What Happened After the Khmer Rouge?

The Khmer Rouge was a Communist party that occupied and controlled all of Cambodia from April of 1975 to January of 1979. The Khmer Rouge planned to rule Cambodia as a classless society under a single militant force. Cambodians were eventually stripped of all rights, and were subjected to the cruelest and most depraved treatment under the party. The brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge also went widely unrecognized by other countries for several years, allowing the party to unjustly imprison and murder countless Cambodians.

The Khmer Rouge held on to various facets of their power for a long time, so understanding what happened after the Khmer Rouge involves looking at differing stages in the history of the regime:

• In a place suddenly isolated from the rest of the world, the Khmer Rouge seized power and oppressed the population until, in December of 1978, Cambodia entered in a war with Vietnam over border control. 
• Vietnam soon took control of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, forcing the Khmer Rouge forces to move west into Thailand.
• Despite the swift defeat of the Khmer Rouge at the hands of the Vietnam armed forces, the party maintained a place in foreign politics and was still recognized as the governing body of Cambodia. 
• Pol Pot, the well-known leader of the Khmer Rouge, was in charge during the worst of the party’s rule, and remained an influential figure even after he passed his title on to his successor, Khieu Samphan.
• Though the group no longer occupied or had control over Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge was still making claims over the country while Vietnam forces occupied the territory. 
• Vietnam began to help protesters of the Khmer Rouge build another governmental body known as the People’s Republic of Kampuchea.  Vietnam then planned to leave the country only if the Khmer Rouge would not regain power upon exit, and forces were removed by 1989. 
• Once Vietnam no longer occupied the country, the Khmer Rouge returned and forcefully opposed the fragile government that was left in charge.

Aftermath of the Khmer Rouge

Now you have a good idea of what was going on as the Khmer Rouge was being forced out of power. There are also some important things to know about the aftermath of the reign of the Khmer Rouge.

Here is a time line of events:

• Tired of the constant fighting between Cambodian forces, thousands of soldiers deserted the inter-Cambodian war efforts leading to leadership conflict within the Khmer Rouge and the new opposing political force. 
• As the internal warring rose in the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot was imprisoned by his own party and many other leaders surrendered their positions in the group.
• It was not until late December of 1998, after the death of Pol Pot, that the standing leaders of the dissolving Khmer Rouge apologized for the atrocities committed during Pol Pot’s reign. 
• Even today, the devastating effects of the rule of the Khmer Rouge remain. Though the party no longer officially exists, the destruction it caused will forever be a part of Cambodia’s history.

So, now you have a better understanding of what the Khmer Rouge did, of what happened after the Khmer Rouge and what impact it had on the country.