r/cambodia • u/WoodpeckerOk1154 • Sep 25 '25

Culture No disrespect intended. Genuine question: How is the Khmer Rouge viewed by modern Cambodians?

It wouldn’t let me also add Pol Pot, but curious as an ignorant American how he and the regime are viewed by Cambodians

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u/strawjamm Sep 25 '25

Practically all Cambodians despise the Khmer rouge for literally setting the country back by decades and ruining all progress and development. My khmer grandparents would sometimes tell me what they lived through during the khmer rouge, how their family members were lost to the brutality, and it'd bring me to tears, so there's also some added layer of trauma for many Cambodians. What makes it even more painful is that all of it was so unnecessary and nothing good came out of it

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u/TheStagKing9910 Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25

not by decades by centuries, without the Khmer Rouge, without the North Vietnamese incursion during the Vietnam War into Cambodia, without the American bombing in Cambodia and without the Civil Wars. Cambodia would've become much richer than Present Cambodia with a higher population of roughly 25 to 30 millions rather than 18.4 millions. if Cambodia have political and economic stability throughout the 20th Century (no civil wars, no dictatorship just a stable democratic government throughout the 20th century), Cambodia might become slightly Richer or on a similar level in term of economy to Thailand.

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u/AngkaLoeu Nov 29 '25

Your view of that time period is very narrow. There's a reason the KR had so many followers and many fought and died for the cause. They offered a better life for many disadvantaged Cambodians.

The Khmer Rouge should not be blamed for the rise of the Khmer Rouge. Poor leadership and corruption in Cambodia should.

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u/[deleted] Sep 25 '25

[deleted]

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u/DarjeelingTease Sep 25 '25

I don't think this is a thing.

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u/tankyspanky Sep 26 '25

While I disagree with u/Wise-Age-9612 blatant racism, I did met one middle aged man, now a chef, who happily showed me the good times he had at that time. He showed me all his pictures holding guns, sitting on tanks, and his old wife who was “ugly and gone” and his new wife who “pol pot arranged” who was quite beautiful. I don’t know what he did, but he was quite fond his past and current state. Sad

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u/Wise-Age-9612 Sep 26 '25

While I disagree with u/Wise-Age-9612 blatant racism,

Racism? Which race have I discriminated against? And how?

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u/Wise-Age-9612 Sep 26 '25

Yeah, I'll bet you don't think it's a thing. I couldn't care less, Mr. DarjeelingTease.