Former Khmer Rouge Fighters Speak Bravery to Hide their Fear
Letter to editor
The Cambodia Daily
March 26, 2003
Former Khmer Rouge Fighters Speak Bravery to Hide their Fear
Vannak Huy,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
If the US army really fought against the Khmer Rouge soldiers during the 1970s as the claim of the Khmer Rouge that they were fighting against the Americans and the US took measures as they are doing in Iraq, they would be dead since then.
Many children between the ages of 15 and 18 joined the Khmer Rouge between 1970 and 1973, believing that they could help return Prince Norodom Sihanouk to power and end Cambodia's civil war. However, by 1974 and 1975, after the number of volunteers began to wane, village and commune chiefs forced children to become cadres.
The young Khmer Rouge soldiers had never believed that the war in Cambodia caused by Cambodian and killed their own people. Up to now, some former Khmer Rouge believed they fought against the US army in 1970s.
During their rule, most Khmer Rouge leaders were always boasting, too. Soon after the victory, the Khmer Rouge leaders ordered their young soldiers to arrest and kill many former Lon Nol officers by accusing them as CIA. Moreover former officers of Sangkum Rastr Niyum regime of King Norodom Sihanouk were arrested and killed one by one by the Khmer Rouge.
When the fighting along the border intensified, many youths and cadres of the Khmer Rouge were arrested and killed under the accusation of CIA, KGB or Vietnamese spy. However the victims were only Cambodians.
During the war against the Khmer Republican in early 1970s and against Vietnam in early 1979, the Khmer Rouge soldiers did not use heavy kit bags which the American and British troops are carrying in the recent war in Iraq. In late 1978 when the Vietnamese troops controlled some provinces, Pol Pot still asserted that a Khmer Rouge soldier was capable of fighting against 30 Vietnamese soldiers. Underestimating the war and overconfidence in victory of killing their people was just a self-destruction.
I am sure that all the former Khmer Rouge soldiers who are now watching the Iraqi war are frightening and scared to death, but they dare not say!
-End-
The Cambodia Daily
March 26, 2003
Former Khmer Rouge Fighters Speak Bravery to Hide their Fear
Vannak Huy,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
If the US army really fought against the Khmer Rouge soldiers during the 1970s as the claim of the Khmer Rouge that they were fighting against the Americans and the US took measures as they are doing in Iraq, they would be dead since then.
Many children between the ages of 15 and 18 joined the Khmer Rouge between 1970 and 1973, believing that they could help return Prince Norodom Sihanouk to power and end Cambodia's civil war. However, by 1974 and 1975, after the number of volunteers began to wane, village and commune chiefs forced children to become cadres.
The young Khmer Rouge soldiers had never believed that the war in Cambodia caused by Cambodian and killed their own people. Up to now, some former Khmer Rouge believed they fought against the US army in 1970s.
During their rule, most Khmer Rouge leaders were always boasting, too. Soon after the victory, the Khmer Rouge leaders ordered their young soldiers to arrest and kill many former Lon Nol officers by accusing them as CIA. Moreover former officers of Sangkum Rastr Niyum regime of King Norodom Sihanouk were arrested and killed one by one by the Khmer Rouge.
When the fighting along the border intensified, many youths and cadres of the Khmer Rouge were arrested and killed under the accusation of CIA, KGB or Vietnamese spy. However the victims were only Cambodians.
During the war against the Khmer Republican in early 1970s and against Vietnam in early 1979, the Khmer Rouge soldiers did not use heavy kit bags which the American and British troops are carrying in the recent war in Iraq. In late 1978 when the Vietnamese troops controlled some provinces, Pol Pot still asserted that a Khmer Rouge soldier was capable of fighting against 30 Vietnamese soldiers. Underestimating the war and overconfidence in victory of killing their people was just a self-destruction.
I am sure that all the former Khmer Rouge soldiers who are now watching the Iraqi war are frightening and scared to death, but they dare not say!
-End-
posted by Vannvinida @ 8:47 AM
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