Chronology of Cambodian History, 1945-1949
Month/Day/Year
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]
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