Chronology
of Cambodian History, 1970-1974
1970
Chronology Of Cambodia History
Abbreviations
on this page
Jan. 7,
1970
Prince Norodom Sihanouk and Princess Monique, accompany by Penn
Nouth and his wife, departs Phnom Penh for French Riviera for “rest cure”.
March 8-9, 1970
Lon Nol's govt. stages
anti-Vietnamese Communist demonstration in the provinces of Svay Rieng and
Prey Veng.
March 11, 1970
An estimated 20,000
Cambodians demonstrate against Vietnamese Communist presence in Cambodia
and sack the North Vietnamese and the Provisional Revolutionary Government
of South Vietnam (Vietcong political arm) embassies in Phnom Penh.
March 12, 1970
Cambodian govt. cancels the trade
agreement with Vietnamese Communists and orders them to vacate all their
sanctuaries on Cambodian territory within three days. The trade agreement
allows the Communists to use Cambodia's seaport, Kompong Som, and purchase
supplies in Cambodia.
March 13, 1970
Prince
Sihanouk departs Paris for Moscow.
March 14, 1970
US ship Columbia Eagle is hijacked.
March 15, 1970
Gen. Lon Nol launches an offensive against the Vietnamese
Communists in Cambodia after his ultimatum was ignored. The operation is
supported by the South Vietnamese artilleries from across the border at
the request of Cambodian govt.
March 16, 1970
Cambodian, Vietcong, and North Vietnamese officials meet in Phnom
Penh to discuss Lon Nol's demands, which was issued on March 12. The meeting was unsuccessful in
deal with Lon Nol’s demand for NVA/VC withdrawal from Cambodian
territory.
March 17, 1970
Two cabinet members, loyal
to Prince Sihanouk attempted to have Lon Nol arrested, were detained along
with many other Prince Sihanouk's supporters. On the same day, Gen. Lon
Nol placed army on alert, closed the airport, stationed troops and armored
cars around the ministries building, radio stations, and the Assembly.
March 18, 1970
Both houses of the Cambodian
legislature met in special session, at the govt. request, and voted
unanimously to withdraw its confidence from Prince Sihanouk as Chief of
State. In the debate,
legislators accused Prince Sihanouk, among other thing, of having
authorized North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops to illegally occupy and
establish sanctuaries on Cambodia territory, which violate the neutrally
as provided by the Geneva Accords of 1954.
March 19, 1970
Prince Sihanouk made popular appeals for return to power. He
called for united political front and liberation army. US govt. stated
that Prince Sihanouk has been legally deposed; the question of recognition
of the new govt. "does not arise".
The National Assembly voted
overwhelmingly to grant full power to Prime Minister Lon Nol, declares a
state of emergency, suspends four articles of the constitution, permits
arbitrary arrest and bans public assembly.
March 20, 1970
US-Khmer-South Vietnamese launched a first coordinated military
action in response to Communist attack.
The National Assembly
voted to arrest Prince Sihanouk and pressed charges of treason against him
if he returns to Cambodia. On the same day, an order was issued to the
Cambodian armed forces "...to crush by means of arms all actions that
Prince Norodom Sihanouk may be planning.." It also specified that Prince
Sihanouk had ceased to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces and that
these duties had been taken over by Cheng Heng, acting Head of State.
March 21, 1970
Cheng Heng made chief of state. He promised to expel the
Communists from the country.
US Pres. Richard Nixon called for
respect of Cambodian neutrality.
Zhou Enlai and Pham
Van Done meet in Beijing; Zhou thinks the Lon Nol's coup was approved by
the French and American. [Conversation]
March
22, 1970
Prince Sihanouk meets with Zhou Enlai in Beijing and
is told: "The speech Your Highness has given to the Cambodian people is of
great appealing power. I believe that the Cambodian people, after
listening to Your Highness's voice, will be greatly inspired and will
respond to it. China is determined to support Your Highness until Your
Highness returns to his own country in victory. So long as Your Highness
is determined to fight to the end, it is for certain that we will provide
Your Highness with our support.
Prince Sihanouk: With China's support, I will persist in the
struggle. No matter how long the struggle will last and how many
difficulties it will endure, I will never yield." [25] On the same day, the
Prince also discloses that the Soviet Union and China had granted his
request to live in exile alternately in Moscow and Beijing. In Hanoi, Vietnam voices its
support of Prince Sihanouk and Cambodians in "a just struggle" against Lon
Nol govt. And in Moscow, the Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda
attributed the crisis in Cambodia to "military fever born of American
aggression."
March 23, 1970
Prince Sihanouk, in
Beijing, announces the formation of a National United Front of Kampuchea
or FUNK with his former enemies, the Khmer Rouge, to struggle against the
Lon Nol govt.
March 24, 1970
South Vietnam
expressed its support of Lon Nol govt. in a note from Vice Pres. Nguyen
Cao Ky to Cambodian Head of State Cheng Heng.
March 25,
1970
Cambodia for the second time invited the North Vietnamese
to discuss the problem of the evacuation of their forces from Cambodian
territory. The meeting was
set for March 27. However,
Poland, on behalf of the Vietnamese, advised Cambodia officially of the
planned departure on March 27 from Phnom Penh of the Embassy of North
Vietnam and Viet Cong.
March 26-27, 1970
Pro-Prince
Sihanouk demonstrations broke out in Kompong Cham Province. Two deputies who tried to calm the
demonstrators were knifed to death and the office of the governor was
burned.
March 27, 1970
North Vietnamese and PRG
embassy staffs departed Phnom Penh by ICC aircraft for
Hanoi.
March 29, 1970
North Vietnam and Viet Cong
unilaterally announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Cambodia
and refuse to resume discussion regarding the withdrawal of their
forces. They instead began
offensive into Cambodia; quickly occupies most of eastern part of the
country.
March 31,
1970
Cambodian Govt., in a memorandum to the ambassadors
of the Soviet Union and Great Britain, expressed her deep concern about
increasingly flagrant and repeated violations of the 1954 Geneva Accords
by the Vietnamese communist.
Cambodia demanded the re-installment of the International Control
Commission on an urgent basis.
April 1,
1970
Prince Sihanouk meets with PRC PM Zhou Enlai, who
informs the Prince: " The people in Cambodia have been extremely
excited after hearing Your Highness's speech to the people and the
five-point statement. The people in many places have been mobilized. In
the provinces in northeastern Cambodia and close to Phnom Penh
there are protest demonstrations. The slogan of the masses is to request
that Your Highness return to Cambodia. Lon Nol originally
planned to organize a demonstration supporting the reactionary regime, but
this plan has failed." [25]
April 6, 1970
The U.N. announced that Secretary General U
Thant had decided, “to deal with the authorities who effectively
controlled the situation in Cambodia”; in effect, with the Phnom Penh
govt. not with Prince Sihanouk.
April 11,
1970
Popular manifestation called “The March of National
Concord” at the National Sports Complex in Phnom Penh as a sign of support
for the govt. of Gen. Lon Nol; the manifestation also demanded the
establishment of a Republican regime for the country.
April 14,
1970
Lon Nol made international appeals for aid to fight
against Vietnamese communist.
April 20, 1970
Pres.
Nixon announced the withdrawal of 150,000 troops from Vietnam, and warned
that the communists would be taking grave risks if they attempted to use
American withdrawals to jeopardize remaining US forces in Vietnam by
increasing military action in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos.
April
23, 1970
Rifles were transferred from South Vietnam to
Cambodia as the US directed aid.
April 24, 1970
US
forces began Operation Patio, tactical complement to Operation Menu.
April 24-25, 1970
The PRC sponsors Summit
Conference of the Peoples of Indochina. The Conference is participated by
Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia, Prince Souphanouvong of Pathet Lao, Pres.
Nguyen Huu Tho of the NLF (Viet Cong), and PM Pham Van Dong of North
Vietnam.
April 27, 1970
The North Vietnamese govt.
proclaimed its support of Prince Sihanouk. Communist forces began to press
their advance deeper into Cambodia and threatened Phnom Penh.
April 29, 1970
South Vietnam lands its support to Lon Nol govt.
after massive uprisings in support of Prince Sihanouk.
April 30,
1970
US Pres. Nixon addresses
to Americans explaining US military invasion of Cambodia; US troops join
with South Vietnamese forces would invade Cambodia to destroy important
North Vietnamese and Vietcong supply bases and concentration. This news
caused a furor in the United States, where opinion ran strong against any
escalation of the war.
May 1, 1970
Prime Minister
Lon Nol claims that the United States-South Vietnamese operation had been
mounted without his knowledge or approval.
May 5, 1970
Prince Sihanouk, in Peking, announced the formation of a
govt.-in-exile, the Royal National
Union Government of Kampuchea (RNUGK), with Prince Sihanouk as Head
of State and Penn Nouth as Prime Minister. The
RNUGK is immediately recognized by China and North Vietnam.
US
Pres. Nixon promises that US troops would not advance further than 21
miles inside Cambodia. [Map]
May
6, 1970
China, North Vietnam and North Korea broke off their
diplomatic relations with Lon Nol's govt.
May 8, 1970
Pres. Nixon said all US troops would be withdrawn from Cambodia by
June 30.
May 11, 1970
US Senate Foreign Relations
Committee approves an amendment introduced by Senator Sherman Cooper and
Senator Frank Church to prevent any future US military operation in
Cambodia.
Le Duan, in a meeting with Mao Zedong in Beijing,
says the situation in Vietnam and in Indochina is complicated and asks for
instructions, "We are very much in need of getting Chairman Mao's
instructions. If our Central
Committee and Politburo learn that Chairman Mao had given instructions
about how we should do our job, they will certainly be very happy." In relating to Cambodia, Mao says,
" Now there is another person, Prince Sihanouk. He is not an easy person to deal
with either. When you offend
his, he will come out to scold you." [25]
May 13, 1970
Phnom Penh govt.
restored diplomatic relations with Thailand, which had been broken in
1961.
May 16-17,
1970
Indonesia brought ten nations together at a
conference in Jakarta aim at finding a way of restoring peace in
Cambodia.
May 19,
1970
Phnom Penh govt. restored diplomatic relations with
South Korea, which had been broken in 1966.
May 25, 1970
US announced that it would supply arms to Cambodia for defending
her territory.
May 26, 1970
Operation Menu ended;
it replaced by Arc Light.
May 27, 1970
Phnom Penh
govt. restored diplomatic ties with South Vietnam, which had been broken
in 1963, and military assistance agreement concluded between the two
governments.
June 4, 1970
Communist forces were
reported to be within ten miles of Phnom Penh.
June 17,
1970
Chinese PM Zhou Enlai, in a conversation with Nguyen
Thi Binh in Beijing, blames the US for war in Indochina: " Now the
war has expanded to Cambodia and the entire
Indochina. It is not you, nor Prince Sihanouk, nor China, who planned the
expansion. It is the United States which did it. Fine, let the war expand.
In the past, only areas on the east bank of the Mekong River were the
shelter. Now the whole Cambodia becomes the shelter,
and the whole Indochina becomes the shelter, not to mention that there
exists the big shelter—China." [25]
June 25, 1970
Phnom Penh govt. announced “General Mobilization” in order to deal
with the communist invasion.
June 29, 1970
US end
its incursion into Cambodia.
June 30, 1970
Operation Patio ended; it replaces by Freedom Deal.
In a
report to the nation, Pres. Nixon praised the "successful" completion of
the Cambodian "incursion," citing the amount of enemy supplies captured.
The US Senate passed the Cooper-Church Amendment, barring the use
of US troops in Cambodia. At the same time Pres. Nixon announced the end
of combat operation in Cambodia.
July 5, 1970
A
Cambodian military court, after three days of trial, sentences Prince
Sihanouk in absentia to death on grounds of treason and corruption.
July 24, 1970
US Presidential Determination
provided $7.9 million for military aid; supplemented by $40 million in
Military Assistance Program (MAP) funds.
Aug. 20, 1970
Fighting continued on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
Cambodia and United States exchanged notes
constituting an agreement concerning military assistance to Cambodia.
Aug. 28,
1970
US Vice Pres., Spiro Agnew, made an official visit to
Cambodia.
Aug. 30, 1970
Supporters of Prince
Sihanouk left the Cambodian embassy in Prague, Czechoslovak, after holding
it for two weeks.
Sept. 7, 1970
Cambodia military
launched an offensive “OPERATION CHENLA I” against the communist. The objective of CHENLA I was to
clear Route 7 connecting Skoun and Kompong Cham. Skoun had been repeatedly attacked
by the communists. Some ten
to twelve of the FANK infantry battalions, with artillery and armor
support, were committed to the operation; it was placed under the command
of Brigadier General Um Savuth.
Sept. 12, 1970
US
ambassador, Emory C. Swank, arrived in Phnom Penh as the first to Cambodia
in five years.
Sept. 13, 1970
CHENLA I forces was
blocked at Tang Kauk.
Sept. 15,
1970
US ambassador, Emory C. Swank, presented his
credentials to Cambodia Head of State Chang Heng.
Sept. 24,
1970
Pham Van Dong, in a meeting with Chinese Amb. Wang
Youping in Beijing, is told, " Premier Zhou would like to know as
soon as possible Vietnam's position on the following points: 1. Will North
Vietnam recognize Lon Nol's Government if it continues to negotiate with
both North and South Vietnam? 2. Will North Vietnam support Sihanouk or
Lon Nol if war breaks out in Cambodia? 3. Right now, based on
the whole context, [how will Vietnam think if] China supports Sihanouk?"
In response, Pham Van Dong
says: "Vietnam cannot recognize Lon Nol. We recognize Sihanouk. China and
Vietnam are determined to support Sihanouk and support the struggle by the
patriotic forces against Lon Nol. Yes, we support Sihanouk. China supports
him, so does Vietnam. I think that it is the time to persuade the Soviet
Union and other socialist countries and others to support Sihanouk, to
isolate and condemn Lon Nol and Sirik Matak." [25]
Sept. 25, 1970
CHENLA I forces captured Tang Kauk. A strong resistance from the units
of the 9th NVA Division located in the rubber plantation
prevented the advancement of CHENLA I beyond Tang Kauk for the rest of the
year.
Oct. 5, 1970
Both Houses of
Cambodian parliament unanimously approved to replace the country's more
than one thousand year-old MONARCH with REPUBLIC.
Oct. 9,
1970
Cheng Heng, the National Assembly Pres. and acting head
of state, proclaimed the Khmer Republic. The proclamation marked the
official end of the country's more than one thousand year-old monarchies.
Oct. 26, 1970
National Security Decision Memorandum
#89 defined the administration's "Cambodia Strategy" as to "capitalize on
Cambodian nationalism."
Nov. 12, 1970
US air supply
flights to Phnom Penh began.
Nov. 24,
1970
Cambodia places with the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization, her acceptance
of International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
Dec. 1,
1970
Terrorist bombed new US embassy in Phnom Penh.
Dec. 14, 1970
First directly war-related cargo via
Mekong River reached Phnom Penh.
Dec. 22, 1970
The
Cooper-Church amendment became law, prohibiting the use of authorized
funds for sending American troops into Cambodia or for attaching American
advisers to Cambodian forces. It proclaimed that any assistance given by
the United States did not constitute a commitment by the United States to
the defense of Cambodia.
1971
Chronology Of Cambodia History
Abbreviations
on this page
Jan. 5, 1971
US Congress
approved $255 million for military-economic aid to Cambodia.
Jan. 13, 1971
Khmer-South Vietnamese joint
operation was launched to reopen Highway 4.
Jan. 16, 1971
A joint commission of both Houses of Cambodian Parliament was set
up to draft a new constitution.
Jan. 17, 1971
First
Mekong River convoy arrived at Phnom Penh.
Jan. 18, 1971
US announced its intention to employ "full range" of air power in
Cambodia.
Jan. 22, 1971
Communist assaulted on Pochentong Airport; the Khmer
Air Force (KAF) was almost completely destroyed.
Jan. 30,
1971
The Military Equipment Delivery Team, Cambodia (MEDTC)
was established to take over US military aid program.
Feb. 8,
1971
Gen. Lon Nol suffered stroke.
Feb.
13, 1971
Lon Nol departed for Hawaii for treatment of a
stroke.
Feb. 18, 1971
Prince Sihanouk's Sangkum
Reastr Niyum is dissolved.
March 2, 1971
Communist
attack and damage Kompong Som oil refinery.
Khmer Republic and United States sign, in Phnom Penh,
an agreement
for sales of agricultural commodities.
April 12, 1971
Gen. Lon Nol
returns to Phnom Penh.
April 21, 1971
Gen. Lon Nol
is promoted to Field Marshal.
May 6,
1971
Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak becomes Prime Minister
(05/06/1971-03/18/1972).
May 28, 1971
Month long battle for control of east bank of Mekong across from
Phnom Penh began.
May 31, 1971
Khmer Republic and
United States exchanged notes,
in Phnom Penh, constituting an agreement relating to economic assistance.
June 6, 1971
Khieu Samphan selection as PNLAFK
(People's National Liberation Armed Forces of Kampuchea) commander was
announced.
Aug. 20, 1971
Lon Nol launched another
offensive “OPERATION CHENLA II” to reopen Route 6, the highway connecting
Phnom Penh and Siem Reap Province. The main objective of CHENLA II was to
break the yearlong siege of Kompong Thom Province; to cut enemy
infiltration routes; and to reclaim part of the country rich in rice and
fish. The operation was launched with some 16000 troops commanded by Gen.
Hou Hang Sin.
Sept. 7, 1971
Assassination attempted on US Amb. Swank in Phnom
Penh.
Ieng Sary meets with Le Duc Tho, who reminds Sary of
the mistakes of the 1954 Geneva Accord, " We will always remember
the experience in 1954. Comrade Zhou Enlai admitted his mistakes in the
Geneva Conference of 1954. Two or three years ago, comrade Mao also did
so. In 1954, because both the Soviet Union and China exerted pressure, the
outcome became what it became. We have proposed that the Chinese comrades
admit their mistakes and now I am telling you, the Cambodian comrades,
about this problem of history.
We should be independent in thoughts, promote international
solidarity and solidarity with the Soviet Union and with China. We have to
fight a big imperialist country. If we take sides in the Sino-Soviet
dispute, the situation will become more complicated. At present, China
considers that it has two enemies, namely the Soviet Union and the US. It
therefore will not be beneficial if we take sides." [25]
Sept. 20, 1971
Communist
attacked on Phnom Penh fuel storage area.
Sept. 26, 1971
Terrorist attacked on US Embassy softball game, killing two
Americans, one Cambodian child and wounding many others.
Oct.
5, 1971
CHENLA II forces linked up with defenders of Kompong
Thom, making successful completion of Phase I of the offensive operation.
Oct. 20, 1971
Lon Nol declares a state of
emergency, saying he will no longer "play the game of democracy and
freedom," because it stands in the way of victory.
Oct. 27,
1971
Vietnamese Communist (PAVN) counterattack began against
CHENLA II forces only hours after the start of its Phase II operation,
striking the center of the CHENLA column between Tang Kauk and Rumlong.
Nov. 30,
1971
Marshall Lon Nol, with the officers of the general
staff, visits CHENLA II forces at the front line.
Dec. 1, 1971
The CHENLA II forces abandoned all their major position and
fell back in disorder with heavy losses.
Dec. 3, 1971
CHENLA II Operation officially terminated.
Dec. 8,
1971
Khmer Republic, United States, Australia, and Republic of
Vietnam signed a memorandum
of understanding on Australia participation in the training of FANK
personnel in South Vietnam.
Dec. 17, 1971
Lon Nol issues decrees, banning political meetings,
anti-govt. demonstrations and suspending all constitutional civic
rights.
1972
Chronology Of Cambodia History
Abbreviations
on this page
Jan. 10,
1972
A combined FANK/ARVN launched an operation “PREK TA”
involving 11 battalions south of Route 1 between the Mekong and the South
Vietnamese border.
Jan. 13,
1972
Khmer Republic and United States signed, in Phnom
Penh, an agreement
for sales of agricultural commodities.
Jan. 29,
1972
Lon Nol launched an offensive “OPERATION ANGKOR CHEY”
in Siem Reap Province with an objective of encircling Angkor complex and
interdicting the flow of supplies to enemy in the area, which the
communists had been use as sanctuary.
Feb. 5, 1972
The US Senate Refugee Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee
reported that two million Cambodians have been made homeless by the war.
Feb. 7, 1972
Symington-Case Amendment enacted to
limit number of US govt. personnel in Cambodia.
Feb. 12,
1972
Khmer Republic, United States, New Zealand, and Republic
of Vietnam signed, in Saigon, a memorandum
of understanding on New Zealand participation in FANK training in the
South Vietnam.
Feb. 21, 1972
OPERATION ANGKOR CHEY
units ran into stiff resistance as they tried to route the communists from
fortified position along the southern periphery of the temple complex.
March 10, 1972
Chief of State Cheng Heng resigns,
transferring his powers to Marshall Lon Nol, who dissolved the National
Assembly, and declares himself President of Cambodia, Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces and Pres. of the Council of Ministers - Prime
Minister.
March 18, 1972
Lon Nol becomes Pres. of
the Khmer Republic; and Son Ngoc Thanh Prime Minister
(03/18/72-03/21/72).
March 20,
1972
Communists launched direct attacks on Prey Veng City
and Neak Luong.
March 21, 1972
Lon Nol becomes Prime Minister
(03/21/72-10/15/72).
March 23,
1972
Communists sunk a cargo vessel and damaged another on
the Mekong near Chruoy Chang War Naval Base.
March 24, 1972
Lon Nol created a new committee to the different draft of
constitutions prepared up to this time.
A span of Chruoy Chang War Bridge was damaged when a
vehicle containing an estimated 200 kilos of explosives was
detonated. Four people were
killed and seven wounded.
March 27,
1972
Chruoy Chang War Bridge was reopen to traffic after
it was repaired.
April 5, 1972
A draft of
constitution was agreed.
April 30, 1972
The draft
of constitution was overwhelmingly approved by a popular
referendum.
May 6,
1972
Communists launched its second major attack on Phnom
Penh area killing 28 people and wounded 96 others. The city was lightly shelled again
on the 9, 10 and 11.
May 10, 1972
New constitution
(Cambodia second since independent in 1953) is promulgated.
May
17-18, 1972
OPERATION ANGKOR CHEY resume, with limited
success.
June 4, 1972
Marshal Lon Nol is declared
winner in Cambodia's first presidential election. He won 54.92 percent of
1,059,000 votes cast by beating In Tam who grabs 24.44 percent and Keo An
- dean of the Phnom Penh University law school - who grabs the rest.
June 19, 1972
First US Air Force supply airdrop to
Khmer army occurred during the siege of Svay Rieng province.
Prince Sihanouk began his international trip on behalf of National
United Front of Kampuchea (NUFK).
June 25,
1972
Two battalions of the 48th Khmer Krom
Brigade were ambushed by the communists Southeast of Neak Luong along
Route 1, only 13 soldiers returned to friendly lines while approximately
600 others were officially unaccounted for.
July 4-24, 1972
FANK launched OPERATION SORYA, a joint Cambodia-South Vietnamese
operation, to retake Kompong Trabek and Route 1. The objective was accomplished on
the 24th.
Aug. 6, 1972
PAVN launched a
counterattack against SORYA I forces on Route 1, capturing a 7-km section
of the Route which isolate five battalions of the FANK 11th
Brigade group west of Kompong Trabek. The attack supported by armor;
this was the first time that communists use armor in Cambodia.
Aug. 8,
1972
A FANK helicopter carrying refugees was shot down by
a SA-7 missile, killing 14 people.
Aug. 11-21, 1972
OPERATION SORYA II was launched to relieve
surrounded SORYA I units and clear Route 1. After ten days of artillery and
air strikes on communist strongholds along the Route, allied forces (ARVN
from Neak Luong and South Vietnam) succeeded in linking up with FANK
11th Brigade units.
Aug. 12,
1972
Khmer Republic and Unites States signed, in Phnom
Penh, a Memo
of Understanding concerning airfield upgrading.
Aug. 21,
1972
Assassination attempted on Prime Minister Son Ngoc
Thanh.
Sept. 7-8, 1972
Rice shortages and rising
prices led to food riots in Phnom Penh.
Sept. 17, 1972
Sosthene Fernandez became FANK (Forces Armees Nationales Khmeres
or Royal Khmer Armed Forces) chief of general staff.
Sept. 21,
1972
Operation Angkor Chey terminated after failure.
Sept. 27,
1972
Terrorists attempted to assassinate US Charge
d’Affaires, Mr. Enders.
Approximately 15 kilos of plastic explosive were exploded near his
car as he exited Independence Monument circle on the way to the US
Embassy. Mr. Enders escaped
unharmed, although his car was destroyed by the explosion and subsequent
fire. A security outrider and
a passing cyclist were killed.
Oct. 7, 1972
PAVN sappers made severest raid on Phnom Penh, damaging Chruoy
Chang War Bridge and destroying seven of FANK M-113 APCs.
Oct. 15, 1972
Hang Thun Hak becomes Prime Minister
(10/15/72-05/06/73).
Oct. 22, 1972
Henry Kissinger visited Cambodia.
Oct. 30,
1972
PAVN made another raid against sensitive
installations in Phnom Penh area.
Ammunition in a storage facility near Pochentong airport was
destroyed, and the Komboul radio station was heavily damaged by enemy
indirect fire.
Dec. 3, 1972
Lon Nol launched "Neo-Khmerism" theory.
Dec. 7-27, 1972
Communists launched a major offensive directed against Kompong
Thom. A mixed PNLAFK-PAVN of
an estimated 4000-7000 troops attacked and inflicted heavy casualties on
the 3000-man FANK defenders in the first two days of fighting. USAF tactical air strikes helped
to slow the communists offensive.
To relief the enemy pressure, FANK began to reinforce Kompong Thom
on Dec. 19 with 12th Brigade troops from Siem Reap. The communists made another drive
on Dec. 23-24 but the attack was driven off by a strong defense with major
assistance from USAF strikes.
And on Dec. 27, FANK shifted to the counterattack that succeeded in
expanding Kompong Thom perimeter.
1973
Chronology Of Cambodia History
Abbreviations
on this page
Jan. 3, 1973
US Rep. Kock introduces H.R.713
Jan. 18, 1973
US Rep. Gude introduces H.R.
2325
Jan. 6, 1973
PNLAFK conducted its first significant action without direct
Vietnamese Communist participation.
Jan. 24,
1973
Prince Sihanouk meets with Chinese PM Zhou Enlai in
Beijing. The Prince is told:
" According to what the Vietnamese side told our ambassador in
Hanoi, the armistice in Vietnam does not cover Cambodia and Laos. This was
Point 7 in the original nine-point agreement. But this time the agreement
makes it clear that the problems of the three Indochina countries should
be solved by the three countries themselves. This point was not included
in the previous drafts, and is added this time. If this is true, the
agreement is better than the previous one. This means that other countries
cannot interfere with the affairs of the three countries." [25]
Jan. 27, 1973
Paris Agreement signed to bring peace to Southeast Asia. Article
20 of the Agreement deals with the withdrawal of foreign troops from
Cambodia.
Jan. 29, 1973
Phnom Penh govt. declared
unilateral cease-fire. In his
radio message, Lon Nol asked that the VC/NVA lay down their arms and the
Khmer communist forces to rejoin their national community with a guarantee
of general amnesty. FANK
suspended offensive operations against the communists.
Feb. 1,
1973
US vice pres., Spiro Agnew, visited Cambodia.
Penn Nouth meets with Zhou Enlai in Beijing; Nouth is told
Chairman Mao said: "It is good that the
Vietnamese-American agreement lets the American troops leave Vietnam. This
agreement is a success. After the withdrawal of American troops, including
American naval, air, and land forces, and after the withdrawal of American
military bases, it is easy to deal with Nguyen Van Thieu. The troops of
the allies [of the Saigon regime] will all leave. For example, the troops
of South Korea have begun to leave. Why does the United States do this?
For the purpose of getting out. It has dispatched so many troops to
Indochina, and spent so much money there, and the problem has not been
solved. And new problems emerge continuously. Finally the agreement has
been reached. While the American troops will leave, the agreement does not
formally and openly ask the North Vietnamese troops to leave. Nguyen Van
Thieu made a really loud noise against the United States. It was because
of Nguyen Van Thieu's opposition that the agreement was not signed last
October. Of course, the rightists in the United States do not favor the
agreement either. In addition, the Pentagon wants to ship ammunition and
weapons to South Vietnam, and, with the signing of the agreement, the
shipping will become impossible. Therefore, the signing of the agreement
was delayed, and a large amount of ammunition was transported to South
Vietnam. But Nguyen Van Thieu was not in a position to know how to use it.
[North] Vietnam does not recognize its troops to be foreign troops. At
this point, the United States made concessions. If there had not been
victories on the battlefield, there would not have been gains at the
negotiation table." [25]
Feb. 7, 1973
US air action recommenced after 11-day halt.
North Vietnam and Prince Sihanouk's govt. issued a joint
communiqué, insisting that the war would be continued in
Cambodia.
Feb. 27,
1973
Khmer Republic and World Health Organization signed a
basic agreement
for the provision of technical assistance.
March 17,
1973
Grenade was thrown into meeting of striking teachers
and their students in Phnom Penh.
Assassination attempted against
Lon Nol: a Khmer air force Captain So Potra hijacked a T-28D
fighter-bomber from Pochentong and dropped two 250-pound bombs on Chamcar
Mon Palace in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the Khmer Republic
pres..
March 25, 1973
Assassination attempt against
leading Lon Nol opponent Tep Khunnah.
April 4, 1973
US Rep McCloskey introduces H.J.RES.
486 a joint resolution to terminate American military activities in
Cambodian and Laos.
April 5, 1973
US Senate
investigators arrived in Phnom Penh.
April 11, 1973
Prince Sihanouk returned to Beijing after Hanoi stopover following
Cambodia tour.
April 24, 1973
Lon Nol created High
Political Council. The council consisted of Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, In Tam,
and Cheng Heng. In Tam was selected as Prime Minister.
April
25, 1973
Khmer Rouge advance across Mekong River from Phnom
Penh began month-long fight; US Embassy evacuation alert.
May
6, 1973
In Tam becomes Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic
(05/06/73-12/09/73).
May 10, 1973
Prince Sihanouk began his 56-day tour of
Africa and East Europe.
US House of Representative voted, 219-188,
to block the use of funds for continue bombing of Cambodia. This was the
first time in the war that the House had voted to undercut a military
action on which the Pres. insists.
May 30, 1973
Mass
release of royal family members arrested after March 17 assassination
attempt.
June 3-4, 1973
European news agencies
reported that Prince Sihanouk has attempted to make contact with Pres.
Nixon through third countries, but that his overtures had been rejected.
The State Department confirmed these accounts.
June 5,
1973
Zhou Enlai meets with Vietnamese communist
delegation; the PRC Premier is informed that the Khmer communist is making
much progress against Lon Nol. [Conversation]
June 13, 1973
Sosthene Fernandez became FANK commander-in-chief.
June
14, 1973
Le Duc Tho, Hanoi's negotiator, told the press that
"no tacit agreement" exists between him and Henry Kissinger on
Cambodia.
06/25/73
US Rep. Mahon introduces H.J.RES.
636 a joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal
year 1974 for Cambodia, among others.
June 30, 1973
US Pres. Richard Nixon signed PL 93-52,
setting Aug. 15 cutoff of all US military action in
Indochina.
July 16, 1973
Khmer Republic govt.
instituted compulsory military service.
July 17, 1973
Defense Dept. sources acknowledged that US B-52 bombers had
carried out at least 3500 secret bombing raids over Cambodia in a 14-month
period beginning in March 1969.
July 19-21,
1973
A "National Congress" of the Cambodian resistance
movement, held in the "liberated zone," decided that there will be no
peace until all US military activities in Cambodia are ended and Lon Nol
was replaced by leaders from Prince Sihanouk's govt..
July 25,
1973
The US State Dept. claimed that Prince Sihanouk had
authorized the bombing in 1969 to expel North Vietnamese and Vietcong
forces from Cambodia.
Khmer Republic and United States signed, in Phnom
Penh, an agreement
for sales of agricultural commodities.
US Congressman Harrington introduced resolution H.RES.508
directing the Secretary of Defense to furnish the House of Representatives
with data concerning the extent of the bombing of Cambodia and Laos from
Jan. 20, 1969 through April 30, 1970.
Aug. 7, 1973
US Air Force accidentally bombed Neak Luong killing 137 and
wounding 268, mostly Cambodian soldiers and their families. An US Air
Force officer blamed the incident on an error by the plane's
radar-navigator.
Aug. 15, 1973
US announced
officially the end of all its aerial operations in support of Cambodian
army (FANK) against the communists.
Aug. 16,
1973
Battle for Kompong Cham province, Cambodia's third
largest city, begins.
Pham Van Dong, in a meeting with Zhou Enlai in
Beijing, is told: "The Americans told comrade Huang Chen that they
want to solve the Cambodian question and that they were ready to talk with
Sihanouk or with his representative. At the same time, they want
representatives of the United National Front in Cambodia to hold talks with Lon
Nol's faction. What we are
concerned about is that Sihanouk will change his position. We cannot
change the joint position adopted by the Indochinese countries' summit. As
long as the US continues its bombing operation, talks cannot be held. But
at this moment, the US wishes to withdraw from Cambodia. If we can win the
sympathy of some people in Lon Nol's faction, we will be in an
advantageous position. It is therefore unwise if these chances are not
exploited." [25]
Sept. 4, 1973
US Ambassador Swank
gave farewell press conference.
Oct. 4, 1973
Kompong Cham battle ended in FANK victory.
Oct. 8,
1973
Zhou Enlai meets with Le Thanh Nghi who is advised to
be consistent in negotiation with the US that communist system will not be
imposed in South Vietnam after the US withdrawal; however, the neocolonial
system will not be maintained there.
On Cambodia, Zhou says: "Negotiations in Cambodia are not suitable
for the time being. Sihanouk is against negotiations. So is the internal faction of
FUNK. They want to prolong
the fighting for some more time.
Therefore, if you see any possibility for talks, please tell
them. We are not in a
position to do so because we have talked with them a lot about fighting
and encouraged them to fight.
We suggest that the Vietnamese Workers' Party find a suitable more
to tell them." [25]
Oct. 25-30, 1973
Operation Thunder Strike launched, first
major Khmer air offensive.
Nov. 3, 1973
Royal
family members left Phnom Penh for Beijing.
Nov. 5, 1973
US Senate passes a resolution H.CON.RES.373
authorizing the Clerk of the House of Representative to make correction in
the enrollment of the bill (H.R. 9286) ………by adding the following
provision: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon enactment of
this Act, no funds heretofore or hereafter appropriated may be obligated
or expended to finance the involvement of United States military forces in
hostilities in or over or from off the shores of North Vietnam, South
Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia unless specifically authorized hereafter by the
Congress.
Nov. 9, 1973
Prince Sihanouk
announced transfer of RGNUK (Royal Government of National Union of
Kampuchea) from Beijing, China, to Cambodia.
Nov. 19, 1973
A Khmer air force lieutenant, Pech Lim Kuon, dropped four bombs on
a govt. building, where Lon Nol about to chair a meeting, in a second
unsuccessful aerial assassination attempts against the Khmer Republic
pres.. Lon Nol escaped unhurt.
Dec. 11,
1973
US House of Representatives passes resolution H.RES.742
considering the emergency security assistance authorizations for Israel
and Cambodia.
Dec. 23, 1973
PNLAFK began its
two-month assaults on Phnom Penh with intensive bombardment.
Dec. 26,
1973
Long Boret becomes Prime Minister of the Khmer
Republic (12/26/73-04/17/75).
Dec. 30,
1973
Lon Nol visited his troops along Route
4.
1974
Chronology Of Cambodia History
Abbreviations
on this page
Jan. 5-7, 1974
Khmer Rouge
opened 1974 dry-season offensive with attack on the northwest perimeter of
Phnom Penh. An estimated two
communist regiments attacked northwest sector, approximately 5-6 km from
Phnom Penh, with 105-mm artillery bombardment. FANK reacted on the morning of
Jan. 6 by committing the 28th Brigade support by two M-113
squadrons. Heavy fighting
ensued on Jan. 6-7; 100 communists were killed.
Assassination
attempted against Gen. Sosthene Fernandez on Jan.6.
Jan. 9,
1974
Former Prime Minister Son Sann (a centralist) formally
asked Pres. Lon Nol to step down, as the war was moving closer to the
capital.
Jan. 19,
1974
Khmer Rouge attacked southwestern defense sector,
causing the FANK 334th Battalion to withdraw in disarray
without any orders.
Feb. 11, 1974
Khmer Rouge shelled Phnom Penh
area with 105-mm howitzer, causing civilian casualties of over 200 killed
and wounded with some 10,000 became homeless.
Feb. 26, 1974
PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge) began assault on Kompot.
March 3,
1974
PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge) began assault on Oudong.
March 6, 1974
New Khmer army draft drive began.
March 8, 1974
Mass pro-Sihanouk, anti-Pol Pot Khmer Rouge defected to govt.
side.
March 28,
1974
GRUNK Deputy Prime Minister and PNLAFK Commander Khieu
Samphan began his 77-days Asia-East Europe-Africa tour.
PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge) captured Oudong, killing
previously wounded FANK soldiers.
Several FANK soldiers killed their families and themselves to avoid
being captured.
March 31, 1974
New US ambassador,
John G. Dean, arrived in Phnom Penh.
Lon Nol dissolved High
Political Council upon resumption of two-chamber parliament.
April 1, 1974
The High Political Council that
dissolved a day earlier was replaced by a four-man executive council,
which conspired of Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, Long Boret and Gen. Fernandez.
April 3, 1974
John Dean presented his letters of
credential as American ambassador to Cambodia.
April 21,
1974
PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge) overrun key FANK positions along
the Tonle Sap River bank, encircling Kompong Luong garrison which was
abandoned a week later. The
garrison approximately 15000 civilians and 2000 military personnel moved
into Lonvaek garrison.
April 30, 1974
PNLAFK (Khmer
Rouge) began siege of Lonvaek garrison.
April 10,
1974
The Western Kampot defense perimeter collapsed,
making the PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge) within 1.5 kms from the heart of the
city.
April 29,
1974
PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge) shelled Takhmau killing 9 and
wounding 37 civilians.
April 30, 1974
FANK
counterattack was able to push the west perimeter out 2.5 km from Kampot
city center and re-captured Kbal Romeas.
May 14, 1974
Khmer Republic and United States of America exchanged notes, in
Phnom Penh, constituting an agreement relating to military assistance. [Notes
13800]
May 20, 1974
PNLAFK attacked Kompong
Seila, beginning war's longest sustained siege.
May 26,
1974
People's Republic of China announced its open-end
military agreement with Khmer Rouge.
May 28, 1974
Khmer navy reopened Tonle Sap River.
June 5, 1974
Minister of National Education Keo Sangkim and his deputy, Thach
Chea, were kidnapped from their offices by protesting students. Both
officials are killed.
June 12, 1974
Lonvaek
garrison broke the Khmer Rouge’s siege.
June 13, 1974
Khieu Samphan received head of state treatment from PRC at the end
of his three-continent tour.
June 29, 1974
FANK
recaptured Oudong.
June 30, 1974
US supply of
materiel to Khmer air force ended.
July 2,
1974
US notified UN of its objection to, among others, the
Khmer Republic reservations concerning Vienna Convention On Diplomatic
Relations. [7310]
July 9,
1974
Lon Nol govt. made another appeal to the Khmer
communist to commence peace talks without pre-conditions.
July
30, 1974
The Judiciary Committee approved Article III, which
charges the Pres. with contempt of Congress; it voted down Article IV,
which accused the Pres. of waging secret illegal war in Cambodia.
Aug. 9, 1974
US Pres. Richard Nixon
resigned.
Aug. 10,
1974
Khmer Republic and United States signed an agreement
for sales of agricultural commodities. [Subsequent
agreement]
Aug. 15,
1974
The Khmer Republic celebrated for the first and last
time the Armed Forces Day.
Lon Nol made another appeal for the Khmer communist to enter peace
talk.
Aug. 21, 1974
FANK initiated offensive for
control of Bassac River southeast of Phnom Penh.
Sept. 17,
1974
Khmer Republic and United States exchanges notes
amending the agreement of Aug. 10, 1974 relating to the sales of
agricultural commodities. [Notes
14504]
Oct. 7, 1974
Regular US military
non-combat air activity in Cambodia ceased.
Oct. 9,
1974
The 4th anniversary of the Khmer
Republic. Lon Nol made
another appeal for the Khmer communist to enter peace talk.
Oct. 25,
1974
Khmer Republic and United States exchanges notes
amending the agreement of Aug. 10, 1974 relating to the sales of
agricultural commodities. [Note
14504]
Nov. 10, 1974
PNLAFK (Khmer Rouge)
launched two weeks of major attacks against Phnom Penh's northern
defenses.
Nov. 30,
1974
U.N. General Assembly voted in favor of the Khmer
Republic to maintain the seat in the world body and asked various parties
in the Cambodia conflict to enter into negotiations. Lon Nol made another appeal for
the Khmer communist to enter peace talk; the Khmer communist never respond
favorable to previous appeals.
Dec. 16, 1974
Pres.
Ford met with French Pres. Giscard d'Estaing in Martinique; the final
communiqué stated "regarding Cambodia, they expressed the hope that the
contending parties would enter into negotiations in the near future rather
than continuing the military struggle."
Dec. 18, 1974
US Foreign Assistance Act limits aid to Cambodia.
Dec. 27,
1974
Khmer Republic, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland
exchanged notes constituting an agreement concerning an interest-free loan
by the Govt. of Great Britain to the Govt. of the Khmer Republic towards
the cost of the Prek Thnot power and irrigation Development Project. [Original
agreement 14300]
Dec. 24,
1974
FANK launched BASSAC RIVER OPERATION to clear the
west bank of the Bassac River.
Dec. 31, 1974
FANK
terminated BASSAC RIVER OPERATION.
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