Cambodia is another war torn country in South east asia. Again I had to read a bit of the history to understand what had went on.
History lesson time. As part of Indochina (under the french) everything was going well until WW2 when Japan moved in. When the french moved back they allowed opposition parties to form and they fought for and gained independance in 1953. In the 70's there is a big coup which forces the king into excile, the Cambodians start helping the Americans fight the Vietnamese within Cambodia. Early 70's the Kymer Rouge appear and start fighting the army, 1975 everyone is evacuated out of the cities and towns and put to work rebuilding Cambodia (Democratic Kampuchea as it was then called), starting with agriculture. Everyone works in the field for the government and if you don't work, you don't eat, don't follow the rules you die; complain, you die; Speak out of turn, you die. Hard maual labour for EVERYONE. Thousands flee, thousands die and eventually the Vietnamese overthrow the Kymer Rouge, Guerilla warfar continues until '89 when Cambodia is given it's name. There are still tensions with Thailand today, still political struggles and trials for Kymer Rouge leaders but if you read the accounts of the Kymer Rouge it is again hard to imagine the attrocities that took place in 'modern' society. It's not something we hear about in the local news. The history of the area is interesting but it seems most people are trying to put it behind them and move on.
We didn't go to the killing fields, A tourist destination which explains alot about the regime of the Kymer Rouge. We just didn't have time. I hadn't really thought about Cambodian history until our guide book mentioned to be careful if caught short while in the countyside. Don't stary too far from the road as Cambodia has more unexploded ordinance than anywere else on earth. (ie lots of landmines)
History lesson time. As part of Indochina (under the french) everything was going well until WW2 when Japan moved in. When the french moved back they allowed opposition parties to form and they fought for and gained independance in 1953. In the 70's there is a big coup which forces the king into excile, the Cambodians start helping the Americans fight the Vietnamese within Cambodia. Early 70's the Kymer Rouge appear and start fighting the army, 1975 everyone is evacuated out of the cities and towns and put to work rebuilding Cambodia (Democratic Kampuchea as it was then called), starting with agriculture. Everyone works in the field for the government and if you don't work, you don't eat, don't follow the rules you die; complain, you die; Speak out of turn, you die. Hard maual labour for EVERYONE. Thousands flee, thousands die and eventually the Vietnamese overthrow the Kymer Rouge, Guerilla warfar continues until '89 when Cambodia is given it's name. There are still tensions with Thailand today, still political struggles and trials for Kymer Rouge leaders but if you read the accounts of the Kymer Rouge it is again hard to imagine the attrocities that took place in 'modern' society. It's not something we hear about in the local news. The history of the area is interesting but it seems most people are trying to put it behind them and move on.
We didn't go to the killing fields, A tourist destination which explains alot about the regime of the Kymer Rouge. We just didn't have time. I hadn't really thought about Cambodian history until our guide book mentioned to be careful if caught short while in the countyside. Don't stary too far from the road as Cambodia has more unexploded ordinance than anywere else on earth. (ie lots of landmines)
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