Khmer Rouge

Glossaries

Term	Definition
Khmer Rouge	The Khmer Rouge was a communist political and military movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Led by Pol Pot, the regime is responsible for the deaths of nearly two million people through executions, famine, and forced labor. The Khmer Rouge was a revolutionary communist group that became one of the most violent regimes of the 20th century. Founded in the 1960s, the movement was inspired by Maoist ideology and sought to transform Cambodia into a classless, agrarian society. Under the leadership of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge took power in April 1975 after years of civil war against the US-backed Cambodian government. Once in power, the regime ordered the evacuation of cities and forced the population into agricultural communes. Schools, markets, and temples were closed, and any form of dissent or attachment to urban culture was harshly punished. The regime attempted to rewrite history and create a "pure" society, resulting in the deaths of nearly two million people (about 25% of the population) through starvation, disease, forced labor, and mass executions. The regime was overthrown in 1979 after a Vietnamese invasion, but the impact of the Khmer Rouge is still felt today. Khmer Rouge leaders, including Pol Pot, were not brought to justice until decades later, with trials held by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

Term

Definition

The Khmer Rouge was a communist political and military movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Led by Pol Pot, the regime is responsible for the deaths of nearly two million people through executions, famine, and forced labor.

The Khmer Rouge was a revolutionary communist group that became one of the most violent regimes of the 20th century. Founded in the 1960s, the movement was inspired by Maoist ideology and sought to transform Cambodia into a classless, agrarian society. Under the leadership of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge took power in April 1975 after years of civil war against the US-backed Cambodian government.

Once in power, the regime ordered the evacuation of cities and forced the population into agricultural communes. Schools, markets, and temples were closed, and any form of dissent or attachment to urban culture was harshly punished. The regime attempted to rewrite history and create a "pure" society, resulting in the deaths of nearly two million people (about 25% of the population) through starvation, disease, forced labor, and mass executions.

The regime was overthrown in 1979 after a Vietnamese invasion, but the impact of the Khmer Rouge is still felt today. Khmer Rouge leaders, including Pol Pot, were not brought to justice until decades later, with trials held by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.