Cambodian Ghost City in 1978 – Phnom Penh Emptied of 2 Million People


After the overthrow of King Sihanouk in 1970, the short lived Khmer Republic lasted only five years. A brutal civil war then ensued with the Khmer Rouge, and eventually the US-backed dictator Lon Nol was ousted by the Pol Pot led communists. The Khmer Rouge were backed by the Chinese.

However, this post is not about the retelling of the Khmer Rouge story or the killing fields. It is about an entire city, emptied of its two million residents. Many civilians were killed but ALL were forced from the main city, marched to the countryside to work on large communal farms. The communist utopia awaited, and it was Year Zero. A new start for Cambodia.

This video was filmed by Yugoslav journalists in 1978, as they drove through the once bustling capital city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The footage was used in a French documentary.

This is another rare and disturbing video showing the Khmer Rouge in the empty city, and a creepy military-style victory celebration is included.