2020 IB Extended Essays

11

short lived. However, the funding that was provided was largely beneficial to the Khmer

Rouge and it’s rise to power. This foreign influence was fairly minor in the rise to power of

the Khmer Rouge as they never directly interfered in the rise, however the ideological

influence was major. The funding played a role, as money is always beneficial for a political

party. This foreign influence provided the Khmer Rouge with money to continue growing

their political party.

American Bombings The bombings of Cambodia by American forces allowed for the growth of the Khmer Rouge

forces. In the lead up to the rule of the Khmer Rouge the Americans were at war with the

communists of Vietnam and believed it their role to eliminate any potential communist

uprisings. Therefore, when the Khmer rouge emerged, they believed that it should be

eliminated as soon as possible alongside the Vietnamese communists 25 . Lon Nol had just

implemented himself as president and misguidedly thought that military aid from the USA

would help in the expulsion of Vietnamese communists and defeat the Khmer Rouge. He

supported the Americans and allowed them to run their operations on Cambodian soil 26 .

The Americans however were growing frustrated with the ever-expanding Viet Minh in

Cambodia. Their solution was to bomb Cambodia in hopes of destroying the North

Vietnamese bases hidden in the Cambodian jungles 27 . However, they held off on bombing

Cambodia for a few weeks, and pursued a plan to bribe Cambodian officials to end relations

with the North Vietnamese. The American government soon realised the futility in their

25 The Secret Bombing of Cambodia 2020. Google Sites, viewed 11 April 2020, < https://sites.google.com/site/thesecretbombingofcambodia/rise-of-the-khmer-rouge-and-pol-pot > 26 Gowan, P 2020, A plan to win socialism in America, Jacobin Magazine, viewed 10 April 2020, < https://jacobinmag.com/2019/02/a-plan-to-win-socialism-in-america > 27 Haldeman, H 1978, '‘The Ends of Power,’ an Insider's View', The New York Times, February 17, p. 17.