On the Khmer Rouge and Communism
- Felgerkarb
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Re: On the Khmer Rouge and Communism
True, but that didn't bother their communist handlers and providers of war material and ideological training one bit, did it?
At least until the Yuon hating took over anyway, then the whole thing blew up in their faces...much like the Islamists are discovering here now. At the end of the day, they are Cambodians first, all else is secondary.
At least until the Yuon hating took over anyway, then the whole thing blew up in their faces...much like the Islamists are discovering here now. At the end of the day, they are Cambodians first, all else is secondary.
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Why are the gods such vicious cunts?
Where is the god of tits and wine?
Why are the gods such vicious cunts?
Where is the god of tits and wine?
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Thayer is a fascinating writer. I'm reading Gen. Tea Banh's early biography and it strikes me how politically-light his motivation was. He began his revolutionary activities due to local abuses at village chief level, which then evolved into larger scale abuses by Lon Nol's people. The Khmer Rouge were a distant entity from the perspective of Koh Kong at that time, where Vietnamese were prominent in aiding the cause. Then, before Lon Nol had been toppled, in 73-74 the KR began purging the country of revolutionaries not close enough to the inner circle, and Tea Banh found himself at war with the KR. The KR come across as simply cynical power-players. A decade ago I was living in Nepal where the Maoists were still underground guerrillas - I distinctly recall their propaganda being laden thick with political slogans and their leadership being highly politicized genuine communist analysts. It was a very strong contrast with the KR.
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It's in the library of my military college. I would expect it to be available in Bohr's soon. If it is generally unavailable, I dare say I could get a copy or two made.1894 wrote:Andy,where did you purchase the Tea Banh book? Thanks
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For those of you who are into buying full price books, I'm pretty sure I saw the bio at Monument books a couple of weeks ago
- Lucky Lucan
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They often sell books like that at Peace Book Center/IBC. They have another one that's an autobiography of former FUNCINPEC Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chay where he describes running all the way across the country in 1997 to escape getting killed and end up at O'Smach.
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I've just finished reading the Thayer article. Absolutely fascinating stuff. I'd like more insight into the natures of the six factions that converged on Phnom Penh. Any sources?
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- Lucky Lucan
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There's a lot about those factions in The Rise and Demise of Democratic Kampuchea by Craig Etcheson. It's a fantastic book published in 1995, it also has some great detail about the battles of the civil war.
One of the better known factions were the Khmer Rumdo who were Sihanoukists, they were sent into the frontline in the battles for the capital so were decimated early on.
Here's a bit more about some little-known groups from the now-gone Padevat site:
There were also the rather foolish MONATIO shown above who are sometimes mistakenly called Khmer Rouge.
One of the better known factions were the Khmer Rumdo who were Sihanoukists, they were sent into the frontline in the battles for the capital so were decimated early on.
Here's a bit more about some little-known groups from the now-gone Padevat site:
Some examples of the groups before 1979, below:
The other groups operated in Kompong Speu; Stung Treng; Svay Rieng; just outside Phnom Penh; western Siemreap (the Khmer Liberation Movement); the Khmer Islam in Kampot; and the Cobra, in Battambang. The latter dressed in black and were indistinguishable from the Khmer Rouge except for snakelike insignia. They appear to have been heavily armed and helped refugees escape to Thailand. The last two groups were Khleang Moeung and Sereikka Odder Tus (Northern Group). Both operated on the Thai-Cambodian border with a couple of hundred men each. The former was established by Touch Chay, an aeronautical technician; whilst the latter was set up by Svi Toeun, a former deputy battalion commander. Although General Sek Samiet, the Khmer Republic’s notoriously corrupt Governor of Battambang, was involved in some disturbances along the border from late 1975, the main focus for resistance along the Thai-Cambodian border appears to have been In Tam.
Four other minor groups also joined the ANS (Armée Nationale Sihanoukiste) : Praloeng Khmer (Khmer Soul); Entry Khmao (Black Eagle); Damrei Sar Phluk Khiev (White Elephant with Blue Tusks) and Khmer Angkor.
There were also the rather foolish MONATIO shown above who are sometimes mistakenly called Khmer Rouge.
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Interesting. The Koh Kong revolutionaries of which Tea Banh was part, belonged to none of the above. I wonder how many distinct factions there were in all. I wonder how differently things might have turned out if Sihanouk had encouraged the rank and file to join one or some of the non-Khmer Rouge or more moderate KR factions to overthrow Lon Nol.
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- Petrol Head
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Brilliant article JM.
The factionalism and very loose coordination which crystalised over time due to a larger, common enemy seems very analagous to the situation in Syria.
The factionalism and very loose coordination which crystalised over time due to a larger, common enemy seems very analagous to the situation in Syria.
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Great article. A concern regarding one point: the factional nature of the various 'Khmer Rouge" armies was not so much a development of a lack of communication and coordination between the various groups, but a continuation (or perhaps a reflection) of the way Cambodia has always been run, and is structured to this day. There is no single Cambodia per se, not in 802AD, not in 1977, not in 2012. This country, when it has been a country, is and always has been a loose confederation of feudal fiefdoms held together by a powerful war lord.
- Lucky Lucan
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There's quite a bit about Tea Banh's group in Ben Kiernan's The Pol Pot Regime.andyinasia wrote:Interesting. The Koh Kong revolutionaries of which Tea Banh was part, belonged to none of the above.
I don't think it would have made any difference, they would have eventually been purged by the Pol Pot's KCP. None of the other groups had the cunning, secrecy, paranoia and ambition of Pol Pot's group.I wonder how differently things might have turned out if Sihanouk had encouraged the rank and file to join one or some of the non-Khmer Rouge or more moderate KR factions to overthrow Lon Nol.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
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Not sure that's always a guaranteed recipe for success. Thayer's latest certainly highlights just how fucked up that was.Lucky Lucan wrote:I don't think it would have made any difference, they would have eventually been purged by the Pol Pot's KCP. None of the other groups had the cunning, secrecy, paranoia and ambition of Pol Pot's group.
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