Khmer Rouge history

The Khmer Rouge was a radical communist movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Led by Pol Pot, they aimed to transform the country into an agrarian socialist society, seeking to eliminate Western influence and perceived enemies, including intellectuals and professionals. This resulted in the Cambodian genocide, where an estimated 1.7 million people died from starvation, forced labor, and executions. The regime was overthrown by Vietnamese forces in 1979, but the scars of this dark period remain in Cambodia's collective memory and history, shaping the nation's identity and politics for decades to come.