The Khmer Rouge Essay Example
Power and Control: The Khmer Rouge
There are many genocides that people are not aware of. One of them is the attempted genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge was able to gain power and remain in control of Cambodia for years without interference because they isolated the country from any foreign influence. Other countries had no idea what was happening inside Cambodia until years later. The Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, wanted to create their own ideal communist society. So how did The Khmer Rouge gain so much power and control? Some argue that Pol Pot was the only one responsible for the power and control gained by the Khmer Rouge. On the other hand, others say that the notion of social hierarchy was reversed and that is how power and control was gained. The Khmer Rouge was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea. The Khmer Rouge leader was Saloth Sar, better known as Pol Pot, ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, during which time two million Cambodians died from torture and starvation (The Khmer Rouge-Wikipedia 1). Anybody who was seen as a threat was killed by the Khmer Rouge. This organization is remembered primarily “for its policy of social engineering, which resulted in genocide” (The Khmer Rouge-Wikipedia 2). They tried to transform agriculture, but instead it led to hunger, insisting on absolute independence, even in the supply of medicine. Thousands died from treatable diseases. People were brutally murdered and tortured for no reason. The Khmer Rouge seized power by using force, authority, and fear. Cambodians had no choice, it was either obey or be killed. During Pol Pot’s time in power, he forced urban dwellers to move to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labor camps. His goal was to “restart civilization” (Kiernan). Thousands of families from Cambodia were moved from their homes and were forced to work. Overnight everybody from Cambodia became a farmer
There are many genocides that people are not aware of. One of them is the attempted genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge was able to gain power and remain in control of Cambodia for years without interference because they isolated the country from any foreign influence. Other countries had no idea what was happening inside Cambodia until years later. The Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, wanted to create their own ideal communist society. So how did The Khmer Rouge gain so much power and control? Some argue that Pol Pot was the only one responsible for the power and control gained by the Khmer Rouge. On the other hand, others say that the notion of social hierarchy was reversed and that is how power and control was gained. The Khmer Rouge was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea. The Khmer Rouge leader was Saloth Sar, better known as Pol Pot, ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, during which time two million Cambodians died from torture and starvation (The Khmer Rouge-Wikipedia 1). Anybody who was seen as a threat was killed by the Khmer Rouge. This organization is remembered primarily “for its policy of social engineering, which resulted in genocide” (The Khmer Rouge-Wikipedia 2). They tried to transform agriculture, but instead it led to hunger, insisting on absolute independence, even in the supply of medicine. Thousands died from treatable diseases. People were brutally murdered and tortured for no reason. The Khmer Rouge seized power by using force, authority, and fear. Cambodians had no choice, it was either obey or be killed. During Pol Pot’s time in power, he forced urban dwellers to move to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labor camps. His goal was to “restart civilization” (Kiernan). Thousands of families from Cambodia were moved from their homes and were forced to work. Overnight everybody from Cambodia became a farmer