Pol Pot

19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998

Pol Pot, born Saloth Sar, was a Cambodian politician who led the Communist Party of Kampuchea and served as prime minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976 to 1979. During the period of Khmer Rouge rule that began in April 1975, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people died from executions, forced labour, starvation and disease. He was removed from power by a Vietnamese invasion in January 1979 and died in 1998 in territory still held by Khmer Rouge forces.

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Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Pol Pot.

Life events

Born in Prek Sbauv, Kampong Thom Province
19 May 1925

Born Saloth Sar into a prosperous farming family in French Cambodia.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Sent to Phnom Penh for schooling
1935

He lived with relatives connected to the royal palace and attended the Catholic Ecole Miche before studying in Kampong Cham.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Studied in Paris on a government scholarship
1949 – 1953

He studied radio electronics, joined the French Communist Party and took part in a Marxist circle of Cambodian students.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Returned to Cambodia and joined the communist movement
1953

After losing his scholarship he returned home and worked with the Khmer Viet Minh and its successor party.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became secretary of the Cambodian communist party
1963

He took over leadership of the party and left Phnom Penh for a base in the countryside.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh
17 April 1975

The new government ordered the forced evacuation of the cities and the resettlement of their populations in rural labour cooperatives.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea
April 1976 – 7 January 1979

During his period in office an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people died from executions, forced labour, starvation and disease.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Removed from power by the Vietnamese invasion
7 January 1979

Vietnamese forces captured Phnom Penh and he withdrew with Khmer Rouge units to the Thai border region.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Placed under house arrest by a Khmer Rouge faction
July 1997

He was tried by his own movement at Anlong Veng and sentenced to life under house arrest.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died at Anlong Veng
15 April 1998

He died in detention near the Thai border; the reported cause was heart failure.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓