KI-Media Note: The following is a compilation of documentaries (mainly from French news agencies) during the period between 1970 and 1975, i.e. under the Khmer Republic regime. The length of the compilation is approximately 120 minutes and it is mostly in French. The compilation is attributed to former Khmer Republic army officers and officials. Nevertheless, these reports can be qualified as independent and they are usually not always favorable toward the Lon Nol regime. Obviously the reports are shown only on the Khmer Republican side as the KR do not allow any access to reporters. Watching the interviews in these reports, with 20/20 hindsight, it is incredible to see the naiveté and the foolishness of some individuals from that period ... as well as, the persistent violence, the human suffering and the leadership blindness.
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87 comments:
it is terrible the US did not stand with their allies like the communists USSR and China... A tragedy that the US share a big responsibility.
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. "Buddha
Khmer Rouge survivors give voice to their 'silent suffering'
People interested in testifying and groups with survivors who would like to become involved can contact ASRIC via e-mail at asric.apa@nyu.edu or by calling Nou at 562-985-7439.
Sachjang phnom tbeng
Sachjang Phnom Tbeng (Hermit of Tbeng Mountain) is a very beautiful, interesting and unique story. It has 3 parts, about 7 hours long.
http://www.jendhamuni.com/multimedia/sachjang.htm
You dont ask why the cameras of these crooks are always there when there is one or few massacre of yuons but they never there while there are massacres of millions Khmer people. For these pro vietcong crooks, also took Khmers killed for yuons.
Real assassins are also these crooks
Yuons vietcong always led violence against Khmer, killed Khmers, invaded Cambodia again and again but they are victims in the eyes of these crooks
It is a very valualbe documentary I have never seen before. It reminds me all what had happened in the past that I never forget for my life. This is the suffering that Khmers were endure and still feel pain when we look back to the past.
If Sihaknuk not get involve in the politic Cambodian people couldn't be tremendous lost of their live.
One you are king you have never seen ordinary people in your eyes nor their opinion . Like ah Hun Sen and this idiot Sihaknuk touching your hands embrace you but in the back stage they go to clean their hands and change their clothes so quick just a show in the publicize no real accept no criticize so when the country fall, these two idiots admitted their mistakes? So from now on tell them of Cambodia not own by those two or three clowns we are belong to Cambodia and her people too.
After 1975, there were 3 Khmers commiunists:
1) Khmers Vietminhs (becomes actual CPP)
EAST REGION: Sor Phim, Heng Samrin, Chea Sim, Hun Sen..
NORTH-WEST REGION: Ross Gnim
..
2) Khmers Rouges
SOUT-WEST REGION: Pol Pot
WEST REGION: A Mok
Both of them killed Khmers Phnom Penh. They killed your father, your mother..
Support them, you betray your mother and father soules.
Young Cambodian who live out side of France definitely can not understand this video. Useless
KI should provide subtitle in English and in Khmer for all to understand. If the mission is get as many reader and watcher as possible. Otherwise don't worry about it. We just skip it.
I have a big headache watching these video clips. I keep hearing "te swa te pe re pa en la.." Finally I get completely tired and stop.
This video proves that Khmers Lon Nol are fucked by Americans.
Now, they are fucked by CPP because CPP members killed their parents, sisters, brothers in 1975.
This stupid king is sooo stupid. It is not his job to say anything to the world. He should leave everything to the general Lon Nol just like the Queen mother of England leave everything to Church Hill because he was the Primenister. But it is sooo unfortunate that he had to be involved and against his right hand man. In life, if you don't love your own people, no one in the world will. Outsiders are waiting for the down fall of other nations so that they can steal everything of you and making sure that you will have nothing left and then they will laught at you and say, "you are dumb". Anyway, we have learnt from this, therefore we need to move into a new direction that is to eleminate king out of the country and try to follow other successful country such as USA, Aust, singa, NZ, Japan and more. Take their policy and apply to it, that is to create a welfare system to help the poor and jobs for people so that they can have a life (help in gov't tax revenue). Avoid personal conflict at all cost and move toward import and transporting goods, rice, fish, gold, rubber etc, these are the main income to for the wealth being of our nation. Only the gov't can make a differnt to its nation and country! like build 1000s of factories making everything for export, e.g. natural spring water, build a company to collect it and bottle it up nicely and sell out to other countries that may be lack of water such as the middle east regions as this is a source of never run out of income
and there are alot more resources that we have and can generate the income from. Khmer country has soooo much resources but the leader does not know how to use it. It is very sad, K. intelligent
I'm so pity to all our khmer citizens that got kill by our own peoples. Why Khmer peoples kill our own peoples?
8:31am
First we have a bad king whom begin to fight with his own citizen, this is a very bad example!. Bad leader leads into bad situations. He even swore at his own daughter in a radio calling her "slut". Generally, what do people do? they followed him of cause!. The whole nation call their daughters "slut". And how about him when he slept with 100s of other virgin girls? How did his wife felt as a woman? jelous of cause! and what did she do? she made sure that Khmer land will belong to Viet since she is Viet and French herself. This king does not know that the enemy begins within his family, the very soul he loved most in his life. Now, what happen? Slowly, this country will be viet as khmer died out. So, now there is only one more hope, try to migrate more viets and turn them into khmer citizens or else there will be no name left as "khmer". So, to keep its boundary gov't needs to migrate more skilled people as they are the foundation to its redevelopment. K. intelligent
Thank's to Khmer republic.I was at one of video clip near by General Sosten Fernandez at southwest of P. Penh about 20 km.during his trip to see front line.
The Viets knew how to "Lam-Pa" in front of the French and the French is so stupid until today as they believed the Viets and got killed big time by the Vietnamese Communist and still they are trying to be the judge and when Vietnam killed Cambodians by the millions including swallowing Cambodia right now but yet they still play diplomacy with Vietnam what a stupid idiot!
The animal responsible for this khmer trgedy is SIHANOUK.
I love to see these video available. It painful to see the grim part of our life. Perhaps, I was in that video too the one in Lycee 18 Mars. We were told to strike against corruption but turned out that we were used to serve Khmer Rouge's plan.
Thanks for posting it.
Oh the bitter sweet memories of those years.. we were young school students and we took enthusiastically to the promises of a fair society that never came in 1970, nor in 1975. To this day, Sangkum gave us what? treasures like Ranariddh? hahaha.. Even the french commentators in those films couldn't grasp the ferocity of Pol Pot's regime.. preferring instead to lampoon our Khmer Republic soldiers.. If these frenchmen knew, they would have been the first to fight on our side.. and you could say the same thing about the Malcolm Caldwells, the Steve Heders, the Francois Ponchauds and dare i say, the Norodom Sihanouks of the time!! goes to show how pure our aspiration was, us Lycee students of the time.. Do you guys remember April-June 1972 and our uprising then? hijacked by bastards afterwards..
How many soldiers the Khmer Republic had from 1970 to 1975?
Can anybody answer this question?
NO SIHANOUK
NO KHMER ROUGE
NO HUYN XEN
NO YUON
NO CPP
_________________
CAMBODIA WOULD HAVE BEEN BRIGHTER!
To 7:53 ; About 60000 Khmer republic soldiers i guess, But only 4 division that strong Defend P. Penh provided everything from US. About half of soldiers on each division came from Kampuchea krom . 1st division by general IT SUONG , 2nd division by general DIEAN DEL ( kampuchea krom ), 3rd division by general NGOUN LYKHIENG ( Lon Nol right hand ) AND 7th division by general IN KOV ( kampucheakrom ).
8:56PM I think 3Rd division was led by General Norodom Chanta rainsey and the most effective divisions and brigades were 2nd division, 7th division( especially krom Kanseng Sar from khmer krom were the elites) and don't forget the 28th brigade also were the tough fighters. But FANK ONLY send them to every hot spot until their troops worn out and finally surrendered. the less effective and incapable general was Ith Suong who led the 1st division.
Khmer rouge could not win the war without Sihanouk! Sihanouk applauded when khmer rouge rockets fell on phnom penh and killed hundreds of children and poor people.
3:00 pm, what went down between April-June 1972? Please elaborate.
To 8:56
13 BI was belong to general Norodam Chanta Reinsei, his operation commend post was at Kambol across 3rd divison commend post too about 17 km from P.Penh.The day that Khmer Rouge take over P. Penh, general Reinsei ask general Ngoun Lykeang 3rd division to joint him goes to jungle but it was denied by general Lykieang and after that he left to jungle with his troop and general Lykieang has took a way by Khmer rouge to Phnom tmat pong.
Why KI Media shows these video? It
's time to round up all Khmer killers including Khmer Rouge leaders: Sihanouk and CPP leaders or so-called former Khmer Rouge: Hun Sen, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin, and others to Khmer Tribunal Court.
We need to wipe out of these evil elements to restore Khmer soul and her country from Youn aggression.
Chey Yo Khmer Republic and Chey Yo Mr. Sam Rainsy (Khmer Nationalist).
agreed with 12:42am
10:24 PM
7th division were smashed after Gen. Un Kov were attempted murder by some Lon Nol righ wing. And after 7th division were assembly into RMS under Command by Gen Dèng Laiyum, one of his defend line at Phnom Baset were Crushed and over ran by Vietcong and khmer rouge to ground zero under the command of Lt Col. Thach Thuong (Khmer Preah Trapaing)who is one of the weakest and most corrupted Lt Col. KK in Cambodia army.
I was at Phnom Baset ( 7th division base and operation commend post ) WITH 3RD DIVISION M113 Tanks for security reason during night time party on the top of the mountain.After general Deil layom took over 7 th division a while, everything mess and gone just like a wind.
May god bless all our brothers and sisters ( Khmer Republic ).Sihanouk should be hang...
the one thing i find hard to swallow was that the foreign press (french, US etc..) lampooned republican soldiers who fought especially hard against the Vietcong invaders and their khmer rouge lackeys.. we students at the time were pro republican because we have no one to trust to lead us to our objective of a just society.. we dared to dream. in 1974 when oudong fell and the big massacre that followed these biased reported didn't seek out the truth and preferred to typecast khmer republic as client state of the US and therefore not worth a thought..
To 8:56-Thanks for your answer,the Khmer Repulic had many elites soldiers in 7BI(brigate intervention),1BI,3BI,2DI,who combined with the Mike Force 48th,43th.So one bataillon=how many soldiers?
To 5:40 I think 500 soldiers = 1 bataillion normally , so 3 bataillion = 1 BI and 3 BI = 1 DI ( Division infantry ). not include logistics bataillion , M113 Tank compay,group of big gun 105,155 mm, transport company,QG at base ect....
47th BI was the best in 3rd DI.95% kampuchea krom, i'm not sure they all ex. mike force or not.
I wondered why KI posted these video that portrayed Khmer killed the Vietnamese people in 1970. Where is the video that the Vietnamese killed Khmer people by thousand until now?
Now Vietnamese are in all sectors of Khmer government and Lao government. They are finally succeeded what their master, Uncle Ho Chi Minh, foresee before he died to conquere Cambodia and Lao. Thanks for smart Khmer leaders like Sihanouk, Pol Pot, Khiev Samphon, Ieng Sary, Hun Sen, Chea Sim, and Heng Samrin who helped to accomplish Ho Chi Minh's goal.
All are Khmer assholes. Worked for the Vietcong.
To8:51
It's very sad to discuss about the past,on April 17th 1975,I have seen these brave soldiers mike force who defended the EAST Phnom Penh National Road No 1 fought with their last ammunitions.Most of them caugth by Khmer rouges and were regrouped under Monivong bridge.WITHOUT MIKE FORCE THE KHMER REPUBLIC COULD NOT SURVIVED FOR FIVE YEARS.
Thanks.
Along the river bank from Kien Svay up to may be Chbar Ampov (parallel to National Route 1 to Phnom Penh), there were many blood trails apparently from retreating government soldiers (from which battalion or company, don't know). There were also burned incenses, signs of disparate prayer of some cornered soldiers along the embankment. Many of them were trapped, had nowhere to go except taking off their boots, jumped in the river and swam across it to a small sandy island in the middle of that river. The Khmer Rouge soldiers just stood there along the river bank and shot them soldiers like fish in the barrel. So So Horrible! Khmer killing Khmer.
April being in a dry season, the river is not flowing. The water was rather stagnant. Corpses were just floating there for days until the tide took them down stream. The fish were swamping and eating them.
May their souls rest in peace. Please never ever again that we hurt one another like this. Please pray for those brave unknown soldiers during Pchom Bin or anytime because their relatives would never recovered their bodies or found out how and what happened to them.
So some were rounded up and spared. Others were just simply shot. This is beyond sad but traumatizing.
May spirit of all Khmer Republic Army go to the heaven.
7:49AM - i can feel & share your deep hurt to see our people killing each other out of sheer hatred or desperation. On the other hand khmer republic trusted that the US will stick to their allies and they didn't. they just used us.. to me the US is as guilty as the chinese and russians in the murder of our nation. at least the US helped receive khmer refugees.. but the chinese took advantage of us at every turn.. and even now too..
1:46 PM, Your synopsis is right on the mark. I couldn't agree with you more on the US abandoned us after they dragged us into their war and adventure. The Chinese and Russians also have bloods on their hands.
As people who live through from 1970-75 I don't blame American completely for abandoning us to North Vietnam/Vietcong and Khmer Rouge in the 1970-75 war had Lon Nol not corrupted. You cannot win the war when your commanders sold weapons, medecines to your enemy. You cannot win the war when you listed your army as having a strength and payroll of 100,000 men while in fact you have only 40,000 men to fight. Americans knew that they were waisting money to finance the war knowing that Lon Nol is lost. If you come clean like Israel and Americans are still abandoning you and then I would blame the Americans.
I still don't understand why Trong SARIMATAK decided to stay for no reason?.
~ $212 millions, or somewhere in that neighborhood, was the amount LOANED to the Khmer Republic between 1970-75. It was NOT given without repayments in the future to fight the war that the US started in Vietnam and then dragged Cambodia into it in 1970. A miserly $212 millions in five years. The amount was a chump change compared to $200 billions that the US spent in Vietnam. Heck, they probably spent more than that $212 millions to buy condoms for the GI's.
Some here sure don't know that the US already saw the war in Vietnam as unwindable since 1968. They began the Vietnamization process (training and turning the war over to the South Vietnamese) and at the same time started to extract themselves from that losing war. One then has to ask this question. Why did the US drag Cambodia into their war in 1970 knowing that they were pulling out and the war was as good as lost? Well, somebody got to hold the bag. Somebody got to fight the rear guard action. Obviously, Lon Nol, Sarimatak, In Tam, Long Boret, and the rest of the ministers were dupped big time. They were promised the moon and stars in the sky and protection for Cambodia to fight this war. Well, Khmer Republic and her people were abandoned regardless to the commies.
Prince Sirik Matak and many other Khmer Republic ministers felt the they had been deceived and dupped. That was why Prince Sarik Matak wrote that heart-felt letter to US Ambassador John Gunther Dean (see below). Prince Sirik Matak decided to stay in Cambodia rather than shamefully left the country.
Dear Excellency and Friend:
I thank you very sincerely for your letter and for your offer to transport me towards freedom. I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion. As for you, and in particular for your great country, I never believed for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people which has chosen liberty. You have refused us your protection, and we can do nothing about it. You leave, and my wish is that you and your country will find happiness under this sky. But, mark it well, that if I shall die here on the spot and in my country that I love, it is no matter, because we all are born and must die. I have only committed this mistake of believing in you [the Americans].
Please accept, Excellency and dear friend, my faithful and friendly sentiments.
S/Sirik Matak
9:13AM.. with all due respect i think there's a lot of wisdom born of hindsight you are giving us here .. the kind of wisdom & in-knowledge that the rest of us khmer students weren't privy to when we marched the streets of Phnom Penh demanding a change of regime in 1970.. The point i made in various posts above is that by 1974 there was evidence of a huge massacre coming - Udong is proof of it, and so were events in Kg Thom when Pol Potist measures were implemented, and the Republican radio tried to shed light on - rather unsuccessfully too. On the other hand our people and nation paid dearly in all this. and i can only "soy sauk chheu chabb khnong sateh arom" at the murder of innocent people.
2;14 PM, by no means I was implying in a negative way or marginalize you and the rest of the Khmer students at that time. Yes, a lot was born of hindsight. We entrusted ourselves to the leadership of the Khmer Republic. The republic in turn was deceived. So the end result speaks for itself. We were all deceived. Even my uncles who served in the Khmer Republic Marines division were taken aback after the fall of Phnom Penh. So did my father. Most of everybody were saying "srok san tran heu, srok san tran heu". We did not have any idea what was in store for us in the near future. But you apparently had a pretty good picture what was coming. Looking back, I wish that we heeded the warning and the outcome could probably be different. Again, this is a hindsight. My heart is just heavy when I look back.
warnings yes there were plenty in 1973 and 1974 when Ma Lao Pi (the doyen of khmer broadcasters who now lives in the US) interviewed scores of internally displaced people in Kg Thom. These interviews were aired over Khmer Republic radio. All of them described brutal and draconian measures that later became the hallmark of the KR. i can say this for certain because i was a high school student listening in to those radio interviews; they became for me the turning point as far what i understood as khmer krahom communism.
To12:36PM - As a high school student at that time,can you explain why somme of students turned away from the republicain whom they have supported from the beginning to leftist and the assassintion of Mr Keo San Kim and Mr Thach Chea?
Those students had been the leftists from the beginnings and they were the communist undercover. Some others joined in because of the lon nol government corruption.
4:27AM- obviously i can't speak for others (ref - 5:35AM) but the student leaders of the time ( Koy Pech, Sorn That..) hijacked the student movement in 1972 and on the eve of the Lon Nol - In Tam presidential elections, turned it over to the governemnt's side. The tussle between students who are pro republican and those who are Khmer Krahom continued however right through the war. In 1972 Ith Sarin wrote a book (which is on the internet now) in which he disapproved of the Khmer Krahom, recounting the draconian measures they were starting to implement even then.. Those who killed Keo Sang Kim and Thach Chea in 1974 at the Yukanthor high school (remember the Yukanthor students were the first to post anti-sihanouk posters in March 1970) were by then khmer Krahom agents who aparently thought they could energise the anti lon nol students. Both of these ministeres were simple technocrats. Keo Sang Kim was one of our top ear-nose-throat medical doctors. his death was one of the most regrettable in this merciless & crazy war. Many thanks for your input..i wish KI Media post this thread again so we can all continue exchanging our memories of a time that could have seen real reforms carried out in our corrupt but beloved society.
Looking back now we could see sihanouk won finally so did the viets who actually is dominating the indo-china. All 70 coup leaders vanished even military leaders as well all gone! what remaining is the old man sihanouk and his son became King! all students who first joined the FANK to fight viets died long ago and not to count the brave foot soldiers who fought hard along with their family! this is very sad! so if we applied Buddhism theory here one can see that sihanouk is the one lord buddha protected (Based on do good get good do bad get bad). But One can see how selfish sihanouk is! thus I assumed Buddhism theory is wrong! since he did bad and he finally get what he wanted, anyway he's the winner and the brave republican sides are losers!
7:50PM-Please give somme details about Prime Minister Son Ngoc Thanh during a visit to Saigon in 1973 ? and than disappeared for ever,why?
In 1974 Prince Norodom Changrensey had given his last interview at Banteay Chbamonn with Paris Match reporters about the discord between him and Etat Major in Phnom penh,It was a long interview.I have seen this magazine in Phnom Penh but I did not read it,may be you have any information about this reportage.
7:50PM i think it is a matter of time before a reversal of fortunes fall upon those who declare they will lead Cambodia for a thousand years, yet have not asked if our people wanted them to be our leaders in the first place..
7:26AM - from what i've gathered Son Ngoc Thanh simply retired from the scene when it was clear lon lon's splintered factions did not want him anywhere near them - to wit the assassination attempt made on him in late april 72 or 73(?). if my memory serves me right (i can't guarantee this) there was a Far Eastern Economic Review footnote in 1976 or so about his death in Vietnam.. again pse check as i could be wrong here.
7:26 AM From I remember in 1972, Thanh became Prime Minister, but after being the target of a bomb attack (possibly organised by Lon Nol's brother, Lon Non) he was soon dismissed by Lon Nol and exiled himself to South Vietnam.
Thanh was arrested after the Communist victory in Vietnam, and died in their custody in 1977.
About Prince Chanta Rainsey, he wanted to continue fighting from the jungle against khmer rouge after the fall but vanished after that! The most incapable general in FANK is Ith Suong(died in Paris last year),he led his soldiers to defeat by taking all the phantom soldier paycheck and he kissed lon nol very well! Lon nol poor leadership failed to appreciate the elites force by sending them only to all hot spot and keep them over their return or change-over and at the same time let the corrupted officers enjoyed life in the city that led the republic to the defeat!
From 7:50 PM
7:50PM-Lon nol had maked many requests to Nguyn Van Thui (south Vietnam president) for the supply troops and intervention for open national roads blocks by communist,the result of this intervention was a great desastrous for Khmer's population,south vietnammeese army killed,raped khmers so why khmer krohom had more popularity at that time.It's the weakness of Republican leaders?
9:20 that's what all khmer leaders never learned! south or north Vietnamese, will it be matter? Yuons always wanted our lands! Even Pol pot claims he hated yuons, but he sided with yuons to kill Khmers, eventhough it's khmer republic, they have to look what is khmer is khmer! Had Khmer rouge, Khmer republic joined hands and hands, we would not have problem like today!
1:40AM-In my memory,the vietcongs had launched 3 importants operation against FANK
1-Destruction of Air Force 's base in 1971.
2-Destruction of Chruychanvar's bridge and the M 113 tank's Regiment(Old Stadium).
3-Chendla 2 was defeaded by 9th division Vietcong.
After these operations the FANK was in the situation defensive and became very weak day by day.
Khmer Krohom claimed that they won the war by their own army.
Like I have mention above,YOUN very expert in commando's suicide since they defeaded French and USA.
I don't know if Khmer's people has courage to do this things if they love their country.but they are very expert to figth each other.
6:06am Fully agreed with you! Chenla operation was a diaster for FANK! Not because of Khmer Rouge but due to the Vietcongs and the 9th Division of North Vietnamese! I'm not a fan to Lon Nol either but my sympathy goes to all the brave officers in field and foot soldiers for their sacrifice! The foreign minister of North Vietnam used to admit that at Angkor Chey operation, the FANK were about to crush all the khmer rouges but they(the NVA/vietcong came to destroyed the FANK)what he said without Vietnam Khmer Rouge will be smashed by FANK! As one can see the FANK soldiers fought hard against 2 enemies(just like one against tack team in the wrestling)I have to admit too the Vietcongs and North vietnam were very skillful(gained from fighting w/ French and US)>Unlike Khmer who is good in killing each other, even NOW!
7:22PM-You have mentioned clearly about operation Chenla.THANKS.
FANK had launched anothers operation in my memory:PREK TA,AKEE NETT,NEANG CONNREY,BATLE OF PICH NELL...Did you know sommethings in these operation?
5:05am Operation Pich nil was on route 4 led by N. Chantarainsey the 13th BI and the other BI also I don't remember them all, Operation Neang kangrey was to relieve Kampong chnaing and some paratroopers were used led by Gen. Um Savuth; he was also involved in Chenla one operation. Um Savuth was a brave General, but the biggest problem he was drunk all the times! Anyway those operation never accomplished their task effectively, FANK could hold for fews weeks and fell back again, FANK was fighting an Uphill battle since the population got enraged from B52 Bombing,which only hit the civilians (not the Khmer Rouge)
5:05AM Operation Chenla 1, FANK first had Gen, Um savuth, then 2nd DI(led by Gen Dien Del)and some brigades from 7th DI and they broke through the enemies line, Um Savuth was killed on his way back from Phnom Penh around 10 pm by car accident. Then in Chenla 2, the 2nd DI of FANK was used but could not break through and Gen Lon Nol put his favorite Gen Ith Suong(the most corrupted officer) led his 1st DI to break through the enemies lines but Ith Suong forgot that his 1st DI were falling into North Vietnamese trap, his 1st DI moved in with a thin line, which was easy for the vietcong to wrap them up easily and the FANK got a bitter loss from there on!
8:36 AM- After the death of Gen.Um Savuth who was replaced him,it's was Gen. Srey Ya for commandant of paratroopers?.I remember in April 75th the paratroops engaged in a very hard battle hands to hands at Areiy Sdatt in front of river opposite Royal Palace.What was the role of Gen. Ho Hang Sin on of the top commandant of FANK?
7:43PM If you want to know more about Operations by FANK, I can give you more the details in fighting at OUDONG, LUNK VEK, on the khmer rouge side Heng Samrin division was also involved. And also the battle in Kampot! but give me time! by the way let me take it back Gen. Um savuth was the commander of Military Region 5, after his death Gen. Chhim Chhuon(killed by KR April 75)replaced him! Srey Ya was commander of Paratroopers, that's correct!Gen. Hou Han Sin did not lead any major fighting! he was most of the time attached to Lon Nol in the 5th BUREAU(Cinquieme Bureau), they were not engaged in the field ...so many of them like that! such as Gen. Les Kosem, Thapana Ngin, Chhim Chhuon, and of course Gen. Lon Non! and more...the commanders who did the field job are for general rank: Gen. Un Kauv,Gen. Um Savuth, Gen. Dien Del, Gen. Chantarainsey, Gen. Ith Suong(though less effective) and we should also include Colonel Phen Uon who led 28th BI in major battle field. 28 th BI was the only effective BI in 3rd Division, which at the time was under Gen. Lon Non(most incapable Gen.)
8:42PM-THANKS.
There are two names alike
1-Gen.Chhim Chhuon(cinquième bureau)as you have mentioned above.
2-Gen.Chhim Chhuong commander RMS.
Which one is correct?
The 28th BI and 47th BI were one of the best of FANK.When I was livng under Pol Pot's regime,I have heard that Khmer krohom soldiers were afraid too much of these bataillons.
Somme of Gen.died in action like Sar Hor and Gen.Lim Sy Saath missing in Neak Luong after replaced Gen.Srey Saman did you know something about them?
5:45AM There was only one person, Gen. Chhim Chhuon before Commander of RMS he used to be at Cinquieme Bureau and just like personal guard for Lon Nol! The General killed in action was General Kong Chhat, provincal governor died during AngTassom Siege.
5:05AM and others - with regard to operation Aki Neth moha padivatt took place ostensibly to free up the road to Takeo town. From memory again, it was led by none other than Lon Non. The claim (true or otherwise) at the time however was that there was an american military delegation arrive in Cambodia and they wanted to audit the number of soldiers under Lon Non's command. when he heard of this plan Lon Non decided to "engage" the enemy, thus escape scrutiny and keep his phantom soldiers on his payrolls. with regard to Ith Suong did anyone remember in 1971 or so at the time of Chenla 1 he popped up live on television just before he's suppose to join the battle at phnom Santuk (Kg Thom).. of course he was crowing away to an admiring crowd.. Chenla 1 & 2 were disasters born out of sheer incompetence. Nowadays driving on the route to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh i cannot help but feel very sad reading the names of districts along the way where the battles were hot and untold number of innocent people suffered needlessly because of the stupidity and greed of some of our leaders. Of course the younger generations haven't got a clue what happened 40 years ago
[continuing from 1:12pm] does anyone remember general Danh Sang? you know the guy who always fight on the battlefield in his shorts (khau snapp phleouv)? quite a character i thought. does anyone know how good he was? i happen to be a school friend of his daughter.
[continuing from 1:17pm] does anyone remember the story of COlonel(?) Seng .. who was purged in 1971 or so? Can you please post what you know. i'm a friend of his son who in those days shaved his head (buos mukh phleurng) at the death of his father. any info greatly appreciated, if only in the memory of a good friend. thanks.
1:12PM-What is the name of the great operation along the national road N1 at Kampong Trobek there were many Tanks T 54 of north vietnamese destroyed by FANK?
6:17 AM that operation was called soriya.
from 8:42PM
I just can't help it.... It brings lumps in my throat along with a lot of good and bitter memories from the 1970's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkQUZN9U6gU&feature=related
That is one loyal, strong and gutsy Khmer woman follows her husband off to war. I guess everybody already know the faith of these two singers after the fall of the Khmer Republic. Very sad and cruel!
From that grinding eastern front battle field, FANK also destroyed a number of PT-76's as well. One of them in good enough shape with tracks was hauled or dragged from over there and put on display in Phnom Penh. It was placed at the big intersection west of the now a day Naga World Casino. The driver hatch was purportedly hit by a FANK's 105mm howitzer round at zero (horizontal) elevation. An indication of a close range fighting and bloody one too. The round tore the hatch and armor around it like paper. The inside was gutted. Doubt anybody survived that one.
No doubt on this eastern front, FANK found themselves fighting the North Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge at close range. The enemy was trying to negate the effectiveness of aerial bombardments. Many times, the artillery had to fire at the flat trajectory to bear the brunt of the assaults.
9:00AM- And more about battlefield at VIHEAR SOUR and PREY TOTUNG.
2:49 AM, someone else here can probably attest better to these two battlefields than I. But I can tell you this at Vihear Sour, it was another meat grinding battle for FANK and Khmer Rouge. There were a lot of aerial strafing and bombardments from Huey and Dakota gunships to T-28's, F-105's, F-4's, and probably B-52's also. A year and half later, that place still looked like a hell hole. Bomb craters with the size of a big house were everywhere. One would think that nothing can survive that kind of bombardment. It was that bad. One example, a pagoda at the western end of Vihear Sour(don't remember the name), a bomb (2000 pounds - may be) fell right in the center of the pagoda compound created a gigantic crater and the whole pagoda was unrecognizable. Just obliterated. Mangled trucks and war fighting materiel were everywhere. That place must be littered with unexploded monitions as well. Why a big battle at Vihear Sour? Guess it was close proximity to Phnom Penh and whoever controlled that area could effectively control Arey Ksat and the Mekong water way to Nek Loung and Vietnam. Don't forget other great battles at Nek Loung and Arey Ksat.
Sorry, don't know much about Prey Totung (Tnal Totung?). Someone else who was in or has a better knowledge of this battle can speak to this one.
4:37AM- Prey Totung was a very hot place where viet cong and khmer rouge wanted to control national road between Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham,but I don't know which bataillons of FANK engaged in this bloody battle.Another bloody battlefield also took place in Prek Tamek and Kampong Seila.Anyhow very few people interested of this situation,but for us this was always happen in our memory.
6:50am ..and others still following this thread -- i'm one of those that can never forget the fighting then and your posts rekindle these memories.. i hope KI media will re-post this topic because of the number of people interested in our own bitter history
6:50AM, I spent some times in the last few days trying to recall Prey Totung. It sounds familiar but I can't recall or even have the second hand info. on this place. No doubt it was a hot one too. Hopefully somebody else who has participated in this interesting post can shed some lights on this one place. However, Prek Tamek and Kampong Seila were among the first battles between FANK and NVA/Viet Cong along with small contingents of Khmer Rouge.
By the way, I did some searches and stumbled onto this link. It has lots of battle by battle accounts eventhough they were in South Vietnam. There are over a hundred of tabs in there. May be there are a few for Cambodia. I have not yet gone through them all. If you have some times, please go through them and share any info with the rest of us.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/USPics5/57847a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php%3Ft%3D24341%26page%3D68&usg=__Jf2vhfguAo_uoDC-jbL3sFq0FxY=&h=1188&w=800&sz=145&hl=en&start=30&um=1&tbnid=t8da4TcFuixhDM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcambodian%2Bpatrol%2Bboats%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1
Also Tnal Totung that I alluded to earlier is on National Highway 4 to Kampong Speu / Kampong Som. There were back and forth clashes but not heavy.
Yes, if this kind of topic is posted again I hope there will be more people interested and participate in. Those who have or know first, second, or even third hand accounts of battle fields and involved contingents from all sides with good supporting documents can compile the information and put it into a history book. We collectively can pitch in too. It would be a good history book for later generations. This is my two cents.
Tnal totung operation was the combination of many brigades! first it starts out with the troop of norodom chantarainsey of 13 BI and then the famous FANK's 7th division was called in as intervention forces to break the enemies lines! I am so proud of them!
Ah, that's what I was suspecting but not 100% sure that Norodom Chantarainsey was in this theater. His battalion also went all the way up to a mountain near Kompong Speu (don't know the name), right? I heard the fighting was very tough and the Khmer Rouge really got pounded by FANK's artilleries and the Khmer Republic Air Force but they relented later on. Yes, that road was vital for the Republic. It was the only deep sea port and the Khmer Rouge knew that too. That National highway was very dangerous during the war. Many civilians, local and foreign journalists were killed or went missing along that highway.
from the start we could see that
Marshal Lon Nol was personally very attached to the law (MEH DOAB KHNANG); it was his masterpiece and he never informed himself of the difficulties andobstacles which presented themselves at every turn in our efforts toapply the law. His actions with respect to general mobilization weresuch as to create confusion both among the administrative authoritiesat various levels and between civil and military authorities. Theconfusion was less marked in those cases where the military chiefexercised both civil administrative functions and his regular militaryresponsibilities. On examination, it could be seen for example, thatone person acting as chief of a group of 10 or a group of 50 houseswould find himself the final authority in his group not only for mat-ters of defense but for social well being, carrying out a census ofrefugees, collecting intelligence, feeding, and the distribution offood. And, to go further, this chief of group became himself a re-presentative in his own sphere of various ministerial authorities inthe central government. The decentralization and delegation of cen-tral powers to this extreme lead thus to the loss of authority on thepart of the person responsible for general mobilization and it was unfortunately true that the chief of the Commissariat of GeneralMobilization did not know where to turn (to be continued)
I'll post the battle at oudong and longvek if anyone interested!
3:34-Yes,if you can post the battle at Oudong and Longvek or from Prek Kdam,Oudong,Longvek,Sala lek Pram,Prey Khmer to Kampong Chnang then we will share this memory together,the 7 BI and 5 BI were angaged in very hard battle.
3:32-The law of Meh 10 Khnang,50 Khnang and 100 Khnang there were plenty of corruption because the distribution of rice,suger,salt... to the population were not enougth and most of this foods sold in black market.
the most significant action during March was the fall of Udong,a place of religious and histotical significance.3 The attack commencedin earnest at 3:00 A.M. on 3 March 1974 and by 8:00 A.'M. that same day, the territorial battalions defending Oudong had been forced to withdraw frompositions northwest and southwest of the city in order to establish a smallperimeter generally southeast of Oudong at VU7306. (Hap 22) Two 105-mm how-itzers were reportedly destroyed by FANK on 16 March in a small position atVU7205; when these howitzers were destroyed the FANK units at this position also withdrew north to join the previously mentioned perimeter.
Total troop strength at this location was then estimatedat 700 troops, plus approximately 1500 civilians. An unknown numberof civilians were killed or captured by the enemy upon entering thecity. FANK reacted by moving the 45th Brigade, 7th Division to Lovek(TO7212) on 16 March and the 80th Brigade up the Tonle Sap River todebark in the vicinity of VU7807 and attack from east to west to attemptto link up with the then encircled position east of Oudong. Severaldelays were encountered in moving the 80th Brigade and heavy casualtieswere sustained by the brigade during the initial debarkation efforts.This action had a marked effect of the fighting spirit, attitude andoverall performance of the 80th Brigade in the subsequent linkup effort.Enemy forces were waiting at the debarkation site and placed well aimed75-mm RR and B 40 rocket fire on the near-defenseless troops duringdebarkation (25 were killed, 86 wounded, and 13 drowned). One UH1Glogistics helicopter was downed by enemy fire near oudong on March 18 1974...(to be continued)...
After the initial units of the 80th Brigade debarked near VU.7808 theremainder of the brigade did not close until 19 - 20 March 1974. Con-tinued enemy presence was sufficient to cause FANK to reinforce the80th Brigade during the period 20 - 28 March with three battalions ofthe 39th Brigade, one battalion from the 28th Brigade, four 105-mmhowitzers and orte M113 squadron. Priority for tactical air supportwas assigned to the overall operation. The 80th Brigade commanderallowed the forwardmost attacking units to become overcommitted asthe linkup effort progressed from east to west and was unable to rein-force them because he had committed three battalions to rear areasecurity. The FANK attack faltered during the period 24 - 27 March andFANK was in the process of further reinforcements on 28 March when theencircled position was overrun by the enemy. The final collapse of theencircled position was accelerated when an enemy-fired 75-mm RR roundwhich impacted directly the unprotected ammunition storage area nearthe northwest corner of the perimeter, and caused detonations of 81 and105-tam ammunition. Other contributing factors were the arrival of ap-proximately 2,500 refugees into the already overcrowded perimeter duringthe night of 27 - 28 March; there was inadequate food, water and medical...(to be continued...)
supplies and a general atmosphere of fear that a recurrence ofprevious enemy attacks was inevitable. When the ammunition exploded,uncontrollable panic ensued, the perimeter was ruptured, and, within30 minutes, enemy ground attacks overwhelmed the defenders. A com-pany commander, who escaped, related that as the enemy entered theperimeter, previously wounded FANK soldiers were machine gunned andseveral FANK soldiers killed their own families and then themselvesto avoid being captured. The fate of 4,000 civilians was unknown;650 military and civilian personnel returned to safety. Lon Nolordered that Oudong be retaken. However, the pressure at Kampo'tat month's end caused conflicting priorities, and the enemy remainedin control of the Oudong area on 31 March 1974. Results of fightingprior to 28 March were as follows: 328 enemy killed in action, 91individual weapons and 15 crew served weapons captured; 50 FANK killedand 240 wounded. During April, the enemy continued his attacks north of Phnom Penh,focusing on Kompong Luong. Following the capture of Oudong in March,FANK forces remaining along the river were directed to establish a , •defensive position on the Tonle Sap. On 20 April, enemy ground pressurealong the river bank increased sharply and several positions fell back.Pressure continued. On 21 April enemy infiltrators overran keyfriendly positions along the Tonle Sap River bank, effectively en-circling the Kompong Luong garrison. FANK forces withdrew and by2:30 P.M. on 21 April the first elements linked up with the LovekGarrison defenders. The defeat added valuable psychological momentumto the new provincial phase of the enemy's dry season offensive andrepresenta his second significant military victory of the dry season.FANK troop and materiel losses along the Tonle Sap in April were heavy:approximately 600 military personnel were unaccounted for: four 105-mmhowitzers were lost; all heavy weapons (mortars and machine guns);two M-113's, one bulldozer, one POL...(continued...)
one POL truck, and several, other pieces of engineering equipment were abandoned. Three Navy river craft were beached. Kompong Luong and a sizeable stock of ammunition was abandoned and later bombed by the Air Force. Subsequently, the FANK high command decided to withdraw the civilian population and military garrison from
• Sala Lek Pram to Lovek, consolidating assets into a single defensive position. Approximately 15,000 civilians and 2,000 military personnel moved into the Lovek garrison on 26 April. The month drew to a close with a highly vulnerable group of civilian and military personnel in that small isolated place. The population of 52,405 consisted of 5,260 military, 15,488 military dependents, 22,383 civilians, 8,383refugees, and 891 para-military personnel. Heavy enemy shelling onLovek (by 105-mm howitzer, 75-mm RR and 82-mm mortar fire) began on April 30. This concludes the battle of OUDONG and Vicinities! Next will be Kampot Battle!
The fall of Phnom Prasith that was the lost of Udong? What the role of 5 BI in this battlefields?
Khoun Seis Khmer Doch Sva Lei Chong Chhei.
The history of Khmer students have been similar as the monkeys have been at the top of trees.
Could anyone shed some light as to what happened along the Thai- Cambodian border, namely around the poipet bridge area as I have seem some footage of the Khmer Rouge activities. Who of the Lon Nol army was controlling or incharge of the Poipet area at the time of the fall of April 1975. Could anyone please provide some names or photos of the event which relate to that time.
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