Red blood splatters the cities and plains of the Cambodian fatherland.
—National anthem of Kampuchea
Since the 1975 Communist takeover transformed Cambodia into Democratic Kampuchea, the prophecy of the new national anthem has been amply borne out. A series of political purges and a disastrous mass resettlement policy, combined with a nine-month-old border war with Viet Nam, have splattered, indeed drenched the country with blood.
Last week the regime of Premier Pol Pot was staggering under the weight of its own excesses. The government's ability to withstand Hanoi's military offensive was in jeopardy. Increasing numbers of...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
