Editing Pol Pot (section)

== Biography ==

=== Early Life ===
Pol Pot was born Saloth Sâr on May 19<sup>th</sup>, 1925 in the small fishing village of Prek Sbauv with a population of only a few people. At a young age, he was sent to train as a Buddhist monk in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh which had a somewhat multicultural background that consisted of various other Asian groups, which he resented. His reign is often characterized for its harsh persecution of various Asian groups, most notably and infamously, towards the Vietnamese.

From 1949 to 1953, he studied electronics at EFREI in Paris and after being ultimately unsuccessful in his pursuit to obtain such a degree, would return to Cambodia later that year. It was in Paris that he met many of his closest advisors, including [[Ieng Sary]] and [[Khieu Samphan]].

=== Leadership ===
He became associated with the Communist Party of Kampuchea upon his return and later obtained the title of general secretary, where he became a close ally of exiled head of state Norodom Sihanouk during the Cambodian Civil War<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-fantasy-of-king-sihanouk The Fantasy of King Sihanouk], ''The New Yorker''</ref>. In 1968, he established the Khmer Rouge, which promoted his view of extreme communism as well as Cambodian nationalism. The Khmer Rouge soon became the top threat to [[Lon Nol]], who had seized power in a ''coup d'état'' in March 1970.

Pol Pot supported North Vietnam during the last few years of the [[Vietnam War]], entering the conflict in 1972.

The Khmer Rogue invaded Phnom Penh on April 17<sup>th</sup>, 1975 and evacuated city residents to the countryside; this was done to make the urban dwellers work on collective farms and participate in forced labor project.<ref name = Genocide></ref> Pol Pot called this his idea of a "purified utopia" were Cambodian society would be transformed into an extreme form of peasant communism.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0201/p15s01-bogn.html The 20th century's most disastrous drive for rural utopia], ''The Christian Science Monitor''</ref> Following the Khmer Rogue's assent in Phnom Penh he became the ''de facto'' leader of the country by default. His reason for evacuating the population to the countryside was to take advantage of Cambodia's thriving agricultural background. His regime was heavily supported by [[Mao Zedong]] and the [[Communist Party of China]]<ref>[https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/the-chinese-communist-partys-relationship-the-khmer-rouge-the-1970s-ideological-victory The Chinese Communist Party’s Relationship with the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s: An Ideological Victory and a Strategic Failure], The Wilson Center</ref> ,as well as the [[Việt Cộng]] and the [[Pathet Lao]]. The king [https://real-life-heroes.fandom.com/wiki/Norodom_Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk] resigned from his post after witnessing forced labor by the population.

His reign targeted many specific groups of people, mainly the disabled, the elderly and pregnant women as he thought they could contribute nothing of any significance to his regime. Initially, these specific groups of people were forced to work extremely hard labor in [[Concentration Camp|concentration camps]], and those who became exhausted or fell ill due to this were immediately executed due to the attributed policies he had instigated during his regime. People who wore glasses were executed during his regime, although the reason for this in unverifiable, this is likely as he thought their limited eye site would not contribute his regime to the fullest potential.

He also had a resentment to those of an educated background, and also towards intellectual people. He decided to exterminate all traits of intellectuality and choosing illiterate people for his regime.<ref name = Genocide>[http://www.dukeeastasianexus.com/legacy-of-the-cambodian-genocide.html Legacy of the Cambodian Genocide: A Walk Through the Killing Fields], Duke East Asia Nexus</ref>

He was militantly against immigration and other ethnic groups that resided in Cambodia during his dictatorship were perhaps the most infamous target for persecution. In particular, his hatred towards the Vietnamese which journalist Nate Thayer, who was a significant factor in the trial of Pol Pot, referred to as "psychotic".<ref name = Racism>[https://gsp.yale.edu/node/283 Racial Discrimination in the Cambodian Genocide], Yale University Genocide Studies Program</ref>

Anyone who was originally from Vietnam, could speak Vietnamese, was married to a Vietnamese person, were of Vietnamese descent or even so much as looked Vietnamese were immediately executed.</ref name = Racism></ref>
[[File:Phnom Penh-Tuol Sleng Genozid-Museum-20-Landkarte-2007-gje.jpg|thumb|The cathastrophe]]
Pol Pot holds the distinction for being the only person in history to order official genocide against his own country. Many deaths could be attributed to the poor working conditions and significant malnutrition, many were found eating dead human flesh and drinking their own urine in order to avoid starvation.<ref>[https://cambodialpj.org/article/justice-and-starvation-in-cambodia-the-khmer-rouge-famine/ Justice and Starvation in Cambodia: The Khmer Rouge Famine], ''The Cambodia Law and Policy Journal''</ref>

It is estimated his regime totalled in the deaths of 25% of Cambodian's entire population which was largely due to the genocide and it could also be argued that a great number of deaths were caused as a result of the poor working conditions.<ref name = Genocide2></ref> Victims of both the Cambodian genocide and starvation were buried in what came to be known as the killing fields, in recent years further, previously unearthed killing fields have been discovered. Pol Pot's leadership and Khmer Rogue regime additionally resulted in sending Cambodia back 200 years.

=== Downfall ===
When in power, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge forces invaded Vietnam, which resulted in Vietnam coming into Cambodian territory. They succeeded in removing Pol Pot from power in January 1979, however he remained the leader of the Khmer Rouge until 1985, when he ceded power to Khieu Samphan. Despite this, he continued to have major influence within the Khmer Rouge for a number of years. 
[[File:Photograph depicted Khmer Rouge victims at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.webp|thumb|Several victims of his regime who passed through the infamous Tuol Sleng prison to be tortured and killed under [[Kang Kek Iew]] ]]
In 1996, Ieng Sary and Nuon Chea lead a wave of defections from the Khmer Rouge to the Cambodian government, now under the rule of the [[Cambodian People's Party]] and Prime Minister [[Hun Sen]] (himself a former Khmer Rouge cadre.) Fearing that they would turn him over, Pol Pot fled into the forests along Cambodia's border with Thailand.

=== Final years ===
Though he had formally left the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot still maintained a number of loyal followers. By June 1997, he had grown suspicious of [[Son Sen]] and ordered his death. Khmer Rouge cadres subsequently killed Sen and 13 of his family members and aides; Pol Pot later stated that he had not sanctioned all of these killings.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/14/world/brutal-end-for-an-architect-of-cambodian-brutality.html Brutal End for an Architect of Cambodian Brutality], ''The New York Times''</ref> [[Ta Mok]] was concerned that Pol Pot could turn on him too. Mok rallied troops loyal to him at Anlong Veng, informing them that Pol Pot had betrayed their movement and then headed to Kbal Ansoang. Fearing Mok's troops, on 12 June Pol Pot, his family, and several bodyguards fled on foot. Pol Pot was very frail and had to be carried. After Mok's troops apprehended them, Pol Pot was placed under house arrest.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Thayer Nate Thayer] became the second journalist from the West to interview the tyrannical dictator in October 1997, while he was under house arrest. During the interview he showed aggression whenever challenged by Thayer and would often attempt to justify his inept actions during his brutal four year reign (though he did admit mistakes were made and that he wished he could have done more to limit the killings).<ref>[https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/cambodia-khmerrouge-thayer-01062023142454.html INTERVIEW: Pol Pot was 'strikingly charming ... until we began to talk'], ''Radio Free Asia''</ref>

Ta Mok agreed to turn Pol Pot over to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia in 1998 to stand trial for crimes he committed during his rule of Cambodia. He died from heart failure on April 15<sup>th</sup>, 1998 at the age of 72.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/17/world/death-pol-pot-pol-pot-brutal-dictator-who-forced-cambodians-killing-fields-dies.html DEATH OF POL POT; Pol Pot, Brutal Dictator Who Forced Cambodians to Killing Fields, Dies at 73], ''The New York Times''</ref> Many, including Nate Thayer, believed his death was a drug related suicide as he was fearful of being convicted of his heinous crimes<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/jan/21/cambodia Pol Pot ‘killed himself with drugs’], ''The Guardian''</ref>, another version of the facts is that he was assassinated by order of Ta Mok before being delivered to justice, in fact Ta Mok refused to have an autopsy performed.