowing they are worse off than I am. And no matter how far we go, there are always more people along the way. When night falls, once again we make the road our home and sleep, along with the hundreds of thousands of other families fleeing Phnom Penh” (Ung 30).
Following the Khmer invasion, thousands of families were displaced from their homes. They were forced to abandon their past lives, and set forth on a new journey where their main goal was survival. Everyday, these refugees went through appalling conditions, but they persevered; they believed a “beautiful life” awaited them. Basic necessities that many take for granted, such as water and shelter, were merely wants for the Cambodians who were forced out of their homes. Daily life for these refugees, like Ung and her family, was difficult and full of
“Your number one duty is to the Angkar and no one else. You should be happy with yourself. This camp is for the weaklings. The camp you are going to is for the bigger, stronger children. There you will be trained as a soldier so you can soon help fight the war. You will learn many more things there than the children here” (Ung 130).
Cambodian children, just like Loung Ung, were forced into combat through the use of propaganda and persuasion. At many camps throughout Cambodia, children were taught to love and respect the Angkar; they were instructed to put the Khmer Rouge before themselves and die for the cause. These young children were brainwashed to believe the Angkar loves and protects, so going into the war was a service and duty. Knowing any opposition would result in harsh consequences, Ung listened to what she was told and became a child soldier. Needing service, camp supervisors often sent children out to training and battle, well aware of the fact they would oblige due to the persuasion …show more content…
I feel sorry for them knowing they are worse off than I am. And no matter how far we go, there are always more people along the way. When night falls, once again we make the road our home and sleep, along with the hundreds of thousands of other families fleeing Phnom Penh” (Ung 30).
Following the Khmer invasion, thousands of families were displaced from their homes. They were forced to abandon their past lives, and set forth on a new journey where their main goal was survival. Everyday, these refugees went through appalling conditions, but they persevered; they believed a “beautiful life” awaited them. Basic necessities that many take for granted, such as water and shelter, were merely wants for the Cambodians who were forced out of their homes. Daily life for these refugees, like Ung and her family, was difficult and full of