I am an American who visited Cambodia in 2008, and went to the Holocaust museum and the Killing Fields, which has helped me understand to a much greater extent the horrors the Cambodian people have been through.
2nd, Is it the same bridge that I saw in 2008, or was there an older bridge there in the 70's?
3rd, Do any photographs exist of people being marched across that bridge during the Khmer Rouge Regime? I have not been able to find any on the internet... and I would certainly understand if they don't even exist.
Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Sheryl
I currently am helping a Cambodian finish his story, primarily as the designer of the cover. He was marched out of Phnom Penh across the Highway 6A bridge along with his family.
I am wondering if you could help me with some information and maybe some photographs.
1st, Does that Bridge have a name?
I am wondering if you could help me with some information and maybe some photographs.
2nd, Is it the same bridge that I saw in 2008, or was there an older bridge there in the 70's?
3rd, Do any photographs exist of people being marched across that bridge during the Khmer Rouge Regime? I have not been able to find any on the internet... and I would certainly understand if they don't even exist.
Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Sheryl
--
howaito2@gmail.com
6 comments:
Hi Sheryl,
I don't remember much about Cambodia, but I thought it maybe easier to identify if he/she can give us the approximate location of the bridge? For instance, how far is that bridge from Phnom Penh and/or what village this bridge locates at.
The Highway 6A Bridge is The Chrouy Chanvar Bridge;but it was cut half by the khmer rouge during the war(1973).It was rebuilt the other half after 1993 by the Japanese.
Along the route 6A as I remembered back to april 1975, there were no concret bridges stood. every bridge along route 6A were blown to bit counting with Chhroy Chongvar Mekong Bridge as well. wooden bridge were placed for temporary for people and small means of transportation. How she/he got across the river must be by boat only to Route 6A. There is only one bridge left intact from Phnom penh is Monivong bridge but that lead to route ONE.
Compare the scenes now from 2007 -2011 are quite different from 1975 when there were only burning debris and corpes and half dozen villages along route 6A. it was raraly used as main transpotation gateway to Phnom Penh during Sihanouk and Lon nol regime. Usually route 5 was the main gateway to access route 6A by ferry at Prek Kdam ferry station.
I used to live about 1 km away from Chrov Chongva bridge from 79 to 81. The bridge was cut in half and was later rebuilt and called Japanese Friendship bridge. I still have vague memory of the place... walking and riding boat below the broken bridge. I crossed the new bridge several times in 2007 to visit my old home which was about 1km to the left of the bridge.
Dear all!!!
If my memories won't let me down, I
would like to refresh yours. Natio-
nal roads in Cambodia are numbered
clockwise starting with the capital Phnom-Penh as center. Natio
nal road #1 starts from Phnom-Penh
to Dei Eth, Neak Loeung, Svay Rieng
all the way to Prey Nokor aka Sai-
gon or Ho Chi Minh. National road #
2 starts from P-Penh to Ta Khmau,
Tonle Bati, Takeo all the way to
Phnom Den ( border town with kampuchea Krom ). National road #3
starts from Phnom Penh to Chom Chau
, Ang Tasom, Chhouk, Kampot and all
the way to National#4 around Veal Rinh. National road #4 starts from P-Penh to Chom Chau, Kompong Speu, Kirirom, Veal Rinh and ends in Kompong Som. National #5 starts from P-Penh to Chrang Chamreh, Prek
Kdam, Oudong, Kompong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang all the way to
Poipet ( border town with Siam aka
Thailand ). National #6 is a little
bit complicated. In early time National #6 starts with National #5until Prek Kdam and became #6 after
crossing the Tonle Sap at Prek Kdam
. The National #6 originates from Prek Kdam to Skun, then to Kompong
Thmar, Kompong Thom, Siem Reap and
continues until raeching National#5
at Sisophon. The National #6A came
to existence only after the building of the Chrui Chanvar bridge. The short National #6A starts from Chrui Changvar toward
Rokakong and then meets with the #6
at Chilea. The last National road is the #7, this one starts from Skoun, then goes to Prey Totung, Kompong Cham, crosses the Mekong then continues to Memot, Snuol, Kratie, Stung Treng and all the way
to the border with Lao. It is interesting to remember that up to
1971 Cambodia had only two main bridges: the old one is Monivong bridge from Kbal Thnal to Chbar Ampeou, and the recent one is the
Japon-Cambodia Friendship Bridge
from Russei Keo to Chrui Chanvar. It's also interesting to remember that The Moniving Bridge felt down in the Bassac River in 1960's and had been rebuilt, and the Chrui Chanvar Bridge had one end blew up by the Vietcong sabotors in 1971 and had been rebuilt by the Japan-ese after the Paris Peace Agreement in 1991.
Good luck everybody!!!
SI ENG KRUY
I think I figured it out... he clearly couldn't have taken the 6A bridge, but I remembered something from when I was there...we were crossing the Hyway 1 Bridge out to some villages, when he mentioned crossing a bridge.. I believe that must be the one...Thank you everyone... it helped me figure it out.
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