- 1. The Khmer Rouge was a radical communist movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot and characterized by its extreme ideology which sought to transform Cambodian society into an agrarian socialist utopia. Upon seizing power, the regime sought to eliminate perceived enemies and restore the country to a purportedly idealized version of its past, leading to the forced evacuation of cities, the abolishment of currency, and the systematic execution of intellectuals, professionals, and anyone resembling the so-called bourgeois class. This reign of terror resulted in the horrific genocide where an estimated 1.7 million people, about a quarter of Cambodia's population, perished due to starvation, forced labor, and mass killings in the infamous killing fields. The Khmer Rouge's aggressive policies upended traditional societal structures, causing wide-scale suffering and trauma that would have lasting impacts on Cambodian society and culture. The regime was eventually overthrown in 1979 by the Vietnamese army, which led to a long and complicated conflict, but the legacy of the Khmer Rouge's brutality remains a significant aspect of Cambodian history and identity, continuously influencing national discourse on human rights, justice, and reconciliation.
What year did the Khmer Rouge come to power in Cambodia?
A) 1975 B) 1965 C) 1980 D) 1970
- 2. Who was the leader of the Khmer Rouge?
A) Sihanouk B) Pol Pot C) Lon Nol D) Ho Chi Minh
- 3. What was the capital of Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime?
A) Phnom Penh B) Siem Reap C) Sihanoukville D) Battambang
- 4. What year did the Khmer Rouge fall from power?
A) 1975 B) 1980 C) 1979 D) 1985
- 5. Which country invaded Cambodia and ousted the Khmer Rouge?
A) China B) Thailand C) Laos D) Vietnam
- 6. What term is used to describe the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge?
A) The Khmer Rouge Purge B) The Cambodian Revolution C) The Cambodian Genocide D) The Great Leap Forward
- 7. What was the Khmer Rouge's stance on urbanization?
A) They forcibly relocated city dwellers to the countryside. B) They encouraged urban development. C) They built new cities. D) They promoted industrialization.
- 8. Which leader succeeded Pol Pot?
A) Hun Sen B) Prince Norodom Ranariddh C) Ieng Sary D) Khieu Samphan
- 9. What was the main agricultural product promoted by the Khmer Rouge?
A) Rice B) Wheat C) Corn D) Cotton
- 10. Which ideology heavily influenced the Khmer Rouge?
A) Maoism B) Libertarianism C) Fascism D) Capitalism
- 11. Who led the charge against the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s?
A) Vietnamese forces B) United Nations C) American forces D) Thai military
- 12. What term describes the mass graves created by the Khmer Rouge?
A) Re-education Camps B) Concentration Camps C) Death Camps D) Killing Fields
- 13. What international tribunal was set up to try former Khmer Rouge leaders?
A) Nuremberg Trials B) Truth and Reconciliation Commission C) International Criminal Court D) Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
- 14. In what year was Pol Pot arrested?
A) 1997 B) 1989 C) 1991 D) 2000
- 15. What was the name of the capital under the Khmer Rouge?
A) Siam B) Cambodia C) Indochina D) Democratic Kampuchea
- 16. What was the fate of many Khmer Rouge leaders post-regime?
A) Tried for crimes against humanity B) Sent to the US C) Given asylum D) Elected to parliament
- 17. What was the notorious prison run by the Khmer Rouge?
A) Choeung Ek B) Royal Palace C) Cambodia National Museum D) S-21 (Tuol Sleng)
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