Pol Pot
Page 77
founding member of PRPK 55
Eastern Zone military commander 114, 139, 175, 384
member of provisional leadership 115–16, 135–6
attends First Congress 138n
and Pol Pot 177–8
in civil war 262
denounced as traitor 358
commands Highway 7 Front 374, 385
surrounded and commits suicide 385–6, 387n
Soeung Son Maly
and Pol Pot 49–50, 82, 116–17
and Sam Sary 117, 124
Sok Knaol 63, 385
Sok Pheap 412, 436–7
Son Ngoc Minh 115, 150, 456
background 39
sends Ho Chi Minh birthday greetings 40
heads revolutionary government 54–6
Khmer Viet Minh leader 58, 61, 89, 393
admits torturing opponents 89
sidelined 97
welcomes Khmer exiles in Vietnam 104
and Pol Pot 158
and Keo Meas 186–7
dies of stroke 379
Son Ngoc Thanh 154, 457
and Nagaravatta 21, 30
flees to Thailand 30
named Foreign Minister, then Premier 32
in exile 34, 39, 42, 59, 61–2
followers flee to Thailand and Vietnam 35
and Pol Pot 35, 42, 59, 65, 82, 86, 89–90
continued popularity 37
and Sihanouk 62, 74–6, 95, 139
in rebellion 77–8, 81–2, 101
US sympathy for 91, 127–8
pledges allegiance 106
and Democratic Party 106–7, 109
and ‘Bangkok Plot’ 125
and CIA 127–8, 131
and Lon Nol 195, 260
Son Sann 110, 419, 421, 429
Son Sen 436, 336, 457
student days in Paris 82–3
possibly attends CPK First Congress 139n
joines Central Committee 142
denounced as subversive 143n
flees to Ta Not 144
in North-Eastern Zone 172–3
as Chief of Staff 212, 252
welcomes Sihanouk to ‘liberated zone’ 243
and ‘liberation’ of Phnom Penh 262, 276, 286
becomes Vice-Premier 305, 336n, 358, 363
and Sihanouk’s resignation 334
responsible for S–21 359, 364
commands Highway 1 Front 372
visits Beijing 388
becomes full Standing Committee member 392
and Vietnamese invasion 395–6, 398
explains dissolution of CPK 416
member of Military Directorate 417
and Pol Pot 422, 428–9, 436, 440
commands resistance Southern Front 431
disgraced 436–8
killed 440
Sorya Roeungsy 330
Sotoán Prychea In 123, 143
South China Sea 374
South-East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) 113, 155
Soviet 20th Party Congress (1956) 136
Soviet Embassy, Phnom Penh 272
Soy Dao 422
Speu forest 212
Sramar Leav 280
Stalin, Joseph 55, 68, 98, 248, 291, 300, 388, 445
influence on Pol Pot 13, 47, 65–8, 71, 147, 318, 361, 364, 444
recognises Ho Chi Minh’s government 59
attitude to dissent, heresy 69, 71
Marxism and the National Question 66
History of the Communist Party (Bolshevik) of the USSR 66–7
Stamboliski, Aleksandr 257
Stil, André 69
Stung Trang 304, 330
Stung Treng 171–2, 176, 204, 395
Sukarno, President 113, 163, 164, 185
Sun Hao 332, 350, 406
Suong Sikoeun 73, 340, 457
Supreme National Council (1975) 264
Supreme National Council (1991) 427, 430
Svay Rieng province 99, 101, 104, 112, 114, 131, 204, 377
Viet Cong sanctuaries in 185n, 194
Svay Sittha 12
Swain, Jon 266
Swank, Emory 222, 260
Switzerland 50, 52, 103
Ta Not, South Vietnam 145, 146
Taing Poun 262
Taiwan 150–1
Takeo 3, 40, 88, 112, 205, 207, 250, 384
Takhmau 263, 265
Tam 166
Tap Chi Cons San (journal) 391
Tasanh 396, 399, 406–8
Tat Marina 12
Tatum 439
Teachers’ Association 154
Tep Khunnal 434, 435, 439, 443
Teur Kam 192
Thailand 165, 243, 289
perceived threat from 6, 41, 69, 191, 218, 293
19th-c atrocities 16, 25
Thais in Phnom Penh 24
invades Cambodia (1940) 28
and Son Ngoc Thanh 30
and Khmer Issarak 35, 39
and Viet Minh 39
and US 53, 113, 124, 127, 155, 181, 264
and Sihanouk 92–3
and Nuon Chea 119
and ‘Bangkok Plot’ 124–5, 127
relationship with Sihanouk’s government deteriorates 139
and Khmers Rouges 259–60
airlift to Lon Nol government 263
‘blueprint for the future’ 290
and Communist Party of Thailand 295, 342, 372–3, 376
relations stabilise 303
and Democratic Kampuchea 359, 367, 372–3, 381
and Deng Xiaoping 391
foreign diplomats flee to 396, 398
supports Khmers Rouges after Vietnamese invasion 402–3, 405–6, 417, 420
and Cambodian refugees 408, 410–12, 429
harbours Pol Pot 408, 421–2, 432
Unit 838 411, 422
and peace negotiations 420–1, 424, 426–7
provides Pol Pot with medical treatment 421, 435
and Khmers Rouges after breakdown of peace process 431, 433, 435
foils plot to kidnap Pol Pot 439–40
specialists examine Pol Pot’s body 442
Thang Si 171
Thayer, Nate 441, 442
Thion, Serge 253
Thiounn Chum 457
student days in Paris 48, 52
supports resistance 261
expelled from Phnom Penh 275
quits Khmers Rouges 420
Thiounn Mala 9, 236
Thiounn Mumm 37, 457
background 32
recruits Khmer teachers 32–3
student days in Paris 48, 51, 59–64, 73, 80–1
and 1955 elections 107, 111, 113
and Pol Pot 108, 116
heads Cercle Marxiste 154
with Sihanouk in Beijing 200–3, 267
joins CPK 241
on peasant habits 269
and failings of Khmers Rouges 283, 308
given special treatment 314
on leaders’ living conditions 346
heads National Technical College 383
quits Khmers Rouges 420
Thiounn Prasith 83, 241, 250n, 314n, 457
Thiounn Thioeunn 212, 457
aristocratic origins 9
and Pol Pot 9, 434
Minister of Health 9, 336n, 349
and Sihanouk 45
joins the Khmers Rouges 236
Thippadey, Mt 277
Thmar Puok 327
Thommayut sect 21
Thorez, Maurice 67–9
Thu Duc 390
Thvak 166, 174
Tillon, Charles 68
Tito, Marshal 69, 113
Tiv Ol 458
recruits for CPK in Prey Veng 153
in Ratanakiri 212
at S–31 224
dropped from government 336n
disgraced 348, 355
Toch Phoeun 44, 120, 224, 336n, 367
Toek Chrâp stream 172
Tonle Sap river 15, 26, 52, 228, 330, 352
Tou Samouth 104, 150, 458
becomes Khmer Viet Minh leader 54–5, 58, 97
takes Pol Pot as secretary 100
deputy head of PRPK provisional leadership 115
heads Party’s urban networks 119
suspects Sieu Heng 124
and First Party Congress 135, 138 138
killed by Lon Nol 141
former monk 150
Tran Kim Tuyen 126n
Tran Nam Trung, General 223
Trapeang Kroloeung 87
Trat 435
Travinh 4
Truong Chinh 53, 55, 56, 70
Truong Chinh Institute 55
Truong Nhu Tang 145, 215–17
Tuk Nhung 55, 104, 115, 116
Tung Padevat 224, 323, 361–2n, 390
Tuol Sleng torture centre (S–21) 119n
purpose of 358–9, 363
as totalitarian institution 364–8
use of violence 371
and secrecy 400
turned into a museum 446
Tuol Svay Prey 119
Uch Ven 129, 134, 154
Um Savuth 219
‘Umbrella Revolt’ (1942) 30, 32
UNICEF 411
Union of Khmer Students (UEK) 154
United Nations 346
Cambodia’s seat retained by Lon Nol 261
addressed by Sihanouk 330, 396, 403, 404n
and Ieng Sary 404n, 419
seats Democratic Kampuchea (1979) 412
US role in support of Khmers Rouges 420–1, 426
Peacekeeping operation (UNTAC) 427, 429–30, 432, 441
United States
bombs Cambodian sanctuaries 4, 161, 182, 215–17, 218, 245
and Sihanouk 77, 91–3, 108–9, 113, 199
and Democratic Party 108
and ‘Bangkok Plot’ 125, 127–8
and Cambodia break diplomatic relations 155–7
rapprochement and restoration of diplomatic ties 180–2, 185
has no direct role during Lon Nol coup 195–7
air war against Khmers Rouges 215–17, 221–2, 245
use of Cambodia to extricate troops from Vietnam 222, 341
Defence Intelligence Agency 230
peace talks with Vietnam 239, 242–3
airlift to Phnom Penh 262–3
withdraws from Cambodia 264
and Mayaguez affair 296–7
moral responsibility for Cambodian tragedy 352, 446–7
and aid talks with Vietnam 373–4
Marxist-Leninist delegation visits Democratic Kampuchea 381
and China 403, 407
policy towards Khmers Rouges after Vietnamese invasion 403, 408, 420–2, 426
discusses plan to kidnap Pol Pot 439–40
Utapao military airbase 405
Van Tip Sovann 169
Vandy Kaonn 339
Veay Chap, Mt 166, 175
Vergès, Jacques 13–14, 59, 60, 62
Versailles 49
Vickery, Michael 232, 268
Vienna World Peace Conference (1952) 100
Vientiane 334
Vietnam 7, 332; see also Hanoi tensions linked to Khmer Rouge victory 3–4, 263–4, 296–8, 303
Cambodian hostility towards 8, 25, 40–1, 69, 293, 372–3
19th–c atrocities against Khmers 16
immigration into Cambodia 24–5, 207–10
First Indochina War (1945–54) 38, 82, 102–4
and ‘special relationship’ 56, 105, 238–9
Second Indochina War (1965–75) 77, 128, 130, 180, 216, 341
relations with Laos 197–9, 374
urges joint military action against Lon Nol 203
and US bombing 215–18
and Paris peace accords 241–3
attempts unsuccessfully to pressure Khmers Rouges 249–51
shares responsibility for Cambodian nightmare 352
renewed tensions with Cambodia 356–8
sympathisers purged 359–61, 363–4, 367, 369
turns Tuol Sleng into holocaust museum 364
attacked by Khmer Rouge forces 372, 374
relations with USSR 372–4, 390–1, 393
retaliates against Democratic Kampuchea 373, 377–8
treated as Cold War proxy 378, 420–1, 424
sets up training camps for Khmer exiles 379
invades Cambodia 395–401, 406–8, 422
and Thailand 402
condemned by UN Security Council 403
China ‘punishes’ 407
outstays welcome in Cambodia 409–11
unable to crush Khmer resistance 417, 421
withdraws troops from Cambodia 426
North Vietnam
Sihanouk seeks closer ties 156
Phnom Penh Embassy attacked 194
Embassy to GRUNC 332
South Vietnam
recognised by Britain and US 53
and ‘Bangkok Plot’ 125–8
and Sihanouk 139
conducts bombing raids along Cambodian border 145–6
murder of President Ngo Dinh Diem 155
refuses to recognise Cambodia’s borders 181
behaviour of troops in Cambodia 209
and Cambodian refugees 247
COSVN 121, 161–2
headquarters 171, 185, 193n, 204, 223
controls NLF 202
urges its cadres to ‘treat Cambodians as equals’ 205
Viet Cong
cells in eastern Cambodia 131
resume armed struggle 136
base at Ta Not 144–6
and Cambodian sanctuaries 156, 171, 172, 181, 185n
and Sihanouk 156, 182, 206
Loc Ninh base 161
supply route through Cambodia 165, 171, 186, 188
offensive against Lon Nol government 203–6, 209, 212, 216, 220–1
spread throughout Cambodia following US bombing 215–17
relations with Khmers Rouges 223, 230, 236–8
and Sihanoukist army 240
launch rocket attacks on Phnom Penh 254
evacuation of Hue 271
Viet Minh
arms supply from Bangkok 39
relationship to ICP 52
All-Cambodia Work Committee 54, 55, 139
impose own system on Khmers 56
frustration with Cambodians 57
and ‘new democracy’ 70
intensify struggle in Cambodia 80–1, 83, 85, 89
at Cambodian Eastern Zone Headquarters 95–100 ff
and Sihanouk 100–1
final months of combat 101–3
repatriated to North Vietnam 103
importance of secrecy 107
organisational methods copied by CPK 187–8, 226, 235, 279, 314
Vietnamese Workers’ Party (VWP); see also Indochinese Communist Party
founded 55
Southern Bureau 121, 156
advocates ‘peaceful transition’ 136
Pol Pot holds talks with 157–61
Central Committee 170, 375, 409
Vo Nguyen Giap
and First Indochina War 39, 53–5, 101–2
meets Pol Pot 202
forces attack on Democratic Kampuchea 375, 380
and Vietnamese invasion 384
‘Voice of Free Cambodia’ 100
‘Voice of Khmer Issarak’ 56
‘Voice of the FUNK of Phnom Penh City’ 266
‘Voice of the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea’ 417
Voltaire 36, 47
Vorn Vet 212, 458
and Phnom Penh City Party Committee 137, 151, 154, 169, 183
and armed uprising 173
heads Special Zone 226, 228, 230, 252, 254, 286
and François Bizot 260
stops river convoys on the Mekong 262
as Vice-Premier for Economic Affairs 305, 308, 336n, 346
arrested and purged 392
Vy 171–2, 176, 227, 384
Wai Island 296, 298
Waldheim, Kurt 382
Wang Dong
xing 391–2
Wat Langka 330
Wat Phnom 25, 26, 313
work quotas 321–2
World Federation of Democratic Youth 60
Y Chhean 412, 436–7
Yan’an 235, 363
Yasushi Akashi 430, 431
Yem Sambaur 77
Yos Hut Khemcaro 445, 448
Youth League 233n
Youyi binguan, Beijing 202
Yugoslavia 50–1, 60, 69, 332, 381
Yukanthor, Prince 317
Yun Soeun 96, 104, 256
Yun Yat 458
married to Son Sen 172, 346
at Office 100 172
becomes Minister of Education and Culture 336n
killed 440
Yuthévong, Prince 37, 38
Zhang Chunqiao 160, 357, 362
Zhang Yufeng 298
Zhao Ziyang 415
Zhdanov, Andre 53
Zhou Enlai 58, 334, 341
and Geneva Conference 103
founds Non-Aligned Movement 113
on Queen Kossamak 131–2
and Sihanouk 180, 185, 198–200, 201n, 202, 242, 244, 329
reservations about Khmer Rouge policies 218n, 300, 301
Zhu De 100
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PHILIP SHORT has been a foreign correspondent for the London Times, The Economist, and BBC in Uganda, Moscow, China, and Washington. He is the author of the definitive biography of Mao Zedong, and lived in China and Cambodia in the 1970s and early 1980s, where he has returned regularly ever since. He now lives in southern France with his wife.
“SHORT CHRONICLES THE STAGES OF THE CAMBODIAN REVOLUTION WITH ADMIRABLE CLARITY. . . . HE IS JUDICIOUS IN DESCRIBING THE ATROCITIES OF POL POT’S REGIME. A FEW CHILLING DETAILS, EXPERTLY DEPLOYED, DO THE NECESSARY WORK.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES
* * *
Philip Short observed Pol Pot at close quarters during the one and only official visit Pol ever made abroad, to China in 1975. He was struck by Pol Pot’s charm and charisma, yet, soon after, the leader would emerge as the architect of one of the most radical and ruthless experiments in social engineering ever undertaken. His egalitarian utopia released a reign of terror that would result in one in every five Cambodians—more than a million people—perishing in the killing fields or from hunger.
Why did it happen? How did an idealistic dream of justice and prosperity mutate into one of humanity’s worst nightmares? To answer these questions, Short traveled through Cambodia, interviewing former Khmer Rouge leaders and sifting through previously closed archives around the world. Key figures, including Khien Samphan and leng Sary, Pol Pot’s brother-in-law and foreign minister, speak here for the first time.
Philip Short’s masterly narrative reveals how Pol Pot engineered his country’s desolation, fashioning the definitive portrait of the man who headed one of the most enigmatic and terrifying regimes of modern times.
* * *
“Short has done a spectacularly efficient job of describing What happened [in cambodia] . . . A chillingly clear portrait of the man who became Pol Pot.”