In four years, about a quarter of Cambodia’s population was brutally eliminated in numerous ways (Kiernan). The only word to use for this massacre is, genocide. Anyone who was lucky enough to survive was burdened by the images of their dead loved ones. The Cambodian genocide was characterized by the United States and Vietnamese forces agitating the country, a radical idea of a utopian Communist society, and a new, dark beginning of Cambodia.
In 1953, Cambodia received its independence from the country of France (“Cambodia”). Their independence came just before the United States went to war with Vietnam in the 1960’s. As the war grew, fighting began to spill into Cambodia. In 1969, President Nixon launched bombs onto the border of Cambodia …show more content…
Pol Pot wanted to start the civilization over again, that history itself is restarting. In his vision, not everyone would be able to participate, only farmers would be allowed (Kiernan). Farmers, or “the old people,” had the power to bring about the utopia, also known as the Agricultural Utopia, Communist vision. For Pol Pot to succeed with his idea of restarting history, he isolated Cambodia from the rest of the world. He deported all foreigners, banned all humanitarian and economic aid, closed all the embassies, closed all media outlets, businesses, and health and educational systems, he also banned all foreign languages, the use of mail, the telephone, and money. He moved over two million people from urban to rural areas. Around twenty thousand people died on the move, those who survived were put to work on communal farms …show more content…
The United States, China, and the United Nations Security Council highly opposed the international efforts to bring the Khmer Rouge to justice for the fear that it could potentially bring up very difficult issues. Most Cambodians try to ignore the genocide for the fact that it hurts too much to relive those horrific memories. In 1995, mass graves began to be uncovered, showing the horrific extent of the genocide. In 1999, the United Nations extended negotiations over certain powers of the special tribunal, court of justice (“Precursors”). The negotiations lasted for more than ten years until an agreement was reached. Trials for the Khmer Rouge are still continuing today.
As people went on hoping that the genocide would end, United States and Vietnamese forces would characterize it as a radical idea of a utopian Communist society, with having a dark four years to follow. Even though many people would make it out to be a brutal and horrific tragedy to befall the Cambodian government. Will Cambodia ever get back on their feet or will they live forever in the shadow of their
In 1953, Cambodia received its independence from the country of France (“Cambodia”). Their independence came just before the United States went to war with Vietnam in the 1960’s. As the war grew, fighting began to spill into Cambodia. In 1969, President Nixon launched bombs onto the border of Cambodia …show more content…
Pol Pot wanted to start the civilization over again, that history itself is restarting. In his vision, not everyone would be able to participate, only farmers would be allowed (Kiernan). Farmers, or “the old people,” had the power to bring about the utopia, also known as the Agricultural Utopia, Communist vision. For Pol Pot to succeed with his idea of restarting history, he isolated Cambodia from the rest of the world. He deported all foreigners, banned all humanitarian and economic aid, closed all the embassies, closed all media outlets, businesses, and health and educational systems, he also banned all foreign languages, the use of mail, the telephone, and money. He moved over two million people from urban to rural areas. Around twenty thousand people died on the move, those who survived were put to work on communal farms …show more content…
The United States, China, and the United Nations Security Council highly opposed the international efforts to bring the Khmer Rouge to justice for the fear that it could potentially bring up very difficult issues. Most Cambodians try to ignore the genocide for the fact that it hurts too much to relive those horrific memories. In 1995, mass graves began to be uncovered, showing the horrific extent of the genocide. In 1999, the United Nations extended negotiations over certain powers of the special tribunal, court of justice (“Precursors”). The negotiations lasted for more than ten years until an agreement was reached. Trials for the Khmer Rouge are still continuing today.
As people went on hoping that the genocide would end, United States and Vietnamese forces would characterize it as a radical idea of a utopian Communist society, with having a dark four years to follow. Even though many people would make it out to be a brutal and horrific tragedy to befall the Cambodian government. Will Cambodia ever get back on their feet or will they live forever in the shadow of their