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The World. Asia/The East. History of Indochina. Indochina= Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia French ruled from late 1800’s-WWII French colonists built plantations to extract rice and rubber Unrest grows among peasants Ho Chi Minh leads rebellious activities. Fled to Soviet Union.
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History of Indochina • Indochina= Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia • French ruled from late 1800’s-WWII • French colonists built plantations to extract rice and rubber • Unrest grows among peasants • Ho Chi Minh leads rebellious activities. Fled to Soviet Union
Japanese Invasion • Japan invades Hong Kong, French Indochina, Malaya, Burma, Thailand, China, and the Philippines. • French withdraw • Ho Chi Minh (with U.S. aid) leads resistance against Japanese • Japanese defeated in 1945
Independence: Communism vs. Democracy • Vietminh: Organization created by Ho Chi Minh to liberate Vietnam of foreign rule. • Sept. 2, 1945: Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam independent. • French reoccupy southern Vietnam late 1945 • U.S. gives French $1 billion in aid to defeat Ho Chi Minh, a one-time ally. • French surrender after defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
U.S. Involvement Deepens • To halt spread of communism, U.S. provides economic and military aid to S. Vietnam. • Corrupt S. Vietnamese government leads to rise of Vietcong and increased instability. • U.S. commits 50,000 troops to Vietnam in 1965. • N. Vietnam capture Saigon on 4/30/75.
Cambodia and Laos during Vietnam War • Both attempted to remain neutral • N. Vietnamese and Vietcong forces used Cambodia as a base to attack S. Vietnam. • N. Vietnamese forces use Ho Chi Minh trail through Laos to supply Viet Cong forces. • Laos sustains 10 years of heavy bombing from U.S. forces attempting to destroy Ho Chi Minh trail. • U.S. secretly bombs N. Vietnamese and Viet Cong strong holds in Cambodia. • In 1970, Pres. Nixon orders ground forces to invade Cambodia.
Communist Growth • Communist insurgents grow inside Cambodia and Laos. • Khmer Rouge=Combodian communists backed by N. Vietnamese. • Phatet Lao= Laotian communists backed by N. Vietnamese. • Khmer Rouge overrun existing army and gain control of Cambodia. • Phatet Lao gain control of government with N. Vietnamese help in 1975.
The Aftermath • Re-education camps are created by KR and PL in Cambodia and Laos. • An estimated 2-3 million Cambodians died under KR gov’t. • Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978 and established a new gov’t. • 600,000 Cambodians fled to Thailand.
The Reign of the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979) • A. Motto: “To keep you is no benefit; to destroy you is no loss.” • B. Re-education camps: used to teach communist beliefs/brain wash; also exposed people who might resist. • C. Commit acts of genocide; millions of Cambodians are executed. • D. January 7, 1979: Vietnam seizes control of Cambodia, allowing thousands to flee. • E. 1989-1990: Vietnamese troops promise to withdraw.
To Destroy You is No Loss • A. A novel which chronicles Teeda Butt Mam’s family’s “nightmarish ordeal at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.” It details the family’s struggle to survive, facing re-education camps and the perilous journey from Cambodia, to Thailand, and eventually, to America.
The Killing Fields • A. A film based on the events which led up to and follow the fall of Phnom Penh. The film’s plot revolves around two characters, Sidney Shanberg and Dith Pran. • B. Sidney Shanberg: A reporter for the New York Times who is investigating U.S. involvement in “The Secret War.” While attempting to get into Thailand, he learns of a U.S. bombing of a Cambodian city. He decides to enter Cambodia to investigate. • Dith Pran: A Cambodian photographer and reporter