Among the most notorious of totalitarian leaders, Pol Pot is known for his communist reign over Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. His regime, supported by several countries, resulted in a complete change within the country’s society. Under his rule, millions of people died in what Pol Pot considered to be a sacrifice for a new society (TIME, 1999). Pol Pot was born Kompong Thong, Cambodia, in May of 1925. Due to heavy French influence in the country at this time, French was incorporated into Pol Pot’s education. In 1949, Pol Pot began college in Paris under a scholarship.
It was here that he discovered his interest in politics and communism, and it was here that sparked his regime as a communist leader (BBC News, n. d. ). After four years of studying, he joined the communist party in 1953 (Chandler, 1999). He believed that the party did not really begin until he joined; this type of arrogance led him to believe that he should lead the communist party (Carvin, 1999). Eventually he implemented his own regime over Cambodia in 1975 (BBC News, n. d. ). Initially, he felt that it would not be successful because of his lack of experience in communist ruling, but he did not let that deter him (Chandler, 1999).
He lead the Khmer Rouge, an underground movement, for four years, using ruthless and merciless tactics over his country (BBC News, n. d. ). In April of 1975, the Khmer Rouge overthrew the capitol of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, under Pol Pot’s rule (BBC News, n. d. ). This ended a five year long civil war that had been occurring in the country. Under the control of the Khmer Rouge, over 2 million citizens were pushed out of Phnom Penh. Many of these people were educated citizens forced into demeaning, manual labor. This was a part of Pol Pot’s attempt to recreate this society, to sculpt it in his vision.
Everything was monitored; almost all aspects of any individual’s life were controlled in his totalitarian reign. If any person spoke or acted against his rule, they were punished. Their punishment often included torture or murder. At this point the country was no longer Cambodia; it operated under an entirely different system. It was not even called Cambodia anymore; Pol Pot had renamed it “Democratic Kampuchea” (History. com, 2009). He succeeded in breaking apart the society for his own uses, if only temporarily. Pol Pot was not alone in his endeavors.
Despite a strong opposition primarily from Vietnam, he had gained support from several major countries. After the bombing in Cambodia that began in 1969, the United States provided economic and military support for the Khmer Rouge. With the economic support, the Khmer Rouge was able to afford to continue their reign over Cambodia. The United States also aided in the destruction of the Cambodia that existed before Pol Pot by bombing and killing up to 150,000 Cambodian citizens in support of this regime (The Original Cambodian, 1993).
This accounts for ten percent of the total death toll that resulted in this ruling. Along with the U. S. , China also expressed support for the Khmer Rouge. They allied with them against the Vietnamese and the USSR, aiding them in military tactics and strategy. When Pol Pot wanted to go to war with Vietnam, China warned that the Vietnamese were more militarily advanced than Cambodia was. This prevented a potential disaster and downfall on the Khmer Rouge’s part (Carvin, 1999). The Chinese also aided economically. They provided Cambodia with weapons in exchange for rice. This trade allowed Khmer Rouge to strengthen their military, gaining protection against their opposition. It also enhanced the relationship between China and Cambodia.
In addition to the support from other countries, the Khmer Rouge received local support from peasants, who were used as pawns in Pol Pot’s regime. However, due to cruel and unfair treatment, the support dwindled and there were feelings of opposition coming from within Cambodia (The Original Cambodian, 1993). Pol Pot’s regime annihilated what was once Cambodia. As a result of his rule, many ties to neighboring countries were destroyed in an attempt to create independence. He felt that Cambodia would be better off on its own and that other countries had nothing to offer in terms of education or imports.