Chronology of Cambodian History, 1940-1949

Month/Day/Year 

1940 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Aug. 30, 1940

Franco-Japanese Treaty.

Sept. 4, 1940

U.S. Secretary of State Hull warns the Japanese government that aggressive moves against Indochina would have an unfortunate effect upon opinion in the United States.

Sept. 17, 1940

Thailand demands France to return Cambodia and a large part of Laos.

Sept. 26, 1940

Japanese forces begin their occupation of Indochina.  Earlier, the French Vichy government conceded the use of three airfields and several ports in Indochina to the Japanese. The United States had placed an embargo on the export of iron and steel scrap after Oct.15 to countries outside the Western Hemisphere except Great Britain.

Dec. 1, 1940

Thai attack the French in Cambodia; French troops are defeated.

1941 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Jan. 1, 1941

French navy defeats Thai navy at Koh Chhang.

Jan. 10, 1941

Taking advantage of the French defeats in Europe, Thai attacks French positions in Laos and Cambodia, gaining control over most of Cambodia's Northwestern.

Jan. 31, 1941

Under Japanese auspices, an armistice is arranged to end hostilities which had broken out between Thailand and French in Indochina. The Japanese obtain rice, rubber, coal, and minerals from Indochina, and confirm their military occupation.

March 11, 1941

France and Thailand conclude a treaty, signed in Tokyo on May 9, whereby Thailand acquires the section of Laos province west of the Mekong River, three-fourths of the Kampong-Thom province, and territory in northern Cambodia.

April 23, 1941

King Sisowath Monivong dies; his nineteen-year-old grandson, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, is chosen to succeed the late King.

April 25, 1941

Prince Sihanouk is crowned king of Cambodia. [2]

Dec. 29, 1941

Jean de Lens, interim Resident Superieur.

1942 Chronology Of Cambodia History

July 18, 1942

Two monks, Achar Hem Chieu and Nuon Duong, are arrested on charge of inciting violence against the French.

July 20, 1942

Anti-French demonstration in Phnom Penh.  Son Ngoc Thanh and Pach Chhoeun organize an anti-French demonstration in Phnom Penh that involve over five hundred monks and as many civilians.  Led by Chhoeun, the group marches to the office of the French chief administrator, where Chhoeun presents a petition to the French authorities calling for the immediate release of two monks, Achar Hem Chieu and Nuon Duong.  The French refuse the petition, which enrage demonstrators who break into the chief office, attaching French officials and smashing furniture.  As the result, Chhoeun is arrested and jailed at Kok Poulo Condor.  Thanh goes into hiding and soon escapes to Battambang, where he seeks and is granted asylum to live in Japan where he spends the last two years of the war in Tokyo. [3][24]

Dec. 19, 1942

Achar Hem Chieu and Nuon Duong are condemned to death; later their sentences are commuted to life imprisonment and sent to Koh Poulo Condor, where they meet with many of Vietnamese communists such as Pham Van Dong.

Dec. 26, 1942

Son Ngoc Thanh arrives in Tokyo.

1943 Chronology Of Cambodia History

March 2, 1943

Goerges Armand Leon Gauthier, Resident Superieur.

OTHER EVENTS HAPPENED IN 1943

Princess Bopha Devi is born.

1944 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Jan. 2, 1944

Prince Norodom Ranariddh is born.

OTHER EVENTS HAPPENED IN 1944

Excavation begins at Angkor Thom (The Great City).

1945 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Feb. 7, 1945

US aircraft bombs Phnom Penh; Unalom pagoda is hit, injuring 20 people.

March 9-12, 1945

Cambodia declares independence. On March 9, the Japanese stage a coup de force throughout Indochina, imprisoning French officials, military personnel, and interning other French citizens.  Soon after, the Japanese ask the rulers of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to declare independence.  King Sihanouk complies on March 12.

March 18, 1945

King Sihanouk becomes Prime Minister (03/18/45-08/13/45).

May 30, 1945

Son Ngoc Thanh returns from exile in Japan to serve as Cambodian Foreign Minister.

July 18, 1945

Annam emperor Bao Dai declares independence.

Aug. 14, 1945

Son Ngoc Thanh becomes Prime Minister (08/14/45-10/16/45).

Aug. 14, 1945

Japan capitulates.  Emperor Hirohito of Japan announces unconditional surrender of the second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki on Aug. 9.  The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6. [Oxford Companion to WW II p.1336-1337]

Oct. 8 1945

British troops enter Phnom Penh and disarm Japanese forces.  French military units filter back into Cambodia and gradually reassert their control of the colony.

Oct. 15, 1945

French Gen. Leclerc arrives in Phnom Penh from Saigon and arrests Prime Minister Son Ngoc Thanh, who is accused of being a traitor.

Oct. 17, 1945

Prince Sisowath Monireth becomes Prime Minister (10/17/45-12/15/46).

1946 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Jan. 1, 1946

The Cambodian School for Officers is established.

Jan. 7, 1946

Cambodia is granted autonomy (Modus Vivendi).  France recognizes Cambodia as an autonomous kingdom within the French Union, permitting Cambodians to draft a constitution and form political parties.

May 31, 1946

Electoral law is promulgated to allow the election of a Consultative Assembly, which would approve a draft constitution.

Sept. 1946

Election for a 67-seat Constituent Assembly is held.  The Assembly is to approve a draft constitution, which had been formulated by a joint Franco-Khmer commission. The Democratic Party, led by Prince Sisowath Yuthevong, wins 55 seats; the French-sponsored Liberals Party win 14 seats and 3 seats are won by independents.

Dec. 15, 1946

Prince Sisowath Yuthevong becomes Prime Minister (12/15/46-07/17/47).

OTHER EVENTS HAPPENED IN 1946

Former Prime Minister Son Ngoc Thanh, arrested on charges of treason, is tried in Saigon and then exiled to France.

Thailand returns to Cambodia the two provinces, Battambang and Siem Reap, which were retaken at the start of WWII.

The first Indochina War begins.

1947 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Jan. 1, 1947

French troops suppress Khmer rebellion.

May 6, 1947

Cambodia's first constitution is promulgated.

July 1947

Prince Sisowath Yuthevong, leader of the Democrat party, died.

July 25, 1947

Prince Sisowath Watchayavong becomes Prime Minister (07/25/47-02/20/48).

Dec. 1947

The first election is held for National Assembly under a new constitution, which had been promulgated in May. Again, the Democrats gained a majority by winning 55 of 75 seats.  Mr. Chheam Van becomes Prime Minister.

1948 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Jan. 1, 1948

The Excise Office is transferred from the French to the Royal Government of Cambodia.

Feb. 20, 1948

Chheam Van becomes Prime Minister (02/20/48-08/14/48).

Aug. 1948

Chheam Van's government collapses.

Aug. 15, 1948

Penn Nouth becomes Prime Minister (08/15/48-01/21/49)

Dec. 9, 1948

UN General Assembly adopts a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

1949 Chronology Of Cambodia History

Feb. 12, 1949

Penn Nouth resigns his premiership; he is replaced by Yem Sambaur (Prime Minister 02/12/49-09/20/49).

March 10, 1949

Sam Rainsy is born.

Aug. 1949

Saloth Sar/Pol Pot leave Phnom Penh for France to study. He is going on a government scholarship. [3]

Sept. 1949

King Norodom Sihanouk dissolves the National Assembly.

Sept. 20, 1949

Ieu Koeus becomes Prime Minister (09/20/49-09/29/49).

Sept. 29, 1949

Yem Sambaur becomes Prime Minister (09/29/49-04/28/50).

Nov. 8, 1949

Franco-Cambodian Treaty is signed in Paris between the High representatives of France and Cambodia. [Text of the treaty]