The History of Cambodia and its Development
Developing Country- Cambodia
In between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam sits the country of Cambodia. Their early history is unrecorded but most Cambodians consider themselves descendants of the Angkor Empire that stretched most of Southeast Asia. Under constrain threats to invade by Thailand and Vietnam, the king of France placed Cambodia under France’s protection in 1963. This only lasted until 1953 when they gained full independence from France after the occupation of the Japanese during World War II. The most dramatic event that has happened in Cambodia’s history was the Khmer Rouge genocide. It started when Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and forced everyone out of the cities and towns at gun point. Even the hospital patients were evacuated; one could see patients being pushed down the road still in their hospital beds. There were a total of 2.5 million in the city all told to evacuate to the countryside by Khmer Rouge forces; a majority of these soldiers were boys and young teenagers. This period of four years, cost close to 2 million lives through the combined result of political executions, starvation, and forced labor. In December of 1978 the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside. This started a 10 year Vietnamese occupation and 13 years of civil war. Then in 1991 the Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire. In 1993 4 million eligible Cambodians participated in the elections. Those running parties then established a multiparty liberal democracy in the framework of a constitutional monarchy, with the former Prince Sihanouk was made the King, while, Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen became first and second Prime Ministers in the Royal Cambodian Government. The constitution provides for a wide range of internationally recognized human rights.
The last of the Khmer Rouge finally surrendered in 1999. Then later in that same year, Cambodia became a member of ASEAN, and after centuries of
In between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam sits the country of Cambodia. Their early history is unrecorded but most Cambodians consider themselves descendants of the Angkor Empire that stretched most of Southeast Asia. Under constrain threats to invade by Thailand and Vietnam, the king of France placed Cambodia under France’s protection in 1963. This only lasted until 1953 when they gained full independence from France after the occupation of the Japanese during World War II. The most dramatic event that has happened in Cambodia’s history was the Khmer Rouge genocide. It started when Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and forced everyone out of the cities and towns at gun point. Even the hospital patients were evacuated; one could see patients being pushed down the road still in their hospital beds. There were a total of 2.5 million in the city all told to evacuate to the countryside by Khmer Rouge forces; a majority of these soldiers were boys and young teenagers. This period of four years, cost close to 2 million lives through the combined result of political executions, starvation, and forced labor. In December of 1978 the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside. This started a 10 year Vietnamese occupation and 13 years of civil war. Then in 1991 the Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire. In 1993 4 million eligible Cambodians participated in the elections. Those running parties then established a multiparty liberal democracy in the framework of a constitutional monarchy, with the former Prince Sihanouk was made the King, while, Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen became first and second Prime Ministers in the Royal Cambodian Government. The constitution provides for a wide range of internationally recognized human rights.
The last of the Khmer Rouge finally surrendered in 1999. Then later in that same year, Cambodia became a member of ASEAN, and after centuries of
Cited: "Central Intelligence Agency." CIA. The Central Intelligence Agency, 2013. Web. 05 May 2013.A "Council for the Development of Cambodia (cdc)." Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) "Encyclopedia of the Nations." Political Background. N.p., 2013. Web. 06 May 2013. "Projects & Operations." The Urban Water Supply Project. The World Bank, 01 Mar. 2006. Web. 06 May 2013. "Rehabilitating the Urban Water Sector in Cambodia. Water Feature Stories ; Issue No. 6." Documents and Reports. The World Bank, 01 Mar. 2006. Web. 06 May 2013. Tully, John A. A Short History of Cambodia: From Empire to Survival. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2005. Print. Weltig, Matthew Scott. Pol Pot 's Cambodia. Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-First Century, 2009. Print