Pol Pot

Pol Pot was a Cambodian revolutionary and leader who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 to 1987. He aimed to transform Cambodia into a communist agrarian society, which resulted in a radical, brutal regime from 1975 to 1979. During this period, he forced millions into labor camps, abolished cities, and targeted intellectuals, professionals, and ethnic minorities, leading to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 to 2 million people—about a quarter of the population—through execution, starvation, and overwork. His regime is remembered as one of the most tragic atrocities of the 20th century.