Between 1975 and 1979 the country of Cambodia was brought to its knees by the man the world came to know as Pol Pot. A deceptive intelligent leader that would let nothing stand in his way to becoming one of the world’s most ruthless dictators in history. In his four years of power he brought a dark cloud over the country that to this day hangs over the countryside as a bitter reminder of what happened during his horrible regime.
Pol Pot real name was Saloth Sar was born May 19, 1925. He was the son of a wealthy land owner and had a comfortable childhood with 8 brothers and sisters. At age nine to further his education his parents sent him to Phnom Penh (capital of Cambodia). Here his cousin was a dancer for the royal ballet. Here he saw palace life up close. He could see that the royal family was a shadow of its former glory and a puppet of the French colonial rulers. During the 1930’s Cambodia was a colony and the monarchy had no real power. Throughout his education he learned that Cambodia’s once glorious civilization had been destroyed by foreign invaders. After this he vowed to restore his country to its former glory.
He enrolled in one of the country’s top high schools. Here he and fellow students discussed how they opposed French rule and the monarchy. 1949 Saloth Sar was one was part of a group of students chosen to study in Paris France. At this time International Communism was at its peak. Saloth Sar and other students discussed the best political ideology that would free Cambodia of the French. They finally agreed that the answer was communism. Sar joined the colonial member of the communist party. Throughout this time back home the Cambodia’s neighbor Vietnam (also a French colony) began a war of independence. Sometime in 1953 Sar returned from France and joined the Vietnamese rebels just as they were on the verge of victory. Peace talks were initiated and France gave independence to its colony’s in South East Asia. The monarchy remained in place...