Pol Pot Genocide - Timeline

Pol Pot is born *4

Pol Pot studies in France. While there, he joins a communist party. *4

In the early 1950s, Pol Pot comes back to Cambodia, which was still a French colony *4

(Not exact date) French Prince Norodom Sihanouk is placed on the Cambodian throne by the French. *6

NED- French Prince Norodom Sihanouk becomes the president of Cambodia when the communist party overthrows the French rule. *1

NED- Pol Pot takes over as leader of the communist party when the old leader is assassinated. *4

Cambodian forces are displaced when American troops are sent over to fight in Vietnam. *4

NED- Pol began to organized the Khmer Rouge

Sihanouk allows the US to bomb the border of Cambodia, in the hopes of wiping out communist strongholds in the area. *4

NED- Cambodians led by Lon Nol take over Sihanouk's empty place while he is away

NED- 75% of the country is under communist control, and 50% of the people are loyal to the Khmer Rouge

Communist forces take control of the Cambodian government when they take control of Phnom Penh.

Cambodia gains independence from France *1

Vietnamese troops enter Phnom Penh and the Khmer Rouge is ended

Pol Pot is convicted of treason

NED- Lon Nol's army begins the ethnic cleansing of the Vietnamese communist population in Cambodia.

NED- Cambodia becomes a French protectorate

Phnom Penh Radio broadcast a call to "exterminate the 50 million Vietnamese" and to "purify the masses of the people" of Cambodia.

NED ICP in Cambodia *6

NED KPRP splits from ICP *4

NED Saloth Sar changes his name to Pol Pot *4

Vietnamese win first Indochinese War *1

NED Khemer Rouge begin to gain support *4

NED Lon Nol overthrows government

NED Bombing intensifies, now dropping on highest populated regions

Year Zero and a new name *4,5

Some of the Khmer Rouge perpetrators were put on trial by the United Nations

NED- Vietnam sends troops into Cambodia with the intention of overthrowing the Khmer Rouge

Pol Pot is taken and held as a prisoner by old Khmer Rouge rivals, in the Thai jungle

NED- Pol Pot dies of unknown cause

NED- an economic plan is drafted in the hopes of tripling agricultural produce in the following 4 years

Khmer Rouge take control of Cambodian Government *4