In the grand scheme of Cambodian history, 45 months of communist rule may seem seem like a random tangent when compared with over a thousand years of Cambodian culture. But the Cambodian holocaust is much more complex than that - a long series of events encompassing the entire 20th century may all be seen as contributing factors.

In Cambodia Before the Holocaust you can explore the many interconnected episodes of modern Cambodian history that led to the Khmer Rouge regime. For first-time readers we recommend you examine each subchapter in the order presented; for those of you with specific interests in certain aspects of Cambodian history you can jump between each section by choosing hyperlinks for the subchapters listed below.

Please begin by selecting from the following subchapters:

Cambodia Colonized - The Fall of Angkor to the Arrival of the French

The Seeds of Independence - World War II Causes Instability in Indochina

Sihanouk and the Geneva Accords - Independence and an Iron Hand

The Cold War and Cambodia - America and Communist Containment

Nixon's War: The American Bombing Campaign - The Vietnam War Reaches Cambodia

The Coup - Lon Nol Takes Over

The War Rages - Cambodia Begins to Collapse

The End of Cambodia;
The Beginning of a Nightmare - The Khmer Rouge Capture Phnom Penh