Vietnam: A Television History (1983–…): Season 1, Episode 9 - Cambodia and Laos - full transcript

SIX MONTHS

AFTER COMMUNIST VIETNAM
HAD INVADED

COMMUNIST CAMBODIA

OUSTING ITS RULERS,
THE KHMER ROUGE.

PHNOM PENH,
FOUR YEARS AFTER

THE COMMUNIST KHMER ROUGE
HAD DEFEATED

AN AMERICAN-BACKED GOVERNMENT--

FOUR YEARS OF TERROR
THAT FOLLOWED FIVE YEARS OF WAR.

ON THE DAY OF VICTORY,
THE KHMER ROUGE BEGAN

TO EMPTY ALL OF CAMBODIA'S
CITIES AND TOWNS

AT GUNPOINT.



THEY WENT ON
TO STARVE OR SLAUGHTER

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS--
PERHAPS TWO MILLION CAMBODIANS.

NOBODY KNOWS.

CAPTIONING OF THIS PROGRAM
IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART

BY THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

AND PUBLIC TELEVISION STATIONS.

NARRATOR:
THE GENEVA CONFERENCE OF 1954

HAD GUARANTEED THE NEUTRALITY
OF CAMBODIA AND LAOS.

BUT NEITHER COUNTRY
COULD PREVENT

THE WAR
IN NEIGHBORING VIETNAM

FROM SPILLING ACROSS
ITS BORDERS.

THE NEUTRALIST GOVERNMENT
IN LAOS

CLED MEMBERS
OF THE PRO-COMMUNIST PATHET LAO.

THE PATHET LAO WERE SUPPORTED
BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE



WHO MOVED SUPPLIES
THROUGH EASTERN LAOS

TO THE VIET CONG
FIGHTING IN SOUTH VIETNAM.

THE UNITED STATES BACKED

THE ANTI-COMMUNIST FORCES
IN LAOS.

ANNOUNCER:
HERE NOW IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

MY FELLOW AMERICANS,
LAOS IS FAR AWAY FROM AMERICA

BUT THE WORLD IS SMALL.

ITS TWO MILLION PEOPLE

LIVE IN A COUNTRY

THREE TIMES THE SIZE

OF AUSTRIA.

THE SECURITY
OF ALL SOUTHEAST ASIA

WILL BE ENDANGERED

IF LAOS LOSES
ITS NEUTRAL INDEPENDENCE.

ITS OWN SAFETY RUNS
WITH THE SAFETY OF US ALL.

ALL WE WANT IN LAOS
IS PEACE--NOT WAR.

NARRATOR:
TO BACK UP

KENNEDY'S WORDS
OF SUPPORT FOR LAOS

HIS ADMINISTRATION
SECRETLY ORGANIZED

THE LARGEST OF THE HILL TRIBES--
THE MEO, OR HMONG.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW

THAT IN '61 AND '62

THERE WERE TEAMS

OF U.S. SPECIAL FORCES

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LAOS

WHO WERE TRAINING
AND EQUIPPING AND LEADING

THE MEO GUERRILLA FORCES

AGAINST THE PATHET LAO.

NARRATOR:
LATER, THE CIA TOOK CHARGE

OFTEN USING ITS AIRLINE--
AIR AMERICA--

AS COVER.

I WAS WORKING FOR AN AIRLINE

THE WHOLE TIME I WAS THERE,
BASICALLY.

THAT WAS MY COVER--

THIN THOUGH IT WAS.

EVERYBODY KNEW

EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING.

BUT IF I WERE KILLED

MY IDENTIFICATION WAS
AS AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE.

NARRATOR:
LIKE THE SOVIET UNION

AMERICA SUPPLIED
ITS ALLIES--

IN THE CASE OF THE HMONG,
COVERTLY.

NOW, IT OBVIOUSLY
WOULDN'T HAVE DONE

TO PUBLICIZE
IN THE WASHINGTON POST,
FOR EXAMPLE

THAT WE HAD JUST LOST
THREE AIRCRAFT IN LAOS

BECAUSE OF
ENEMY GROUND FIRE.

BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED
TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ANY INCIDENT WAS CALLED
"AIRCRAFT MALFUNCTION"

OR "INCLEMENT WEATHER."

AND SO THE FAMILIES
OF SURVIVORS

WOULD SIMPLY BE TOLD
THAT

"UNFORTUNATELY,
YOUR HUSBAND OR YOUR SON
WAS KILLED

IN A CRASH
IN THE MOUNTAINS IN LAOS."

NARRATOR:
IN 1961

LAOS WAS THE MAJOR
SOUTHEAST ASIA CRISIS.

BUT NOBODY WANTED TO FIGHT--
LEAST OF ALL, THE BIG POWERS.

AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
IN 1962

THEY PATCHED TOGETHER
ANOTHER NEUTRALIST GOVERNMENT

GIVING THE PRO-COMMUNIST
PATHET LAO

MORE PROMINENCE.

BUT DESPITE EARLY OPTIMISM,
LAOS WAS STILL DIVIDED

AND AS THE WAR
IN NEIGHBORING VIETNAM
ESCALATED

THE FRAGILE COALITION
FELL APART.

IN MARCH, 1964--

FIVE MONTHS BEFORE
THE FIRST AMERICAN BOMBING RAID
ON NORTH VIETNAM

THE UNITED STATES ORGANIZED
A SECRET BOMBING CAMPAIGN

IN LAOS.

USING UNMARKED PLANES

THEY MAINLY ATTACKED
THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL--

THE INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT
COMMUNIST SUPPLY ROUTE

FROM NORTH TO SOUTH VIETNAM.

THE AIR WAR INTENSIFIED,
HITTING LAOTIAN VILLAGES

AND DRIVING A MILLION PEASANTS
FROM THEIR HOMES.

FOR EIGHT YEARS

LAOS WAS THE MOST BOMBED COUNTRY
IN THE WORLD.

THE PATHET LAO FORCES
GREW.

EQUIPPED WITH HEAVIER WEAPONS
BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE

THEIR GUERRI

AGAINST THEIR PRINCIPAL ENEMY--
THE HMONG.

WHEN THE WHOLE CONTEXT
OF THE WAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
CHANGED--

AND IT BECAME EXPEDIENT,
PERHAPS

FOR THE AMERICANS
TO PUSH THE HMONG

INTO SOMETHING OTHER THAN THEIR
TRADITIONAL WAY OF FIGHTING--

WAS WHEN
WE SOLD THEM DOWN THE RIVER.

NARRATOR:
THE UNITED STATES SPENT

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
ON

THE HMONG ARMY,
SUFFERING HEAVY CASUALTIES

RECRUITED CHILDREN.

WHAT SORT
OF GUN IS THAT

THAT HE'S
CARRYING?

HE SAY CAN DO TWO THINGS--

AUTOMATICALLY
AND SEMI-AUTOMATIC.

HOW OLD
IS HE?

10 YEARS OLD.

NARRATOR:
IN VIENTIANE--

THE LAOTIAN CAPITAL--

THE MOUNTAIN WAR SEEMED
FAR AWAY.

THERE WERE NO
AMERICAN COMBAT SOLDIERSAO

ONLY OFFICIALS,
AID WORKERS

MILITARY ADVISERS
AND CIA AGENTS.

NO TROOPS.

YET AMERICAN SPENDING
WAS 10 TIMES BIGGER

THAN
THE LAOTIAN NATIONAL BUDGET.

WILLIAM COLBY:
WE PROVIDED THE LOGISTICS,
THE AIR SUPPORT

WHILE THE NORTH VIETNAMESE

FORCES GREW

FROM 7,000 TO 70,000.

THESE TRIBAL FORCES,
UP IN THE COUNTRY

THAT WERE SUPPORTED BY CIA--

NOT THE ROYAL LAO ARMY

WHICH STAYED RIGHT DOWN
IN THE COMFORTABLE VALLEY--

HELD THAT INCREASED FORCE OFF
FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.

NOW, I THINK
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD RECORD.

NARRATOR:
AMMUNITION WAS PLENTIFUL

BUT THE HMONG WERE RUNNING OUT
OF SOLDIERS.

THE UNITED STATES
COVERTLY IMPORTED AND PAID FOR
8,000 THAIS

TO FIGHT IN LAOS.

IN EARLY 1973

CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENTS
WERE REACHED

IN VIETNAM AND IN LAOS.

TWO YEARS LATER

THE COMMUNIST PATHET LAO
TOOK OVER.

10 YEARS AFTER
THE 1954 GENEVA AGREEMENTS

NEIGHBORING CAMBODIA
WAS STILL AT PEACE.

CAMBODIA'S
ANCIANDE

WAS CARVED
IN THE STONES OF ANGKOR--

ONCE THE CENTER OF AN EMPIRE
SOUTHEAST ASIA.

HINDU GOD-KINGS
HAD RULED A POWERFUL STATE

CONSTANTLY AT WAR
WITH ITS NEIGHBORS.

IN THE 15th CENTURY,
THE EMPIRE COLLAPSED.

ANGKOR WAS OVERRUN

AND ABANDONED
FOR MORE THAN 400 YEARS.

THE LAST KING OF CAMBODIA
WAS CREMATED.

HIS SON:
PRINCE NORODOM SIHANOUK.

SIHANOUK HAD BEEN PUT
ON THE THRONE

BY COLONIAL FRANCE.

AFTER INDEPENDENCE

HE ABDICATED
IN FAVOR OF HIS FATHER

ER TO PLAYPENDENCE
A MORE DIRECT POLITICAL ROLE.

SIHANOUK REMAINED
CHIEF OF STATE

AND SKILTOULLY MANEUVERED

CAMBODIAN FOLK DANCERS
CELEBRATED

THE COUNTRY'S ABUNDANCE
OF RICE AND FISH.

NEARLY 90% OF ALL PEASANTS
OWNED THEIR LAND..ACE.

TO CAMBODIA'S PEASANTS,
SIHANOUK WAS ALMOST DIVINE.

MANY BELIEVED

THAT HE WAS EVEN RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE SUCCESS OF THEIR CROPS.

SIHANOUK RELIED ON THEM--

RATHER THAN
ON THE URBAN POPULATION--

T.

BUT SIHANOUK'S PRESTIGE
AND POPULARITY

COULD NOT CHANGE
CAMBODIA'S GEOGRAPHY.

IN 1963,
SIHANOUK ORGANIZED DENUNCIATIONS

OF AMERICA'S GROWING INVOLVEMENT
IN VIETNAM.

HE FEARED

THAT THE WAR WOULD SPREAD
ACROSS HIS BORDERS

AS SOUTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS
PURSUED THE VIET CONG

HE WAS WILLING TO BEFRIEND
ANY COUNTRY OR LEADER

THAT HE THOUGHT MIGHT ASSURE
CAMBODIA'S SURVIVAL.

HE FORMED A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
LEADERS OF NON-ALIGNED NATIONSUD

LIKE INDONESIA'S
PRESIDENT SUKARNO.

HE STRENGTHENED HIS TIES

WITH FRANCE'S PRESIDENT,
CHARLES DE GAULLE.

HE ALSO WROTE,
DIRECTED AND S

RE FILMS--

ALL OF THEM
GLORIFYING CAMBODIA.

IN 1966

CAMBODIA CONTINUED
ITS CAREFREE FESTIVITIES

DESPITE GROWING DANGERS
WITHIN THE COUNTRY

AND ALONG ITS BORDERS.

SIHANOUK HAD BROKEN RELATIONS
WITH AMERICA.

HIS OFFICEWERE BECOMING.

THEY NO LONGER RECEIVED
AMERICAN MILITARY AID.

SIHANOUK WAS ALSO BEGINNING
TO FACE TROUBLE

WHERE SMALL GROUPS
OF CAMBODIAN COMMUNISTS--

THE KHMER ROUGE--

WERE RECRUITING
SOME DISCONTENTED PEASANTS.

SIHANOUK CONTINUED TO

IN 1967

HE INVITED JACQUELINE KENNEDY
TO CAMBODIA

HOPING TO DRAW
AMERICS ATTE

TO HIS DILEMMA.

SIHANOUK WAS CONCERNED

BY
THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST BUILDUP

IN THE SANCTUARIES.

AND HE FEARED

A LARGE-SCALE U.S. ATTACK
ACROSS HIS BORDERS.

AS A COUNTERBALANCE
TO THIS VISIT

HE DENOUNCED
AMERICA'S VIETNAM POLICY.

IT WOULD BE IMMORAL
TO SUPPORT YOUR AGGRESSION--

THE AGGRESSION
OF THE UNITED STATES

AGAINST THE PEOPLE
OF VIETNAM.

WE WANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT

TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE RIGHT
TO BE UNITED--

TO BE FREE--

AND HOW COULD WE DENY
TO VIETNAM

THE RIGHT
TO SELF-DETERMINATION?

NARRATOR:
PURSUING THEIR ENEMY

AMERICAN AND SOUTH VIETNAMESE
AIRCRAFT

OFTEN ATTACKED
ACROSS THE CAMBODIAN BORDER.

SIHANOUK CRITICIZED
SECRETARY OF STATE DEAN RUSK

WHO WAS THEN TRYING
TO REPAIR RELATIONS.

THERE IS A CONTRADICTION

BETWEEN THE DECLARATION
OF FRIENDSHIP AND RESPECT

FROM MR. DEAN RUSK,
ON ONE HAND

AND ON THE OTHER HAND

YOUR FORCES IN SOUTH VIETNAM
CONTINUE TO COME INTO CAMBODIA

AND TO KILL OUR PEASANTS
AND INNOCENT CIVILIAN SERVANTS.

NARRATOR:
IN 1969

NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT NIXON
LAUNCHED

SECRET B-52 BOMBING RAIDS
OVER CAMBODIA

AGAINST NORTH VIETNAMESE
AND VIET CONG SANCTUARIES

DRIVING THEM FURTHER
INTO THE COUNTRY.

NIXON NEITHER INFORMED SIHANOUK
NOR SOUGHT HIS APPROVAL.

WE HAD MANY INDIRECT EVIDENCES

OF SIHANOUK'S ACQUIESCENCE

IN THE BOMBING.

REPEATEDLY, WHEN HE WAS ASKED

AT PRESS CONFERENCES

HE WOULD SAY

THAT OF COURSE
HE DID NOT APPROVE ATTACKS

ON CAMBODIAN TERRITORY

BUT HE DID NOT KNOW
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN TERRITORY

OCCUPIED BY WHAT HE CALLED
THE VIET MINH.

HE INVITED NIXON
TO VISIT CAMBODIA

WHILE THE BOMBING WAS GOING ON.

HE RE-ESTABLISHED
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH US.

I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING

ABOUT THE BOMBING

WHEN I WENT TO CAMBODIA.

I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT

UNTIL AFTER IT BROKE
IN THE NEWSPAPERS.

I WAS NEVER BRIEFED
ON WHAT WAS GOING ON.

I WAS AWARE OF THE BOMBING,
BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN CAMBODIA

BECAUSE IN MY HOUSE
AT NIGHT

THE WHOLE HOUSE SHOOK
FROM THE LOAD OF BOMBS--

I ASSUMED IN VIETNAM.

BUT I SUPPOSE

MOST OF THEM WERE BEING DROPPED
IN CAMBODIA.

NARRATOR:
IN JANUARY, 1970

SIHANOUK DEPARTED
FOR A VACATION IN FRANCE--

A TRIP THAT WOULD TAKE HIM
ON TO MOSCOW AND PEKING.

HE WANTED HELP

TO CURB THE VIETNAMESE
COMMUNIST PRESENCE

WHICH WAS AROUSING
CAMBODIAN HOSTILITY.

IN MARCH

ANTI-COMMUNIST OFFICERS
UNLEASHED MOBS

AGAI CONBASSIES

IN PHNOM PENH.

I CAN SAY

THAT SOME OFFICERS
IN OUR ARMY

AND MANY DEPUTIES

AND MANY MEMBERSOF THE T
IN PHNOM PENH--

THEY WANT TO BE YOUR ALLIES

IN ORDER TO HAVE
A BOWL OF YOUR DOLLARS.

THEY DON'T THINK

ABOUT THE DESTINY AND THE FATE
OF OUR HOMELAND.

THEY DON'T MIND ABOUT IT.

THEY ARE MORE PATRIOT
FOR DOLLARS

THAN FOR CAMBODIA.

NARRATOR:
A WEEK LATER

SIHANOUK'S
ANTI-COMMUNIST OPPONENTS

OUSTED HIM

AND ISSUED ORDERS
FOR HIS EXECUTION. PRIM-

GENERAL LON NOL--

LED THE NEW GOVERNMENT

WHICH PROMPTLY RECEIVED
SECRET AMERICAN MILITARY AID.

AFTER THE COUP

THERE WAS WILD ENTHUSIASM
IN PHNOM PENH ITSELF.

ALL THE CHILDREN
FROM THE SCHOOLS

TURNED OUT AND ENLISTED
AND GOT WEAPONS

AND WENT OFF TO THE FRONT,
AND THAT KIND OF THING.

IT WAS RNARRATOR:SIASM.
WITHIN THREE WEEKS

THE CAMBODIAN ARMY GAINED
60,000 RECRUITS.

THEY WERE CONVINCED

THAT U.S. AID
WOULD QUICKLY HELP THEM

DRIVE THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS
OUT OF CAMBODIA.

SIHANOUK--
NOW IN CHINA--

SIDED WITH THE KHMER ROUGE--
HIS FORMER OPPONENTS.

HE BECAME CHIEF OF STATE
OF A GOVERNMENT IN EXILE.

TONG TENG:
NORODOM SIHANOUK
APPEALED FROM PEKING

OVER THE RADIO.

THERS AND SISTERS,"
HE SAID

"GO TO THE JUNGLES
AND JOIN THE GUERRILLAS."

BACK IN THAT PERIOD

NONE OF US EVEN KNEW

WHO THE GUERRILLAS WERE.

I DIDN'T K

NARRATOR:
IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

SEVERAL THOUSAND PEASANTS
WENT ON RAMPAGES

DEMANDING
SIHANOUK'S RETURN.

IN THE TOWN
OF KOMPONG CHAM

A MOB KILLED
TWO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

I SAW THE LIVERS
OF THE TWO POLITICIANS MY C.

THEN A LITTLE WHILE LATER--

AROUND 4:00 OR 5:00

IN THE AFTERNOON--

THE LIVERS OF THE TWO MEN
WERE SKEWERED AND GRILLED.

ONE CAN UNDERSTAND A LITTLE

THE BRUTALITY OF THE KHMERS,
WHO ARE A RACE OF WARRIORS.

NARRATOR:
THE NEXT DAY

LON NOL'S TROOPS SHOT AND KILLED
NEARLY 1SIHANOUK'S PORTRAIT.BOSD

AND CONTINUED TO PROTEST
IN HIS FAVOR.

THE LON NOL REGIME
WHIPPED UP HATRED

AGAINST THE VIETNAMESE.

THE VICTIMS WERE NOT
THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS

IN THE BORDER SANCTUARIES.

THE VICTIMS

WERE VIETNAMESE VILLAGERS
AND MERCHANTS

WHOSE FAMILIES
HAD LIVED IN CAMBODIA

FOR GENERATIONS.

CENTURIES OF HATRED ERUPTED

AS CAMBODIAN TROOPS
BUTCHERED VIETNAMESE.

SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY UNITS
LAUNCHED RAIDS

INTO CAMBODIA.

PREIDENT
AL

TO SEND U.S. GROUND FORCES
INTO CAMBODIA

TO WIPE OUT THE SANCTUARIES

AND THE ELUSIVE
COMMUNIST HEADQUARTERS-- COSVN.

FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS

AS INDICATED ON THIS MAP
THAT YOU SEE HERE

NORTH VIETNAM HAS OCCUPIED
MILITARY SANCTUARIES

ALL ALONG THE CAMBODIAN FRONTIER
WITH SOUTH VIETNAM.

NARRATOR:
AS NIXON SPOKE

U.S. TROOPS WERE PREPARING
TO MOVE INTO CAMBODIA.

THE DECISION TO INVADE

WAS WITHHELD
FROM THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT.

WHEN WE BEGAN
THE DETAILED PLANNING

OF THIS OPERATION

IT WAS EVIDENT TO US

THAT WE NEEDED SOME KIND

OF MAP OR AERIAL PHOTO.

SO I DISPATCHED THE G-2 DOWN
TO PICK THESE UP.

AND HE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY
IN GETTING THEM.

AND IN A FEW HOURS

HE RETURNED
WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHS

AND THEN WE FOUND OUT WHY.

THE PHOTOGRAPHS, OF COURSE,
DISCLOSED

THESE HUGE CRATERS.

THE B-52 BOMBING
HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME.

TONIGHT, AMERICAN
AND SOUTH VIETNAMESE UNITS

WILL ATTACK THE HEADQUARTERS

FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNIST
MILI SOUTH VIETNAM.

THIS KEY CONTROL CENTER
HAS BEEN OCCUPIED

FOR FIVE YEARS

IN BLATANT VIOLATION
OF CAMBODIA'S NEUTRALITY.

ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I FOUND INTERESTING WAS--

AS I LOOKED AT NIXON'S SPEECH--

WAS THE GREAT EMPHASIS
HE HAD PLACED

ON THE COSVN HEADQUARTERS--

AS A KIND OF A PENTAGON
THAT WE WERE GOING TO CAPTURE.

AND MY GUESS IS

THAT AT BEST, IT WAS A FOXHOLE
AND A COUPLE OF RADIOS.

BUT IN ANY CASE,
WE KNEW

THAT IN THE LAST 24 HOURS

IT WAS WELL OUT OF THE AREA
WE WERE GOING TO OPERATE IN.

AND SO IT WAS NEVER REALLY
AN OBJECTIVE.

NARRATOR:
MORE THAN 20,000 AMERICAN

AND 40,000
SOUTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS

INVADED CAMBODIA.

THE OPERATION, NIXON SAID,
WOULD PROTECT

AMERICAN FORCES
IN VIETNAM.

THE AMERICANS FIRST CLASHED
WITH THEIR ENEMY

AT THE CAMBODIAN TOWN OF SNOUL.

RESPONDING TO RIFLE FIRE

JETS AND TANKS POUNDED THE TOWN
FOR TWO DAYS.

THE AMERICANS WERE MEETING
WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE.

THE BODY COUNT
WAS FOUR CIVILIANS

AND THREE
VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST SOLDIERS.

MY SOLDIERS
HAVEN'T BEEN LOOTING.

THEY HAVE STRICT INSTRUCTIONS
NOT TO.

WE DESTROY OR EVACUATE
ANY WAR MATERIEL--

ANYTHING
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFIABLE

AS WAR MATERIEL
OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE NVA.

AS FAR AS CIVILIAN PROPERTY
IS CONCERNED

WE'VE BEEN LEAVING IT IN PLACE.

NARRATOR:
A U.S. SPOKESMAN SAID

THAT THE TONS
OF CAPTURED ENEMY EQUIPMENT

HAD REDUCED THE PRESSURE
ON AMERICAN TROOPS IN VIETNAM.

DOUGLAS KINNARD: WE DID DESTROY
A GOOD NUMBER OF SUPPLIES.

SO, IN THAT VERY NARROW SENSE

THE OPERATION
WAS PROBABLY A SUCCESS.

BUT OF COURSE,
ONE MUST WEIGHT THAT

VERSUS WHAT HAPPENED LATER
IN CAMBODIA

AND WHAT THE IMPACT WAS
POLITICALLY.

AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE

A RATHER SMALL PART
OF THE EQUATION.

NARRATOR:
MORE THAN 350 AMERICAN SOLDIERS

HAD DIED
DURING THE INVASION.

WITHIN 60 DAYS,
AS PROMISED

THE AMERICAN FORCES PULLED OUT
OF CAMBODIA.

NIXON CALLED THE OPERATION
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THE WAR.

THE U.S. TROOP WITHDRAWALS
FROM VIETNAM

WERE SPEEDED UP.

WHETHER NIXON
AND HIS ASSOCIATES, LIKE MYSELF,
WERE RIGHT

IN ORDERING
THE INCURSIONS INTO CAMBODIA

CAN BE DISCUSSED FOREVER.

BUT ONCE THEY HAD TAKEN PLACE,
THE ONLY WAY OUT

WAS TO PREVENT THE KHMER ROUGE
FROM TAKING OVER THE COUNTRY.

NARRATOR:
A PLAN TO SAVE AMERICAN LIVES

HAD PLUNGED CAMBODIA
INTO FULL-SCALE WAR.

AS THE WAR WIDENED

THE NORTH VIETNAMESE MOVED
INTO THE INTERIOR

HELPING THE KHMER ROUGE
TO ORGANIZE AND EXPAND.

CAMBODIA WAS NOW A BATTLEFIELD.

FINANCED BY AMERICAN MONEY

CAMBODIA'S ARMY-- FANK--
WAS NOW THE BEST PAID

IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

BUT IT WAS
INEXPERIENCED AND INEFFICIENT.

MY VIEW WAS

THAT THE CAMBODIANS WERE

CERTAINLY AN AMATEURISH ARMY

WITHOUT MUCH CAPABILITY.

NARRATOR:
SOME CAMBODIANS

HAD BEEN FIGHTING AND TRAINING
WITH THE AMERICAN SPECIAL FORCES

IN VIETNAM.

ROLL OVER.

THE PEOPLE GO FORWARD,
THEY FIRE.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!

NARRATOR:
THEY BECAME THE ELITE FORCE

IN LON NOL'S ARMY.

WE WILL YELL
AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS.

FEAR!

IT MAKES
THEIR MAN SCARED.

NARRATOR:
THE AMERICAN EMBASSY MOVED
TO BIGGER QUARTERS

AS ITS ROLE INCREASED.

NIXON WAS DETERMINED

TO KEEP AN ANTI-COMMUNIST
GOVERNMENT ALIVE IN CAMBODIA.

A NEW AMBASSADOR ARRIVED.

I HAVE

NO SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

I'M HERE

TO DEVELOP THE CONTACTS

WHICH HAVE ALREADY
BEEN ESTABLISHED.

NARRATOR:
IN OCTOBER, 1970

LON NOL ENDED

THE CENTURIES-OLD
CAMBODIAN MONARCHY

AND CREATED
THE KHMER REPUBLIC.

THE EARLY OPTIMISM
HAD CRUMBLED

AND THE ECONOMY
WAS IN A SHAMBLES.

BUT THE ARMY, WITH U.S. AID,
HAD GROWN FOUR-FOLD

TO 100,000 MEN.

LON NOL WAS STILL OPPOSED
BY PRINCE SIHANOUK--

STILL IN CHINA.

WE CAN ONLY FIGHT AND FIGHT

TILL THE AMERICANS ACCEPT
TO WITHDRAW FROM OUR COUNTRY.

AND I AM OPTIMISTIC

SO FAR AS
THE DEFEAT OF THE AMERICANS

IS CONCERNED.

IT WILL BE INEVITABLE.

NARRATOR:
ON JANUARY 22, 1971

THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS
HIT PHNOM PENH

FOR THE FIRST TIME

DESTROYING AMMUNITION DUMPS
AND OIL SUPPLIES

AND WIPING OUT
THE CAMBODIAN AIR FORCE.

WITHIN DAYS,
HELP ARRIVED.

20 AMERICAN SOLDIERS
FLEW IN FROM VIETNAM

CARRYING GUNS,
BUT WEARING CIVILIAN CLOTHES.

FRED LADD:
THEY FORMED WHAT THEY CALLED

THE "MILITARY EQUIPMENT
DELIVERY TEAM"--

"M.E.D.T.C."

BY THE TIME
THEY GOT THEMSELVES ORGANIZED

THEY REPLACED MY LITTLE GROUP
OF MYSELF AND FOUR PEOPLE

WITH A GENERAL
AND ABOUT 113 PEOPLE.

AND, IN EFFECT, THEY TOOK OVER
MOST OF THE MILITARY ACTIVITIES

FOR THE FANK HEADQUARTERS--

WHICH WAS
WHAT I HOPED TO PRECLUDE--

THE YANKEES
RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE

AND MAKING ALL DECISIONS
AND PROVIDING ALL GUIDANCE.

NARRATOR:
ONLY AMERICAN AIRPOWER AND FUNDS

KEPT LON NOL'S ARMY
FROM DEFEAT.

NO AMERICANS
WERE DYING IN CAMBODIA.

FOR THE MOMENT

CONGRESS WENT ALONG
WITH NIXON'S WAR.

LET'S LOOK AT CAMBODIA.

WE'VE MADE
A CONSCIOUS DECISION

NOT TO SEND
AMERICAN TROOPS IN.

THERE ARE
NO AMERICAN COMBAT TROOPS

IN CAMBODIA.

THERE ARE
NO AMERICAN COMBAT ADVISORS

IN CAMBODIA.

THERE WILL BE
NO AMERICAN COMBAT TROOPS
OR ADVISORS

IN CAMBODIA.

CAMBODIA IS THE NIXON DOCTRINE
IN ITS PUREST FORM.

WE ARE HELPING THE CAMBODIANS
TO HELP THEMSELVES.

NARRATOR:
THE DOCTRINE WAS ALSO TESTED

AGAINST THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL
IN SOUTHERN LAOS.

IN EARLY 1971

SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES,
USING AMERICAN EQUIPMENT

MOVED AGAINST
THE COMMUNIST SUPPLY ROUTES.

THE LAOTIAN GOVERNMENT
WAS NOT INFORMED IN ADVANCE.

THE PRIME MINISTER
SAID TO ME:

"I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING

"ABOUT THIS, EITHER.

"I JUST LEARNED

"ABOUT THE OPERATION

FROM THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR."

I ANSWERED,
"THIS IS QUITE SERIOUS."

HE REPLIED,
"YES--QUITE SERIOUS.

"MILITARY OPERATIONS
ARE BEING CONDUCTED

"IN OUR COUNTRY.

"IT IS VERY SERIOUS.

"BUT WHAT CAN WE DO?

"THEY HAVE TAKEN
THE DECISION.

"ALL WE CAN DO
IS LODGE A PROTEST.

THAT IS ALL."

NARRATOR:
THE UNITED STATES PLANNED
THE INVASION

AND GAVE IT
AIR AND ARTILLERY SUPPORT.

BUT WITHOUT
AMERICAN COMBAT TROOPS
BESIDE THEM

THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES FLED
IN DISARRAY.

THEY TOOK 3,000 CASUALTIES
IN THE FIRST WEEK ALONE.

IN LAOS,
THE NIXON DOCTRINE HAD FAILED.

BUT IN CAMBODIA,
IT WAS STILL INTACT.

AS AMERICAN AID POURED IN

CORRUPT CAMBODIAN OFFICERS
INVENTED PHANTOM SOLDIERS.

1/4 OF CAMBODIA'S ARMY EXISTED
ONLY AS NAMES ON PAY SLIPS--

ENDANGERING THE LIVES
OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT ON

IN UNDER-STRENGTH UNITS.

THE TANKS KEPT FIRING.

I GRABBED MY PACK.

EVERYONE WAS RUNNING.

WE ALL RAN
FOR THE CROSSROADS.

WE MET OUR COLONEL
AND SAID WE NEEDED HELP

BECAUSE
THE VIETNAMESE WERE COMING IN

FROM THE SOUTH--

COMING IN WITH TANKS.

THEN, SUDDENLY,
THEY WERE FIRING AT US

FROM THE ROAD.

WHILE THE TANKS WERE GETTING
CLOSER AND CLOSER

WE RAN BACK TOWARDS THEM.

BY THAT TIME

ALMOST EVERYBODY THERE
HAD BEEN KILLED.

IT WAS TOO AWFUL
TO LOOK AT.

JUST THEN

ONE OF THE TANKS STARTED
TO USE ITS SEARCHLIGHT.

MY FRIEND AND I SAID,
"WHAT THE HELL"

CLOSED OUR EYES

AND PULLED THE LANYARD
ON THE ARTILLERY

AND A TANK WENT UP
IN FLAMES.

WE SAW A GUY
DROP DOWN TO ONE KNEE

AND FIRE OFF A B-40.

ANOTHER TANK DOWN.

THE PAIR OF THEM
ON FIRE.

IT WAS CAPTAIN KANIN
FIRING THE B-40

AND IT WAS SIANG HO LENG AND I
ON THE ARTILLERY.

ELATED, WE SHOUTED:

"LONG LIVE
LON NOL'S REPUBLIC!

THE AMERICANS--
SOLIDARITY!"

NARRATOR: IN 1973

AFTER THREE YEARS' EXILE

IN CHINA

SIHANOUK WENT IN

TO THE KHMER ROUGE ZONE
OF CAMBODIA.

NEWSREEL NARRATOR:
NORODOM SIHANOUK EMBRACES

KHIEU SAMPAN--

VICE PRIME MINISTER
OF THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT

OF THE NATIONAL UNION
OF CAMBODIA

AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

OF THE PEOPLE'S NATIONAL
LIBERATION ARMED FORCES.

NARRATOR:
SIHANOUK ALSO EMBRACED
ANOTHER KHMER ROUGE LEADER--

POL POT.

SIHANOUK KNEW
HE WAS ONLY A FIGUREHEAD.

THE KHMER ROUGE LEADERS PLANNED
TO REMOLD CAMBODIA

INTO A RURAL
COMMUNIST UTOPIA

AND WOULD SPARE NO LIFE
TO DO IT.

"WHEN THEY GAIN POWER,"
SIHANOUK SAID

"THEY WILL SPIT ME OUT
LIKE A CHERRY STONE."

THEY WERE USING
SIHANOUK'S PRESTIGE

TO MOBILIZE
PEASANT SUPPORT.

THE KHMER ROUGE LEADERS SAID

THAT IMPORTANT CADRES, LIKE US

WERE COMMUNISTS.

THE PEOPLE BELIEVED

IN SIHANOUK

BUT THEY SAID

THAT WE,
WHO HAD JOINED THE PARTY

SHOULD NOT BELIEVE IN HIM:

"NO ONE SHOULD HAVE FAITH
IN SIHANOUK."

BUT THEY STILL ALLOWED
THE PEOPLE

TO BELIEVE IN HIM.

THERE WAS PUBLIC EDUCATION

AND COVERT EDUCATION.

IF WE STILL BELIEVED
IN SIHANOUK

THEY EXPLAINED

THERE WAS NO POINT
IN OUR MAKING REVOLUTION.

IF THE KHMER ROUGE
HAD NOT ALIGNED THEMSELVES

WITH SIHANOUK

THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO CARRY ON THEIR FIGHT.

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO CHALLENGE LON NOL.

THAT'S WHY THEY GOT SIHANOUK
ON THEIR SIDE

AND PUT HIM UP FRONT.

NARRATOR:
IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS

KHMER ROUGE FORCES HAD GROWN
FROM 3,000 TO 60,000.

THE KHMER ROUGE
WERE NO LONGER
COMPLETELY DEPENDENT

ON THEIR
VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST ALLIES.

AMERICA STEPPED UP
THE BOMBING.

DURING SIX MONTHS OF 1973

MORE THAN 1/4 OF A MILLION TONS
WERE DROPPED ON CAMBODIA.

CHHIT DO: THE ORDINARY PEOPLE
WERE TERRIFIED BY THE BOMBING

NEVER HAVING EXPERIENCED WAR.

AND SOMETIMES
THEY SHIT IN THEIR PANTS

WHEN THE BIG BOMBS AND SHELLS
CAME.

200 TO 400 SHELLS
WOULD FALL IN EACH ATTACK

AND SOME PEOPLE
BECAME SHELL-SHOCKED--

JUST LIKE THEIR BRAINS
WERE COMPLETELY SHATTERED.

EVEN AFTER
THE SHELLING HAD STOPPED

THEY COULDN'T HOLD DOWN A MEAL.

THEIR MINDS JUST FROZE UP

AND THEY WOULD WANDER AROUND
MUTE--

NOT TALKING
FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS.

TERRIFIED AND HALF-CRAZY

THEY WOULD BELIEVE
ANYTHING THEY WERE TOLD.

AND BECAUSE THERE WAS
SO MUCH SHELLING

THEY BELIEVED WHATEVER
THE KHMER ROUGE TOLD THEM.

THE FEAR WAS PERVASIVE.

EVERYBODY WAS SCARED.

BUT THE REAL REDS
WEREN'T DYING.

THEY WEREN'T BEING HIT.

THE KHMER ROUGE,
WHO WERE DOING THE FIGHTING

HAD DUG BOMB SHELTERS.

SO WHENEVER THE PLANES CAME,
THEY JUMPED INTO THEIR HOLES.

THE KHMER ROUGE WOULD SAY

THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE BOMBING
WAS

TO COMPLETELY DESTROY
THE COUNTRY--

NOT SIMPLY
JUST TO WIN THE WAR

BUT TO ANNIHILATE
THE POPULATION.

AND THAT IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE
WE WERE TAKING COVER

THAT SOME OF US
WERE SURVIVING.

SO THEY USED THE BOMBING

TO EDUCATE THE PEOPLE
POLITICALLY--

TO MAKE THE PEOPLE HATE
AND BE ENRAGED AT THE AMERICANS.

RADIO: WE'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD
AND HIT THAT SAME TARGET AGAIN.

IT LOOKS LIKE
IT STILL MIGHT BE LUCRATIVE--

WE CAN SEE
SOME STUFF DOWN THERE.

AND IF IT'S OK WITH YOU

WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD

AND PUT THIS SET OF AIR IN
ON THAT TARGET.

OK, 01,
HOTEL 4/3.

WILL YOU PUT
SOME BOMB

OVER THERE, SIR?

NARRATOR: DESPITE
CONGRESSIONAL RESTRICTIONS

THE U.S. EMBASSY IN PHNOM PENH
COORDINATED BOMBING TARGETS.

THE EXTENT
OF NIXON'S SECRET BOMBING

WAS NOT UNCOVERED BY CONGRESS
UNTIL JULY, 1973--

FOUR YEARS
AFTER IT HAD STARTED.

NIXON HAD WAGED WAR
IN CAMBODIA

WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.

IT PROMPTED
ANGRY CONGRESSIONAL REACTION.

NO, THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE
THE RIGHT

TO BOMB A NEUTRAL COUNTRY.

THE QUESTION IS:

DOES THE PRESIDENT HAVE
THE RIGHT

TO REACT AGAINST
CONCENTRATIONS OF ENEMY TROOPS

THAT HAVE ALREADY OCCUPIED
NEUTRAL TERRITORY;

HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES
THERE

FOR THREE YEARS;

HAVE EXPELLED
THE LOCAL POPULATION

AND ARE KILLING AMERICANS
FROM THAT TERRITORY?

ALL THE OPINIONS WE RECEIVED
WAS

THAT THIS WAS A CLEAR EXERCISE
OF THE RIGHT OF WAR.

ON THIS MATTER

OF THE BOMBING IN CAMBODIA

IT WAS CONSIDERED

SUFFICIENTLY SENSITIVE

THAT I WAS NOT PRIVY
TO THE INFORMATION

AT THE TIME IT WAS GOING ON.

A POLICY DECISION WAS MADE

THAT WE WOULD TAKE

WHATEVER ACTION WAS NECESSARY

TO ENSURE THAT THE CASUALTIES
TO U.S. FORCES

WERE KEPT AT A MINIMUM
DURING THAT TIME.

I'M SURE, MR. CHAIRMAN,
YOU WILL AGREE

THAT WE SHOULD TAKE
WHATEVER ACTION IS NECESSARY

IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE LIVES
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT
THIS OPERATION WAS ALL ABOUT.

AND IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE.

WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT IT

AND JUSTIFY IT?

WHY DO WE HAVE TO RELY
ON FALSE INFORMATION?

WHY DOES
THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
SAY

THAT HE DIDN'T GIVE US
ACCURATE INFORMATION?

NARRATOR:
IN AUGUST, 1973

A B-52 DROPPED ITS BOMBS
ON NEAK LUONG--

A RIVER TOWN
JUST 30 MILES FROM PHNOM PENH.

THE BOMBING WAS A MISTAKE.

MORE THAN 100 VILLAGERS
WERE KILLED

AND SEVERAL HUNDRED
WERE WOUNDED.

A CREW MEMBER WAS FINED
$700 FOR THE ERROR.

THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR--
EMORY SWANK--

HANDED THE SURVIVORS
$100 EACH.

CONGRESS HAD FINALLY FORCED
A BOMBING HALT

ON AUGUST 15, 1973.

WITH THE END
OF AMERICAN BOMBING

THE TINY CAMBODIAN AIR FORCE
WAS ON ITS OWN.

THE KHMER ROUGE
HAD REBUILT THEIR FORCES

AND PREPARED TO LAUNCH
THEIR BIGGEST OFFENSIVE YET.

FROM 1:20 IN THE MORNING

OF THE NEW YEAR--1975--ON

THE COMMUNISTS LAUNCHED

A VERY FIERCE ATTACK

FROM EVERY POINT OF THE COMPASS
AGAINST PHNOM PENH.

THEY USED, FIRST,
SOME 80,000 TROOPS

WHICH WOULD INCREASE
AS THE ATTACK PROGRESSED.

NARRATOR:
MANY CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT POSTS

WERE SOON TO BE OVERWHELMED.

THE KHMER ROUGE,
NOW CLOSE TO PHNOM PENH

FIRED ROCKETS INTO THE CITY
EVERY DAY.

MORE THAN TWO MILLION REFUGEES
HAD FLED TO PHNOM PENH

TO ESCAPE THE AMERICAN BOMBING
AND KHMER ROUGE BRUTALITY.

THEY SURVIVED
ON MEAGER RATIONS

PROVIDED BY
WESTERN AID ORGANIZATIONS.

THE CITY WAS SLOWLY STARVING.

PEOPLE WERE RUNNING

BACK AND FORTH, EVERY WHICH WAY

AFRAID TO STAY IN THE SAME PLACE
FOR LONG.

SOMETIMES THE SHELLS WOULD FALL
RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF TOWN

AND EVERYBODY WOULD FLEE
TO THE RIVER BANK.

IT JUST WENT ON LIKE THIS,
CHAOTICALLY.

NARRATOR: TO SKIRT
CONGRESSIONAL RESTRICTIONS

THE U.S. MILITARY CHARTERED
CIVILIAN PLANES

TO FLY IN 1,000 TONS OF RICE,
FUEL AND AMMUNITION A DAY.

THEY CAME UNDER CONSTANT
ROCKET AND ARTILLERY ATTACK.

SUPPLIES RAN LOW.

LON NOL'S AIR FORCE
NOW STRAFED THEIR ENEMY

ON THE OUTSKIRTS
OF THE CITY.

ROAD AND RAIL LINKS
HAD ALREADY BEEN CUT.

IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

THE KHMER ROUGE DECIDED
TO PUSH FOR THE FINAL VICTORY.

PHNOM PENH
WAS BEING STRANGLED.

MEKONG RIVER CONVOYS
WERE A LIFELINE TO PHNOM PENH.

IN ADDITION TO RICE, AMMUNITION
AND OTHER ESSENTIALS

THEY CARRIED LUXURY CARS
AND EVEN CRATES OF CHAMPAGNE.

LARGE SCREENS
OFFERED SOME PROTECTION

AGAINST ROCKET ATTACKS.

BY THE END OF MARCH

MOST OF THIS CONVOY
HAD BEEN SUNK.

NO OTHERS
ATTEMPTED THE VOYAGE.

ROCKET ATTACKS
AGAINST PHNOM PENH

CONTINUED DAILY.

A SINGLE ROCKET
HITTING THE CENTER OF THE CITY

KILLED 11 PEOPLE
AND INJURED MORE THAN 20 OTHERS.

GOVERNMENT TROOPS
BECAME DESPERATE

AS THE AREAS UNDER THEIR CONTROL
SHRANK.

IN ONE TOWN

THEY RESORTED TO CANNIBALISM
TO SURVIVE.

CAMBODIAN OFFICERS
USED AMBULANCES

TO CARRY AMMUNITION

UNTIL
THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
STOPPED THEM.

PHNOM PENH'S HOSPITALS
WERE OVERFLOWING WITH WOUNDED.

BASKETBALL COURTS WERE COVERED
WITH MAKESHIFT BEDS.

MEDICINE HAD TO BE BOUGHT
ON THE BLACK MARKET.

BLOOD PLASMA
WAS RUNNING OUT.

THE CAMBODIAN ARMY HAD
FEWER THAN 20 SURGEONS.

CAMBODIAN DOCTOR: I FEEL
THIS WAR IS A REAL GENOCIDE.

KHMER ARE KILLING KHMER.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR,
OF COURSE

THERE WERE
A LOT OF NORTH VIETNAMESE

IN OUR COUNTRY.

BUT NOW,
THERE IS ONLY KHMER.

KHMER ARE KILLING AND FIGHTING
KHMER.

AND MANY OF US ARE DEAD,
OR GET CASUALTIES--OR WOUNDED.

I SUPPOSE,
SINCE FIVE YEARS OF WAR

HALF MILLION
OF KHMER IN THIS COUNTRY--

AMONG SEVEN MILLION--

HALF MILLION
ARE DEAD OR WOUNDED.

NARRATOR:
IN THE ONCE ABUNDANT LAND
OF CAMBODIA

THERE WAS FAMINE AND DISEASE.

VOLUNTEER DOCTORS FROM ABROAD
FLEW IN TO PHNOM PENH TO HELP.

IT'S WORSE THAN I EXPECTED.

THE CONDITIONS THAT I'VE SEEN

HAVE BEEN PRETTY BAD.

I'VE BEEN HELPING
WITH THE MALNUTRITIONED INFANTS.

I ALSO ASSISTED
IN SOME SURGERY LAST NIGHT.

WE DID AN AMPUTATION
ON ONE OF THE SOLDIERS--

AMPUTATED HIS ARM.

THE SOLDIER'S
10-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER

ALSO HAD HER LEFT ARM
AMPUTATED.

AS YOU KNOW,
THE FAMILIES FOLLOW

THE SOLDIER/FATHER
INTO THE BATTLES

AND LIVES NEAR THEM.

NARRATOR:
LON NOL WAS ENCOURAGED

TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY
ON APRIL 1

BY AMERICAN DIPLOMATS

WHO THOUGHT
NEGOTIATIONS MIGHT BE POSSIBLE

WITH PRINCE SIHANOUK.

THE KHMER ROUGE,
POISED FOR VICTORY

WAS NOT ABOUT TO BARGAIN.

THEY BROADCAST LISTS OF TRAITORS
TO BE EXECUTED AFTER THEY WON.

ON APRIL 12,
OPERATION EAGLE PULL BEGAN.

HELICOPTERS EVACUATED
THE REMAINING AMERICANS

FROM PHNOM PENH.

MOST CAMBODIAN
GOVERNMENT MINISTERS

DECLINED TO LEAVE.

ONE WHO STAYED--AND DIED--

WROTE TO
THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR:

"YOU HAVE REFUSED US
YOUR PROTECTION

"AND THERE IS NOTHING
WE CAN DO.

"I HOPE

THAT YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY
FIND HAPPINESS UNDER HEAVEN."

CHHANG SON: WE TRIED SO HARD
TO PLEASE THE AMERICANS.

BUT I THINK

WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE
THAT MUCH

BECAUSE THE WITHDRAWAL
OF THE AMERICAN

WAS DECIDED UPON

WITHOUT TAKING
INTO CONSIDERATION

ALL CAMBODIAN LIVES.

NARRATOR:
AN AIR OF DEATH

HUNG OVER PHNOM PENH.

LESS THAN ONE WEEK LATER

THE KHMER ROUGE OVERRAN
PHNOM PENH AIRPORT.

THE PEOPLE WERE FLEEING

RUNNING ACROSS THE FIELDS
IN FRONT OF THE AIRPORT.

THE PLANES CAME

AND THOUGHT
THAT THEY WERE KHMER ROUGE

AND BOMBED THEM.

THE BODIES WERE ALL MIXED UP--

SOME SOLDIERS,
SOME ORDINARY PEOPLE

SOME KHMER ROUGE.

THE SURVIVORS
JUMPED OVER THE CORPSES.

THEN THERE WAS SHELLING,
AND EVERYTHING WAS AFLAME.

IT WAS ALREADY DUSK

AND PEOPLE COULD HARDLY
RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER.

WHEN EVERYONE WAS GONE,
THE KHMER ROUGE CAME IN.

THE NEXT MORNING,
THEY WENT ON TO PHNOM PENH.

NARRATOR:
THE KHMER ROUGE SOLDIERS
HAD CAPTURED PHNOM PENH.

THEY BROADCAST APPEALS
TO POLITICIANS AND OFFICERS

TO COOPERATE.

THOSE WHO SHOWED UP
WERE TAKEN AWAY AND EXECUTED.

FRANCOIS PONCHAUD:
THE KHMER ROUGE FIRED
A FEW SHOTS

AND SHOUTED,
"LEAVE--LEAVE QUICKLY!

THE AMERICANS ARE GOING
TO BOMB THE CITY."

HAVING EXPERIENCED BOMBING

THE PEOPLE OF PHNOM PENH
HAD REASON TO BE AFRAID.

IT WAS TERRIFYING--
THE B-52 BOMBING.

YOU COULD SEE THE SKY
REDDEN AT THE HORIZON

THEN FEEL THE AIR BURST,
THEN HEAR THE EXPLOSION.

SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND

WHY THE POPULATION
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD LEFT.

NARRATOR:
THERE WERE NO AMERICAN PLANS

TO BOMB PHNOM PENH.

WITHIN TWO DAYS

ITS POPULATION WAS DRIVEN
INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE.

THE WAR HAD ENDED.

STARVATION AND SLAUGHTER
LAY AHEAD.

CAPTIONED BY
THE CAPTION CENTER
WGBH BOSTON