Democratic Kampuchea

former totalitarian regime

Democratic Kampuchea was the official name of Cambodia/Kampuchea from 1976 to January 1979. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge ruled the country.

Kampuchea
កម្ពុជា  (Khmer)
(1975–1976)
Democratic Kampuchea
កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ  (Khmer)
(1976–1982)
1975–1982
Flag of Kampuchea
Top: (1975 - 76)
Bottom: (1976 - 82)
Emblem (1975–82) of Kampuchea
Emblem
(1975–82)
Anthem: បទនគររាជ
Nôkôr Réach
"Majestic Kingdom"
(1975–1976)
ដប់ប្រាំពីរមេសាមហាជោគជ័យ
Dâb Prămpir Mésa Môha Choŭkchoăy
"Victorious Seventeenth of April"
(1976–1982)
Location of Democratic Kampuchea
Location of Democratic Kampuchea
CapitalPhnom Penh
Official languagesKhmer
Religion
State atheism
Demonym(s)Kampuchean • Cambodian
GovernmentUnitary one-party socialist republic under a totalitarian dictatorship (under a coalition government from 75 - 76)[1][2][3]
General Secretary 
• 1975 - 1979
Pol Pot
Head of State 
• 1975–1976
Norodom Sihanouk
• 1976 - 1979
Khieu Samphan
Prime Minister 
• 1975 - 1976
Penn Nouth
• 1976
Khieu Samphan
• 1976 - 1979
Pol Pot
LegislaturePeople's Representative Assembly
Historical eraCold War
17 April 1975
• Proclamation
15 January 1976
7 January 1979
22 June 1982
Area
181,035 km2 (69,898 sq mi)
CurrencyNone
Driving sideright
Calling code855
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Khmer Republic
People's Republic of Kampuchea
Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
Today part ofCambodia

When Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979 and took over the government, Democratic Kampuchea became the People's Republic of Kampuchea.

The Cambodian Genocide

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See the main article: Cambodian Genocide

Around 2 million Cambodians died in Democratic Kampuchea during the Cambodian Genocide.[4] This was around 25% of the population: one in every four people.[5]

The Khmer Rouge mass-murdered hundreds of thousands of people in "killing fields," then buried them in mass graves.[4][6] They also forced city populations into the countryside to work in labor camps, where many died from starvation, overwork, and disease.[6]

In 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. They removed the Khmer Rouge from power, and created a pro-Vietnamese government.[7] This ended Democratic Kampuchea and the Cambodian genocide.

However, the international community continued to recognize Democratic Kampuchea as a country for ten more years.

References

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  1. Jackson, Karl D. (1989). Cambodia, 1975–1978: Rendezvous with Death. Princeton University Press. p. 219. ISBN 0-691-02541-X.
  2. "Khmer Rouge's Slaughter in Cambodia Is Ruled a Genocide". The New York Times. 15 November 2018. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  3. Kiernan, B. (2004) How Pol Pot came to Power. New Haven: Yale University Press, p. xix
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Khmer Rouge". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  5. 6.0 6.1 Khmer Rouge leader admits crimes
  6. "Vietnam's forgotten Cambodian war". BBC News. 2014-09-14. Retrieved 2024-10-26.