Translated from French by Tola EkHistory
1941. World War II. Japan was the greatest winner in “our” part of the world. Thailand was an ally of Japan. The latter, at the demand made by Thailand, exerted on the losing France (Vichy regime of Marshall Pétain) a terrible pressure to cede to Thailand the Cambodian provinces of Battambang-Banteay Meanchey, a large portion of the Cambodian provinces of Siemreap, Oddar Meanchey, Stung Treng-Rattanakiri, Pursat, Kampong Thom-Preah Vihear.
With the loss of such sacred Khmer territories, my maternal grandfather, H.M. King Sisowath Monivong, died of sorrow.
1947. With the help of the victorious France (that of General de Gaulle which was victorious over Hitler’s Germany and … Tojo’s Japan, during WWII), I (Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia) had the historical privilege to recover for my Homeland, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the provinces and portion of Cambodian provinces cited above which Thailand (defeated along with Japan, during WWII) had (was obliged to) to give back to us, to us (Cambodia, the Khmer Nation and People).
1962. I won the lawsuit (regarding Preah Vihear) at The Hague International Court of Justice, which ordered [Thailand] to return to the Kingdom of Cambodia: the Temple and the Preah Vihear mount – temple and mount which Thailand militarily and illegally annexed.
(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk
March 2008
With the loss of such sacred Khmer territories, my maternal grandfather, H.M. King Sisowath Monivong, died of sorrow.
1947. With the help of the victorious France (that of General de Gaulle which was victorious over Hitler’s Germany and … Tojo’s Japan, during WWII), I (Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia) had the historical privilege to recover for my Homeland, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the provinces and portion of Cambodian provinces cited above which Thailand (defeated along with Japan, during WWII) had (was obliged to) to give back to us, to us (Cambodia, the Khmer Nation and People).
1962. I won the lawsuit (regarding Preah Vihear) at The Hague International Court of Justice, which ordered [Thailand] to return to the Kingdom of Cambodia: the Temple and the Preah Vihear mount – temple and mount which Thailand militarily and illegally annexed.
(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk
March 2008
