The Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975) was a conflict between the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge) and the government of Cambodia, led by General Lon Nol after a coup in 1970 that ousted Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The war was heavily influenced by the Vietnam War, with North Vietnamese forces supporting the Khmer Rouge and the United States and South Vietnam supporting Lon Nol’s government. The war led to widespread destruction and significant loss of life. The Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, eventually captured Phnom Penh in April 1975, establishing Democratic Kampuchea. This victory marked the start of a brutal regime responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 to 2 million Cambodians through forced labor, starvation, and execution in what became known as the Cambodian Genocide. The civil war and subsequent Khmer Rouge rule left lasting impacts on Cambodian society and its development.
