Pol Pot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pol Pot
|
|
|---|---|
| ប៉ុល ពត | |
 |
|
| General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea | |
| In office 22 February 1963 – 6 December 1981 |
|
| Deputy | Nuon Chea |
| Preceded by | Tou Samouth |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished (party dissolved) |
| Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea | |
| In office 25 October 1976 – 7 January 1979 |
|
| President | Khieu Samphan |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Nuon Chea (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Pen Sovan |
| In office 14 April 1976 – 27 September 1976 |
|
| President | Khieu Samphan |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Khieu Samphan (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Nuon Chea (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Saloth Sâr
19 May 1925 Prek Sbauv, Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia, French Indochina |
| Died | 15 April 1998 (aged 72) Anlong Veng, Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia |
| Resting place | Anlong Veng, Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia |
| Political party |
|
| Other political affiliations |
French Communist Party |
| Spouses |
Khieu Ponnary
(m. 1956; div. 1979)Mea Son
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | EFREI (no degree) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch/service | Revolutionary Army of Kampuchea |
| Years of service | 1963–1997 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars |
|
Pol Pot (born Saloth Sâr; 19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998) was a Cambodian leader. He was a dictator and politician who ruled Cambodia as Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976 to 1979. He was a main leader of the Khmer Rouge, a communist group in Cambodia. Under his rule, Cambodia became a one-party communist country. During this time, a terrible event known as the Cambodian genocide happened.
Pol Pot was born to a farming family in Prek Sbauv, French Cambodia. He went to good schools in Cambodia and later in Paris, France. While in Paris, he joined the French Communist Party. When he returned to Cambodia in 1953, he joined a communist group called the Khmer Việt Minh. This group fought against King Norodom Sihanouk's government.
After 1954, Pol Pot became a teacher in Phnom Penh. He remained an important member of Cambodia's communist movement. In 1959, he helped create the Kampuchean Labour Party, which later became the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK). To avoid being arrested, he moved to the jungle in 1962. In 1963, he became the leader of the CPK. In 1968, he started a war against Sihanouk's government. After Lon Nol took power in 1970, Pol Pot's forces, known as the Khmer Rouge, joined with Sihanouk. They fought against the new government, which was supported by the United States. With help from Vietnamese troops, the Khmer Rouge took control of all of Cambodia by 1975.
Pol Pot changed Cambodia into a one-party state called Democratic Kampuchea. He wanted to create a farming-based society where everyone was equal. His government forced people from cities to move to the countryside. They had to work on collective farms. Money was removed, and everyone had to wear the same black clothes. Many people who were seen as enemies were killed. Also, many died from not enough food and poor medical care. Between 1.5 and 2 million people died, which was about a quarter of Cambodia's population. This terrible time is now called the Cambodian genocide.
By 1978, many Cambodian soldiers were unhappy and started to rebel. In December 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia. They removed Pol Pot from power and set up a new government in 1979. The Khmer Rouge went back to the jungles near the Thai border and kept fighting. Pol Pot's health got worse, and he stepped back from some of his roles. In 1998, a Khmer Rouge commander named Ta Mok put Pol Pot under house arrest. Pol Pot died shortly after.
Pol Pot's rule was very controversial. Some people saw him as a defender of Cambodia's independence. Others strongly criticized him for the Cambodian genocide. He was seen as a totalitarian dictator who committed terrible crimes against humanity.
Contents
Pol Pot's Early Life
Growing Up in Cambodia
Pol Pot was born in the village of Prek Sbauv, near Kampong Thom. His birth name was Saloth Sâr. His family was a mix of Chinese and Khmer people. They were farmers and owned a good amount of land. His father often hired poorer neighbors to help with farm work. Sâr's mother was a respected Buddhist. He was one of nine children. They were raised as Theravada Buddhists.
When Sâr was six, he moved to Phnom Penh to live with his cousin Meak. Meak was connected to the Cambodian royal family. In Phnom Penh, he spent 18 months as a young monk. He learned about Buddhism and how to read and write Khmer.
In 1935, Sâr started primary school at École Miche. Most of his classmates were children of French officials. He learned French and about Christianity. Sâr was not a top student. He had to repeat two years of school. He finished primary school in 1941 when he was 16.
His Education Journey
In 1941, Norodom Sihanouk became the new King of Cambodia. Sâr went to a new middle school in Kampong Cham in 1942. This education gave him a special place in Cambodian society. He learned to play the violin and acted in school plays. He also enjoyed playing football (soccer) and basketball. Some of his classmates, like Hu Nim and Khieu Samphan, later worked in his government.
In 1947, he left the school. The next year, he failed exams to continue at the Lycée Sisowath. Instead, in 1948, he started studying carpentry at a technical school in Phnom Penh. This was a big change from his academic path. At this school, he met Ieng Sary, who became a close friend and later a government member. In 1949, Sâr earned a scholarship to study engineering in France.
Studying in Paris
Going to study abroad was a rare chance for Cambodians. Sâr arrived in Paris in October 1949. He enrolled to study radio electronics. He did well in his first year but struggled later. He failed his second-year exams twice and lost his scholarship.
Sâr spent three years in Paris. He visited Yugoslavia twice to help build a motorway. He did not fully fit into French culture. But he read French books, including those by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. His closest friends were Ieng Sary and others. They discussed how to make Cambodia independent.
In Paris, Sâr and his friends formed the Cercle Marxiste (Marxist Circle). They read Marxist books and held meetings. Sâr helped print their newspaper. In October 1951, they took control of the Khmer Student Association. Sâr and Sary joined the French Communist Party. Many young people in France and Cambodia believed communism was the future.
Sâr found some of Karl Marx's writings hard to understand. But he liked the works of Joseph Stalin, a Soviet leader. He also read Mao Zedong's ideas on how to start a revolution in colonial countries. Sâr also read a book by Peter Kropotkin about the French Revolution. From Kropotkin, he learned that intellectuals and farmers needed to work together for a revolution. He believed a revolution must be completed fully to succeed. He also thought that everyone should be equal in a communist society.
In Cambodia, King Sihanouk dismissed the government and became prime minister. Sâr wrote an article about this, supporting democracy over monarchy. The Marxist Circle decided to send someone to Cambodia to check the situation. Sâr volunteered. He returned to Cambodia in December 1953 without a degree.
Becoming a Revolutionary Leader
Return to Cambodia and Early Activism
Sâr arrived in Cambodia in January 1953. Cambodia was in a civil war. Sâr joined the Khmer Việt Minh, a group of Cambodian and Vietnamese fighters. He found that Vietnamese fighters mostly led this group. Sâr became an assistant to Tou Samouth, a leader of the Khmer Việt Minh.
In November 1953, King Sihanouk declared Cambodia's independence from France. After a peace conference in 1954, North Vietnam agreed to remove Khmer Việt Minh forces from Cambodia. Sâr decided to stay in Cambodia. He and other Cambodian revolutionaries decided to try to achieve their goals through elections.
Building the Communist Movement
Cambodian communists wanted to work secretly. They also created a public party called Pracheachon to take part in the 1955 election. However, the election was unfair, and King Sihanouk's party won all seats. This ended hopes for communists to gain power through elections.
Sâr became a teacher at a private school in Phnom Penh. He taught history, geography, and French. His students said he was a good teacher. He married Khieu Ponnary in 1956. Sâr became a key link for all communist communications. Sihanouk cracked down on the movement. Sâr and other leaders felt Cambodians were too influenced by the Vietnamese. They decided to create a new party that was independent. They started forming secret groups and holding political meetings.
Forming the Kampuchean Labour Party
In 1959, the communist leaders formed the Kampuchean Labour Party. It was based on the idea of democratic centralism, meaning decisions were made by a few leaders and followed by everyone. Its existence was kept secret. Sâr, Tou Samouth, and Nuon Chea were part of the main committee. In 1960, Samouth became party secretary, Nuon Chea his deputy, and Sâr took the third most important position.
King Sihanouk spoke out against Cambodian communists. In January 1962, Sihanouk's police arrested many socialist leaders. In July, Samouth was arrested and killed. Nuon Chea also stepped back. This opened the way for Sâr to become the party leader.
Sâr and Ieng Sary left Phnom Penh for a jungle camp near the border with South Vietnam. From then on, Sâr became a full-time revolutionary.
Planning the Rebellion
In February 1963, Sâr was elected party secretary. He then fled deeper into the jungle. In 1964, Sâr set up his own camp. The party decided to become more independent from the Vietnamese and start an armed fight against Sihanouk.
In January 1965, the party criticized Soviet leaders for being too "peaceful." Sâr and his friends wanted to create their own Cambodian version of communism. They focused on farmers, not city workers, as the main force for revolution. By 1965, the party had 2,000 members, mostly from rural areas.
In April 1965, Sâr traveled to Hanoi to meet North Vietnamese leaders like Ho Chi Minh. The North Vietnamese were busy with the Vietnam War. They did not want Sâr to upset Sihanouk, who was against the U.S. In Hanoi, Sâr read Vietnamese communist documents. He decided that Vietnamese interests were different from Cambodia's.
In November 1965, Saloth Sâr went to Beijing. He met with Chinese Communist Party leaders. They agreed with his views against the Soviet Union. Chinese officials also taught him about revolution and political purges. In Beijing, Sâr saw China's Cultural Revolution, which influenced his later plans.
Sâr returned to Cambodia in 1966. In October 1966, he and other Cambodian leaders renamed their group the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK). Sihanouk started calling its members the "Khmer Rouge" (Red Cambodians). The CPK decided to move their headquarters away from the Vietnamese. They also decided to prepare for armed struggle, even though North Vietnam refused to help. By December, plans for war were ready.
The Cambodian Civil War
Fighting Against Sihanouk
In January 1968, the war began with an attack on an army post. The government fought back with harsh methods, bombing areas where rebels were active. This brutality helped the rebels. More than 100,000 villagers joined them. Sâr moved his base to a mountainous area. He became more powerful within the party. In November 1969, Sâr went to Hanoi to ask for military help, but they refused. In January 1970, he flew to Beijing. His wife, Ponnary, started showing signs of a mental illness there.
The Fight Against Lon Nol
Joining Forces with Sihanouk
.jpg)
In March 1970, while Sâr was in Beijing, Cambodian leaders led by Lon Nol removed Sihanouk from power. Sihanouk also went to Beijing. Chinese and North Vietnamese communists told him to work with the Khmer Rouge to overthrow Lon Nol. Sihanouk agreed. Sâr also agreed, but his main role in the CPK was kept secret from Sihanouk. Sihanouk then formed a government-in-exile and called on people to fight Lon Nol. Sihanouk's support greatly helped the Khmer Rouge gain new fighters. Many new recruits were farmers who supported the King, not communism.
In April 1970, Sâr flew to Hanoi. He told the Vietnamese he wanted weapons for the Khmer Rouge, but no Vietnamese troops. However, North Vietnamese armies and the Viet Cong invaded Cambodia to attack Lon Nol. In response, South Vietnam and the United States sent troops to help Lon Nol. This brought Cambodia into the Vietnam War. The U.S. dropped many bombs on Cambodia, mostly affecting civilians. This helped the Khmer Rouge gain more recruits. By the end of 1970, the Khmer Rouge had about 12,000 regular soldiers.
In June 1970, Sâr returned to his base. In July, he started calling himself "Pol," which he later extended to "Pol Pot." By September, he was at a camp near Kratie. He held a meeting where they decided Cambodia must be fully independent. By the end of 1970, communist forces were in over half of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge played a smaller role at first. Most of the fighting was done by Vietnamese or Cambodians controlled by Vietnam.
In January 1971, a meeting was held to discuss the war. Pol Pot and other leaders focused on building a strong Khmer Rouge army. They made it harder to join the party, only allowing "poor peasants." In July and August, Pol Pot led a training course for CPK members. He was confirmed as the leader of the Central Committee.
Continuing the Fight
In early 1972, Pol Pot visited areas controlled by the communists. From 1970 to 1971, the Khmer Rouge tried to have good relations with people. They held local elections. Wealthier farmers had their land shared equally. The poorest people benefited from these changes.
From 1972, the Khmer Rouge began to change Cambodia to be like the poor farmers. They believed rural, simple life was best. In May 1972, they ordered everyone to dress like poor farmers. This meant black clothes, red-and-white scarves, and sandals made from car tires. Pol Pot also dressed this way.
CPK members had to attend regular "lifestyle meetings." They would criticize themselves and others. This created a feeling of constant watchfulness. Pol Pot and Nuon Chea led these meetings but were not criticized themselves.
By early 1972, relations between the Khmer Rouge and their Vietnamese allies became tense. Some fights broke out. That year, North Vietnamese troops started leaving Cambodia. As the CPK became stronger, they controlled Vietnamese troops more. In 1972, Pol Pot suggested Sihanouk visit Khmer Rouge areas. Sihanouk met with Pol Pot, but did not know his true identity.
Taking Control of Phnom Penh
In May 1973, Pol Pot ordered villages in his areas to become collective farms. This was to create a socialist society without private property. It also gave the Khmer Rouge more control over food. Many villagers did not like this. They killed their animals to stop them from becoming collective property. Over the next six months, about 60,000 Cambodians fled from Khmer Rouge areas. The Khmer Rouge also started forcing people to join their army.
Relations with North Vietnam remained tense. In July 1973, the CPK Central Committee decided Vietnam was "a friend with a conflict." Pol Pot ordered the arrest and execution of many Khmer Rouge members who had spent time in North Vietnam. He thought they were too friendly with the Vietnamese.
In summer 1973, the Khmer Rouge attacked Phnom Penh but were pushed back. Later that year, they started bombing the city with artillery. By winter, Pol Pot decided the Khmer Rouge should openly talk about making Cambodia a socialist country. They also planned to secretly oppose Sihanouk's influence. In September 1974, the Khmer Rouge decided to force all city people to move to rural villages. They believed this would destroy capitalism, which they linked to city life.
By 1974, Lon Nol's government had lost much support. In 1975, the troops defending Phnom Penh surrendered. The Khmer Rouge entered the city on 17 April. They executed between 700 and 800 government, military, and police leaders.
The Khmer Rouge did not trust the people of Phnom Penh. Many city people were refugees who had fled the Khmer Rouge. Shortly after taking the city, the Khmer Rouge announced that everyone had to leave. They falsely claimed it was to escape a U.S. bombing raid. They said people could return in three days. This forced over 2.5 million people to leave the city with little preparation. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people were forced out of hospitals. Many died on the march. The Khmer Rouge believed emptying Phnom Penh would destroy capitalism and allow them to control the country. It also forced city people to work in farming.
Leading Democratic Kampuchea
Setting Up the New Government
.jpg)
On 20 April 1975, Pol Pot secretly arrived in Phnom Penh. He and other Khmer Rouge leaders set up their headquarters. In early May, they moved to the former Finance Ministry building. They decided that increasing farm production was their top goal. Pol Pot believed that if Cambodia did not develop quickly, Vietnam would control it. They aimed for 70-80% farm machinery use in five to ten years. They also wanted a modern industry in fifteen to twenty years. Pol Pot thought it was important to make farmers work harder.
The Khmer Rouge wanted Cambodia to be self-sufficient. They did not completely refuse foreign help, but they saw it as harmful. China gave them a lot of food aid, but this was not announced publicly. After taking Phnom Penh, Ieng Sary went to Beijing. He arranged for China to send 13,300 tons of weapons to Cambodia.
At a meeting in April, the Khmer Rouge said they would not allow foreign military bases in Cambodia. This was a threat to Vietnam, which still had 20,000 troops in Cambodia. To ease tensions, Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, and Ieng Sary secretly went to Hanoi in May. They suggested a Friendship Treaty. This helped for a short time. After Hanoi, Pol Pot secretly went to Beijing. He met with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Mao warned him not to copy China's path to socialism exactly. He also told him to avoid repeating the harsh measures the Khmer Rouge had used before. In China, Pol Pot also received medical treatment. He then traveled to North Korea and met Kim Il Sung. In mid-July, he returned to Cambodia.
You have a lot of experience. It's better than ours. We don't have the right to criticise you ... Basically you are right. Have you made mistakes or not? I don't know. Certainly you have. So rectify yourselves; do rectification! ... The road is tortuous.
In May, Pol Pot made the Silver Pagoda his home. He then moved to the city's tallest building, the Bank Buildings, known as "K1." Other leaders also lived there. Pol Pot's wife, whose mental illness had worsened, was sent to live in a separate house. Later in 1975, Pol Pot took other homes for himself. To make his government seem more real, Pol Pot held an election. But there was only one candidate in most areas. The parliament met for only three hours.
The Khmer Rouge kept their control over Cambodia a secret at first. In April, they agreed to make Sihanouk the official head of state for 1975. Sihanouk had been living in Beijing and Pyongyang. In September, he was allowed to return to Cambodia. Pol Pot knew that if Sihanouk stayed abroad, he could become a leader for those against the Khmer Rouge. Once home, Sihanouk lived in his palace and was treated well. He was allowed to travel abroad to promote the new Cambodian government.
The Khmer Rouge military forces were divided. In July, Pol Pot announced that all troops would join a national Revolutionary Army. A new Cambodian currency had been printed, but the Khmer Rouge decided not to use it. They believed money would lead to corruption. So, there were no wages in Democratic Kampuchea. People had to work without pay. If they refused, they were punished, sometimes killed. Pol Pot's Cambodia was like a "slave state." In September, Pol Pot said farmers had to produce three tons of rice per hectare. He also said factories should make farm machines and simple goods like bicycles.
Changes in Rural Life
From 1975, most Cambodians living in rural co-operatives were put into three groups: full-rights members, candidates, and depositees. Full-rights members were mostly poor farmers. They got full food and could hold political jobs. Candidates could hold lower jobs. This system was not always applied the same way. The main division was between "base" people (original villagers) and "new" people (city people). Pol Pot did not want to kill all "new" people. He wanted to double or triple Cambodia's population.
In the village co-operatives, Khmer Rouge soldiers often killed people they thought were "bad." They would say, "to keep you is no profit, to destroy you is no loss." In the first year, most areas had enough food, even with more people. But some areas did suffer from starvation.
The new leaders said people would work ten days and have one day off. This was like a system used after the French Revolution. People in co-operatives were taught to work hard and love Cambodia. They used loudspeakers and radio. New words were introduced to encourage group thinking. People were told to say "we" instead of "I." People were usually separated by sex for work. Sports were banned. People could only read government materials. Movement was restricted.
From summer 1976, children over seven had to live communally with Khmer Rouge teachers. The co-operatives produced less food than the government expected. This was partly because workers were not motivated. Also, the strongest workers were sent to irrigation projects. Many party members lied about meeting food goals. By the end of 1976, Pol Pot knew there were food shortages in most of the country.
Khmer Rouge members had special benefits. They had better food. Central Committee members could go to China for medical care. The top leaders had access to luxury goods.
Purges and Executions
The Khmer Rouge also grouped people by their religion and background. Under Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge had a policy against religion. Buddhist monks were seen as lazy and were forced to do manual labor.
Some small revolts happened against Pol Pot's government. In February 1976, explosions destroyed a weapons storage in Siem Reap. Pol Pot suspected military leaders were involved. He arrested several army officers.
In September 1976, many party members were arrested. They were accused of working with Vietnam to overthrow Pol Pot. More arrests followed. The government made up stories about assassination attempts to justify these arrests. These party members were accused of being spies for the CIA, the Soviet KGB, or Vietnam. They were forced to confess. These confessions were read at party meetings. Trusted party members were sent to other areas to arrest more party members.
The Khmer Rouge turned an old school in Phnom Penh into a prison called S-21. It was run by the defense minister, Son Sen. More and more people were sent to S-21. In the first half of 1976, about 400 people were sent there. In the second half, it was nearly 1,000. By spring 1977, 1,000 people were sent there each month. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people were killed at S-21. Pol Pot never visited S-21.
From late 1976, violence increased across Democratic Kampuchea. Young Khmer Rouge members killed people they disliked in rural areas. By 1977, the violence and lack of food made many people unhappy, even within the Khmer Rouge. More Cambodians tried to escape to Thailand and Vietnam. In autumn 1977, Pol Pot said the arrests were over. By August 1977, between 4,000 and 5,000 party members had been killed as "enemy agents."
In 1978, the government started another wave of arrests. Tens of thousands of Cambodians were accused of supporting Vietnam and killed. Remaining CPK members who had been in Hanoi were killed, along with their children. In January 1978, Pol Pot said their goal was to "Purify the Party! Purify the army! Purify the cadres!"
Foreign Relations
Publicly, relations between Cambodia and Vietnam seemed good. But privately, they were getting worse. In May 1976, talks to draw a border between the two countries failed.
The Khmer Rouge did not want help from Western countries or the Soviet Union. China became Cambodia's main international partner. China saw Pol Pot's government as a way to stop Vietnam's influence. Mao Zedong promised $1 billion in aid to Cambodia. Thousands of Chinese military advisors were sent to help. However, China had little influence on Pol Pot's internal policies. China did influence Cambodia's foreign policy, pushing them to improve relations with Thailand and the U.S. to counter Vietnam.
After Mao died in September 1976, Pol Pot praised him. In November 1976, Pol Pot secretly went to Beijing. He wanted to keep China's support. He also visited sites related to Mao. China was the only country allowed to keep its old embassy in Phnom Penh. Other diplomats had to live in special quarters and were not allowed to leave without escorts. Pol Pot believed the Khmer Rouge was an example for other revolutionary groups. In November 1977, Burma's Ne Win visited Democratic Kampuchea. Romania's Nicolae Ceaușescu followed soon after.
How Many People Died?
Experts estimate that between 1.5 million and 2 million Cambodians died under Khmer Rouge rule. This was about 21% to 24% of Cambodia's population in 1975. Some studies suggest that 33.5% of Cambodian men died, compared to 15.7% of women. Many died from executions, lack of food, and poor medical care. Mass graves found contain about 1.3 million suspected victims of execution.
An estimated 300,000 Cambodians also died from starvation between 1979 and 1980. This was a result of the Khmer Rouge's policies.
The Fall of Democratic Kampuchea
In December 1976, the Communist Party of Kampuchea planned for war with Vietnam. Pol Pot believed Vietnam wanted to expand and was a threat. There were border fights between Cambodia and Vietnam in early 1977. In April, Cambodian troops attacked Vietnamese villages, killing hundreds of civilians. Vietnam responded by bombing Cambodian border areas. Fighting continued. In September, Cambodian troops attacked Vietnamese areas again. That month, Pol Pot went to Beijing and North Korea. Kim Il Sung supported the Khmer Rouge against Vietnam.
In December, Vietnam sent 50,000 troops into Cambodia. Cambodia formally ended relations with Vietnam. Cambodian forces fought back. By January 1978, the Vietnamese had left Cambodia. Pol Pot then ordered Cambodia's military to attack Vietnamese troops first. In January and February 1978, the Cambodian Army raided Vietnamese villages. Vietnam then decided Pol Pot must be removed from power. In 1978, Vietnam set up training camps for Cambodian refugees. These refugees would form a new Cambodian government. The Cambodian government also prepared for war. Plans were made for a personality cult around Pol Pot, like those in China and North Korea. Large photos of Pol Pot were put in dining halls. Paintings and busts of him were made. But this cult was never fully put into place.
The failure of Cambodian troops to stop the Vietnamese made Pol Pot suspicious. He ordered the arrest of many CPK members from the Eastern Zone. Many of these people were sent to S-21. Knowing they would be killed, more Eastern Zone troops rebelled. Pol Pot sent more troops to defeat them. He ordered them to kill people in villages that helped rebels. This was a very bloody time. Many rebel leaders fled to Vietnam. By August 1978, Pol Pot could only trust a few of his forces.
In early 1978, Pol Pot's government tried to improve relations with other countries, like Thailand. China supported Cambodia against Vietnam. China promised $1 billion in aid. China also sent military advisors. The relationship was difficult, but China wanted to stop Vietnamese influence.
After Mao died in September 1976, Pol Pot praised him. In November 1976, Pol Pot secretly went to Beijing. He wanted to keep China's support. He also visited sites related to Mao. China was the only country allowed to keep its old embassy in Phnom Penh. Other diplomats had to live in special quarters and were not allowed to leave without escorts. Pol Pot believed the Khmer Rouge was an example for other revolutionary groups. In November 1977, Burma's Ne Win visited Democratic Kampuchea. Romania's Nicolae Ceaușescu followed soon after.
Vietnamese Invasion
On 25 December 1978, the Vietnamese Army launched a full invasion. They quickly moved into Cambodia. On 7 January, Pol Pot and other leaders left Phnom Penh. They drove to Pursat and then to Battambang.
After the Khmer Rouge left Phnom Penh, Ta Mok was left to defend the city. Nuon Chea ordered all remaining prisoners at S-21 to be killed before the Vietnamese arrived. Many officers and soldiers guarding the city fled. The defense was very disorganized. Some Cambodian villagers killed Khmer Rouge officials in revenge. In January, Vietnam set up a new government under Samrin. This government was made of Khmer Rouge members who had fled to Vietnam. The new government renamed Cambodia the "People's Republic of Kampuchea". Many Cambodians at first welcomed the Vietnamese as saviors. But over time, they resented the occupying forces.
The Khmer Rouge turned to China for help. Ieng Sary went to China. Deng Xiaoping told the Khmer Rouge to continue fighting a guerrilla war. He also told them to form a broad group against the Vietnamese, including Sihanouk. China sent weapons to the Khmer Rouge through Thailand. China also sent diplomats to stay with the Khmer Rouge near the Thai border. In February, China attacked northern Vietnam. This was to draw Vietnamese troops away from Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge also got support from the United States and other Southeast Asian countries. These countries feared Vietnamese expansion.
On 15 January, the Vietnamese reached Sisophon. Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, and Khieu Samphan moved to Palin, on the Thai border. In late January, they moved to Tasanh. On 1 February, they held a meeting. They decided against Deng's advice to form a united front. In March, the Vietnamese pushed the Khmer Rouge towards the Thai border. Many of Pol Pot's troops crossed into Thailand. The Vietnamese captured Tasanh, just hours after the Khmer Rouge leaders fled.
After Democratic Kampuchea
Fighting the Vietnamese
.jpg)
In July 1979, Pol Pot set up a new headquarters. He stopped using the name "Pol Pot" and called himself "Phem." In September 1979, Khieu Samphan announced a new group called the Patriotic Democratic Front. This group included all Cambodians who opposed the Vietnamese. Senior Khmer Rouge members started saying they no longer supported socialism. They stopped wearing black uniforms. Pol Pot himself started wearing jungle green clothes. These changes showed a real shift in the Khmer Rouge's ideas. In October, Pol Pot ordered an end to executions, and this order was mostly followed. In November 1979, the United Nations General Assembly voted to recognize the Khmer Rouge as Cambodia's true government. In December, Samphan replaced Pol Pot as prime minister. This allowed Pol Pot to focus on the war. It also helped improve the Khmer Rouge's image.
During the summer of 1979, Khmer Rouge troops started returning to Cambodia. Many young Cambodians joined them to fight the Vietnamese. With new supplies from China, the Khmer Rouge rebuilt their army in early 1980. By mid-1980, they claimed to have 40,000 troops in Cambodia. From 1981, Pol Pot wanted to gain popular support. In August 1981, he traveled to Beijing. He met with Deng Xiaoping. Deng had been pushing for Sihanouk to become Cambodian head of state. In September, Sihanouk, Samphan, and Son Sann announced they would form their own coalition government.
I am old now and handicapped. I know that people inside Cambodia fear me. So when we drive out the contemptible Vietnamese and gain peace, I will retire if the comrades so desire. But if I return now, and the comrades can't drive out the Vietnamese, how can I sit still? I must share my experience and knowledge. If the Vietnamese leave and we can defend our country, I will ... retire. And when I die I will die peacefully.
In December 1981, Pol Pot and Nuon Chea decided to dissolve the Communist Party of Kampuchea. This decision surprised many members. Many thought it was a trick, but it was a real change. Pol Pot suggested a new group called the Movement of Nationalists. The party's main committee was replaced by a Military Directorate. Its goal was to drive out the Vietnamese. Pol Pot's decision to disband the party was influenced by world events. His anti-Vietnamese army was supported by many capitalist countries. He also believed China, his main supporter, was bringing back capitalism. The Khmer Rouge stopped collective eating. The ban on private belongings was lifted. Children were allowed to live with their parents again. Pol Pot said his past government was too extreme. He claimed he made mistakes because he trusted bad people.
In June 1982, the Khmer Rouge joined other groups to form the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK). This was an alternative to the government in Phnom Penh. But on the ground, these groups did not work together much. In 1983, Pol Pot went to Bangkok for a medical check-up. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. In mid-1984, his headquarters moved deeper into Cambodia. In December, the Vietnamese Army launched a big attack. They overran the Khmer Rouge base and pushed Pol Pot back into Thailand. He set up a new base there.
In September 1985, Pol Pot resigned as commander-in-chief of the Khmer Rouge forces. Son Sen took his place. But Pol Pot still had a lot of influence. That summer, he married a young woman named Mea. Their daughter, Sitha, was born the next spring. He then went to Beijing for cancer treatment. He returned to Cambodia in summer 1988. In 1988, the groups fighting Vietnam started talking with the Phnom Penh government. Pol Pot thought it was too soon. He feared the Khmer Rouge would not win in any election after the war.
The End of the Khmer Rouge
The end of the Cold War affected Cambodia. The U.S. and its allies no longer saw Vietnam as a threat. The U.S. announced it no longer recognized the CGDK as Cambodia's government at the UN. In June, the Cambodian groups agreed to a ceasefire. The United Nations would oversee it. A new Supreme National Council would help with democratic elections. Pol Pot agreed, fearing that if he refused, all other groups would unite against the Khmer Rouge. In November, Sihanouk returned to Cambodia. He praised the Vietnamese-backed leader, Hun Sen. He said the Khmer Rouge leaders should be put on trial.
Pol Pot set up a new headquarters near the border. He told the Khmer Rouge to work harder to gain support in villages. In June, Samphan said their troops would not disarm. He said they would not disarm while Vietnamese soldiers were still in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge became more aggressive. They expanded their territory in western Cambodia. They killed Vietnamese settlers. Hun Sen's forces also fought. UN peacekeepers could not stop the violence. In January 1993, Sihanouk returned to Beijing. He said Cambodia was not ready for elections. The Khmer Rouge formed a new party, but in March, Pol Pot announced they would boycott the vote. He moved his headquarters.
In the May 1993 elections, Norodom Ranariddh's party won the most seats. Hun Sen's party came second. Hun Sen refused to accept defeat. Sihanouk helped form a government with two prime ministers, Ranariddh and Sen. The new Cambodian National Army then attacked the Khmer Rouge. By August, they captured Pol Pot's headquarters. Pol Pot fled back to Thailand. The Khmer Rouge fought back and regained much territory by May 1994. Pol Pot moved to Anlong Veng. But as that was captured in 1994, he moved again. The Khmer Rouge faced more and more desertions in the early 1990s.
Pol Pot again stressed that people in Khmer Rouge areas should live like the poorest farmers. In 1994, he ordered private transport to be taken away. He also ended trade with Thailand. In September, he ordered the execution of a Briton, a Frenchman, and an Australian. These people had been captured in a Khmer Rouge attack on a train. In July 1996, a rebellion broke out among the Khmer Rouge. In August, Ieng Sary and others broke away. They took about 4,000 soldiers with them. This almost halved the Khmer Rouge's forces. By the end of 1996, the Khmer Rouge had lost almost all their land in Cambodia. They were limited to a small area along the northern border. Pol Pot told his aides, "We are like a fish in a trap. We cannot last like this for very long."
Pol Pot's health was getting worse. He had heart problems and no longer had cancer treatment. A stroke left one side of his body paralyzed. He needed oxygen daily. He spent more time with his family, especially his daughter.
Imprisonment and Death
Pol Pot became suspicious of Son Sen. In June 1997, he ordered Sen's assassination. Khmer Rouge members killed Sen and 13 of his family members. Pol Pot later said he did not approve all these killings. Ta Mok worried Pol Pot might turn on him too. Mok gathered his loyal troops and told them Pol Pot had betrayed their movement. He then went to Pol Pot's location. Fearing Mok's troops, Pol Pot, his family, and bodyguards fled on foot on 12 June. Pol Pot was very weak and had to be carried. Mok's troops caught them. Pol Pot was placed under house arrest. Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea sided with Mok.
American journalist Nate Thayer interviewed Pol Pot while he was under house arrest. Pol Pot said his "conscience is clear." But he admitted mistakes were made. He told Thayer, "I want you to know that everything I did, I did for my country." He also said that claiming millions died was "too much."
In late July, Pol Pot and three loyal Khmer Rouge commanders were brought before a large meeting. Thayer was invited to film it. The Khmer Rouge sentenced Pol Pot to life imprisonment. The other three commanders were sentenced to death. Three months later, Ta Mok allowed Thayer to visit and interview Pol Pot again.
On 15 April 1998, Pol Pot died in his sleep from a heart attack. His body was preserved with ice so journalists could confirm his death at his funeral. Three days later, his wife cremated his body using traditional Buddhist rites.
In May, Pol Pot's widow and Tep Khunnal fled to Malaysia and married. The Khmer Rouge continued to lose land to the Cambodian Army. In March 1999, Ta Mok was captured. The Khmer Rouge then effectively ceased to exist.
Pol Pot's Ideas
Pol Pot saw himself as a communist. He said his CPK followed a "Marxist–Leninist viewpoint," but changed for Cambodia. One Khmer Rouge leader, Khieu Samphan, said a key idea was "zero for him, zero for you - that is communism." This meant that in a state where the government owned everything, everyone would be equal.
Pol Pot took ideas from Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. But unlike them, he wanted a completely self-sufficient farming-based society. He wanted it to be free from all foreign influences. Joseph Stalin's ideas were very important to Pol Pot. Even more important were the ideas of Mao Zedong, especially his "New Democracy." Following Mao, Pol Pot changed his communist ideas to fit Cambodia. Because of these changes, other communists said he was not truly following Marxist–Leninist ideas. For example, in 1979, Deng Xiaoping said the Khmer Rouge had "deviated" from Marxism-Leninism. Albania's Enver Hoxha called Pol Pot a "barbarous fascist."
Pol Pot believed farmers and intellectuals should work together for revolution. This idea came from his reading of Peter Kropotkin in Paris. He thought farmers could develop a communist way of thinking through education. He also believed that Theravada Buddhism influenced his thoughts, much like Confucianism influenced Mao.
One expert noted that the Khmer Rouge's ideas were different because of their "monastic stress on discipline." They wanted to destroy the idea of the individual. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge believed they needed to use force to create a collective state. They thought it was "always better to go too far than not far enough." This led to many abuses. In training camps, they used hunger, lack of sleep, and long work hours to pressure members. No other communist party tried so hard to change its members' minds.
Pol Pot dissolved his Communist Party in the 1980s. He wanted to focus on fighting Vietnam. During that time, Pol Pot often said, "We chose communism because we wanted to restore our nation. We helped the Vietnamese, who were communist. But now the communists are fighting us. So we have to turn to the West and follow their way." This made some experts think that his communist beliefs were not very deep.
Pol Pot's Cambodia was a totalitarian state. He was a dictator. Pol Pot wanted Cambodia to be completely self-sufficient. He believed Cambodians were better than other groups and not affected by foreign influences. The party leaders were suspicious of foreigners. During the civil war, they killed many foreign journalists. Native religions were banned as part of the Khmer Rouge's plan to remove religion.
About Pol Pot
Pol Pot wanted power. He was quiet, humble, and had good self-control. He was also very private. He was obsessed with secrecy and feared being killed. He often pretended to be someone he was not. He liked to appear as a normal person in a crowd. During his political life, he used many different names. He once told a secretary, "the more often you change your name the better. It confuses the enemy." Later in life, he hid and changed many details about his life. He never explained why he chose the name "Pol Pot."
According to an official biography, Pol Pot liked to work in peace. He had a "large spirit of union" and was "deeply and firmly confident in the people." He had a gentle charm and a magnetic personality. As a child, his brother said he was sweet-tempered. Schoolmates remembered him as pleasant. As a teacher, his students said he was calm, honest, and convincing. He had a good nature and an attractive personality. Many people noticed his special smile. When he spoke, he often carried a fan, which in Cambodian culture was linked to monks.
Pol Pot spoke softly. During speeches, he was calm, even when using strong words. He had an "apparent warmth" when meeting people. He was known for his "slowly uttered words." Someone who worked with him in the 1980s said he was "very likeable, a really nice person."
Pol Pot had trouble sleeping and was often sick. He suffered from malaria and stomach problems. He loved traditional Khmer music. As a child, he liked French poetry.
Some experts believe that the seven years Pol Pot spent in jungle camps greatly affected his views. They think it made him feel more important. Pol Pot was very nationalistic. He showed little interest in events outside Cambodia. He was self-righteous and usually refused to compromise.
Pol Pot wanted his followers to develop a "revolutionary consciousness." This would allow them to act without his direct orders. He was often disappointed when they did not. He did not fully trust his helpers. So, he controlled small details, like menus for state events or radio schedules. Some of Pol Pot's supporters wanted a personality cult for him, like in other communist countries. But this never fully happened in Cambodia. His photo was not in party books. There were no books of his "thoughts." This might have been because he truly opposed individualism.
See also
In Spanish: Pol Pot para niños
