Why Cambodia & Laos Are Absurdly Empty
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Date: 2025-05-10
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Comments and reviews: 20
PatrickLon
I am a descendant of the Lon family that took over Cambodia from the monarchy. I really appreciate how in-depth this video is, fantastic work! One detail I would like to add is that my family had major internal conflicts with the CIA during our regime and conspiracies that they were playing both sides. In fact the US would immediately support the Khmer Rouge after the collapse of the Republic and support their entry into the UN taking Cambodia's seat. While the regime was US backed, my grandfather (General Lon Non) and fellow Khmer Republic party members were mostly interested in securing our sovereignty from invading Vietnamese forces at all cost. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to us Kissinger didn't care that we were a Republic, he saw us as a weapon against the Vietnamese alone. When it became apparent we wouldn't be useful in that endeavor, the Khmer Rouge became a more appealing ally in the CIA's eyes.
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I am a descendant of the Lon family that took over Cambodia from the monarchy. I really appreciate how in-depth this video is, fantastic work! One detail I would like to add is that my family had major internal conflicts with the CIA during our regime and conspiracies that they were playing both sides. In fact the US would immediately support the Khmer Rouge after the collapse of the Republic and support their entry into the UN taking Cambodia's seat. While the regime was US backed, my grandfather (General Lon Non) and fellow Khmer Republic party members were mostly interested in securing our sovereignty from invading Vietnamese forces at all cost. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to us Kissinger didn't care that we were a Republic, he saw us as a weapon against the Vietnamese alone. When it became apparent we wouldn't be useful in that endeavor, the Khmer Rouge became a more appealing ally in the CIA's eyes.
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powerhousejp
One thing not mentioned during the segment about the Khmer Rouge invading Vietnam (because it's not entirely relevant):
The Khmer Rouge were backed by China (since the days before the military coup, and Vietnam was backed by the USSR. The Sino-Soviet split had reached it's height during the Vietnam War, with China and USSR almost going to war in 1969. By the time of Pol Pot seizing power and what came after, the USSR and China were firm and bitter rivals.
Which is to say, when the Khmer Rouge's delusions grew of restoring the old empire and attacking Vietnam, there wasn't anyone in the room to intervene and talk them down: China wanted to cut Soviet influence in the region, Soviets were happy to show China which of them were the real communists, and the US was happy to watch it's rivals hurt each other a bit.
At least, that's the general happening.
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One thing not mentioned during the segment about the Khmer Rouge invading Vietnam (because it's not entirely relevant):
The Khmer Rouge were backed by China (since the days before the military coup, and Vietnam was backed by the USSR. The Sino-Soviet split had reached it's height during the Vietnam War, with China and USSR almost going to war in 1969. By the time of Pol Pot seizing power and what came after, the USSR and China were firm and bitter rivals.
Which is to say, when the Khmer Rouge's delusions grew of restoring the old empire and attacking Vietnam, there wasn't anyone in the room to intervene and talk them down: China wanted to cut Soviet influence in the region, Soviets were happy to show China which of them were the real communists, and the US was happy to watch it's rivals hurt each other a bit.
At least, that's the general happening.
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dennishillman3502
Ethnically muslim is propaganda speak for ppl in their native country that got tricked into the scam of religion. This whole video is full of propaganda.
Americans bombed them Americans didn't even know the bombing was going on! It was the Jewish kissinger and his pals.
Stopping the religious scam from spreading is a right for survival and is not persecution!
Even Americans know the colleges here are teaching lies and the professors are spreading those lies. Their books are spreading those lies. Good on others to do what Americans won't.
Americans know our medical industries are a scam! And spreading it to others is a crime against humanity!
This whole video is a well orchestrated propaganda piece for the Hebrew religions to hide their wrong doing and spread their lies.
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Ethnically muslim is propaganda speak for ppl in their native country that got tricked into the scam of religion. This whole video is full of propaganda.
Americans bombed them Americans didn't even know the bombing was going on! It was the Jewish kissinger and his pals.
Stopping the religious scam from spreading is a right for survival and is not persecution!
Even Americans know the colleges here are teaching lies and the professors are spreading those lies. Their books are spreading those lies. Good on others to do what Americans won't.
Americans know our medical industries are a scam! And spreading it to others is a crime against humanity!
This whole video is a well orchestrated propaganda piece for the Hebrew religions to hide their wrong doing and spread their lies.
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i. d. 6282
When you listen to what the Khmer Rouge was trying to accomplish, please take heed that (other than agrarianism, these are the exact same things that revolutionary student protestors consistently call for in our streets on a daily basis dehumanization of wide classes of enemies (including based on ethnicity, radical rewriting of history, erasing everything we know/believe in, blanket demands completely devoid of nuance. Cambodia shows us what happens when you let these people have their way (and indeed the KR made use of children and young people especially, who could be molded into obviously horrific conduct.
Calling for violence and revolution in wealthy Western societies should be treated as the selfish, ignorant invitation to horror that it is.
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When you listen to what the Khmer Rouge was trying to accomplish, please take heed that (other than agrarianism, these are the exact same things that revolutionary student protestors consistently call for in our streets on a daily basis dehumanization of wide classes of enemies (including based on ethnicity, radical rewriting of history, erasing everything we know/believe in, blanket demands completely devoid of nuance. Cambodia shows us what happens when you let these people have their way (and indeed the KR made use of children and young people especially, who could be molded into obviously horrific conduct.
Calling for violence and revolution in wealthy Western societies should be treated as the selfish, ignorant invitation to horror that it is.
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english9o99
Both Cambodia and Loas been played by communist Hochi Minch get both countries to play with fired by Lying on the international stage as a Neutrality state, but both state letting the North communist Vietnam using their land for secrete Vietnamese Guerrilla War Tactic to kill the US troops, Both Cambodia and Laos are now flooded with Vietnamese migrants accounted for about 10% of Vietnamese population live in Cambodia and as must as 30% of Loas are now with Vietnamese decent in the next 100 years or so both Cambodian and Loas peoples will become minority in their own land.
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Both Cambodia and Loas been played by communist Hochi Minch get both countries to play with fired by Lying on the international stage as a Neutrality state, but both state letting the North communist Vietnam using their land for secrete Vietnamese Guerrilla War Tactic to kill the US troops, Both Cambodia and Laos are now flooded with Vietnamese migrants accounted for about 10% of Vietnamese population live in Cambodia and as must as 30% of Loas are now with Vietnamese decent in the next 100 years or so both Cambodian and Loas peoples will become minority in their own land.
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ObeeKnobee
I went to the last one time from Thailand and it was crazy you cross the river and it's awesome everything is super amazing people are happy and everything is full of food is overflowing people are smiling everybody has all their. Limbs. All the buildings were normal and full of happiness and people in China and it allows broken out windows half bombed reminisce of structures of all the shells of buildings that have no paint that people are still coming out of their still live there with tarps and stuff just more desperation and looking faces
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I went to the last one time from Thailand and it was crazy you cross the river and it's awesome everything is super amazing people are happy and everything is full of food is overflowing people are smiling everybody has all their. Limbs. All the buildings were normal and full of happiness and people in China and it allows broken out windows half bombed reminisce of structures of all the shells of buildings that have no paint that people are still coming out of their still live there with tarps and stuff just more desperation and looking faces
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TS-JungleMonkey
The Domino effect was a LIE from the USA says the anti-Vietnam War supporters and US dope smoking Hippies/Greenies. Wait a minute, how come Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam became Communist states after WWII and South Vietnam fell to the Communist North The end of the Vietnam war ended the spread of Commies after Kissinger sold South Vietnam out to the Chinese Commies striking a wedge between the Commie China and the Commie Soviet Block by pulling out of Vietnam in 1973.
Western historians are so IGNORANT about these facts. ROFL.
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The Domino effect was a LIE from the USA says the anti-Vietnam War supporters and US dope smoking Hippies/Greenies. Wait a minute, how come Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam became Communist states after WWII and South Vietnam fell to the Communist North The end of the Vietnam war ended the spread of Commies after Kissinger sold South Vietnam out to the Chinese Commies striking a wedge between the Commie China and the Commie Soviet Block by pulling out of Vietnam in 1973.
Western historians are so IGNORANT about these facts. ROFL.
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sinesaii
Three points:
1) mountains are not conducive to density
2) Farmland quality has a huge impact
3) Psychotic, genocidal communist leadership is not good for population or income.
The Pathst Lao forced ethnic minorities out (and the CIA snuck them into the US on spy planes.
Cambodia has its own revolution resulting in minorities leaving and 14-15% of the remains people to die from the genocide (with racist Americans like Jane Fonda showing public support for ethnic cleansing and genocide.
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Three points:
1) mountains are not conducive to density
2) Farmland quality has a huge impact
3) Psychotic, genocidal communist leadership is not good for population or income.
The Pathst Lao forced ethnic minorities out (and the CIA snuck them into the US on spy planes.
Cambodia has its own revolution resulting in minorities leaving and 14-15% of the remains people to die from the genocide (with racist Americans like Jane Fonda showing public support for ethnic cleansing and genocide.
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GONAVYDAS05
Don't forget, just as Red China is only now reaping the ruthless crop their 1-ch1ld sowed, d3ath is ALWAYS one of the occupational hazards of collectivist governance. The c0mm's bl00dbath inflicted upon their populations, in the vacuum left by America's pullout is still paying its grim dividends. The fairy tale of their neutrality, is starkly absurd, as is your accusation that America is more responsible for their population than the murers perpetrated by their own red governments.
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Don't forget, just as Red China is only now reaping the ruthless crop their 1-ch1ld sowed, d3ath is ALWAYS one of the occupational hazards of collectivist governance. The c0mm's bl00dbath inflicted upon their populations, in the vacuum left by America's pullout is still paying its grim dividends. The fairy tale of their neutrality, is starkly absurd, as is your accusation that America is more responsible for their population than the murers perpetrated by their own red governments.
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skyblueo
I was a child when all this was happening in the 70s. I had heard about the Cambodian genocide because a movie called The Killing Fields won some Oscar Awards. But I had no idea how large the numbers were. I can barely wrap my head around the idea that this was worse than the genocide in Rawanda, which I experienced the knowledge of as an adult. I also had little knowledge of all the unexploded cluster bombs in Laos. This was a truly important, though depressing, video. Thank you.
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I was a child when all this was happening in the 70s. I had heard about the Cambodian genocide because a movie called The Killing Fields won some Oscar Awards. But I had no idea how large the numbers were. I can barely wrap my head around the idea that this was worse than the genocide in Rawanda, which I experienced the knowledge of as an adult. I also had little knowledge of all the unexploded cluster bombs in Laos. This was a truly important, though depressing, video. Thank you.
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HT-fv7fj
Thank you for making this video possible. I'm from Cambodia, and your presentation is 100% accurate. I'd like to give a little information about the new people term. In Trump's regime, it would be the liberals and immigrants. Both Trump and the Khmer Rouge tried to go back in time. Both applied the same strategy about controlling the people. I did my best to warm the American people about Trump's dangerous intent for years, but hardly anyone listened.
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Thank you for making this video possible. I'm from Cambodia, and your presentation is 100% accurate. I'd like to give a little information about the new people term. In Trump's regime, it would be the liberals and immigrants. Both Trump and the Khmer Rouge tried to go back in time. Both applied the same strategy about controlling the people. I did my best to warm the American people about Trump's dangerous intent for years, but hardly anyone listened.
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fingolfin_6909
Great video. Spent a lot of time in these countries. You're right, the Ho Chi Minh Trail looks like the surface of the moon. UXO is definitely an issue, but the BLU dud rate is closer to 10% and a small percentage of those duds have intact fuses/are dangerous. Something like a rockeye is more likely to be dangerous. Granted, a live BLU is much more dangerous than a rockeye, especially if you have a lot of people around when you find it.
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Great video. Spent a lot of time in these countries. You're right, the Ho Chi Minh Trail looks like the surface of the moon. UXO is definitely an issue, but the BLU dud rate is closer to 10% and a small percentage of those duds have intact fuses/are dangerous. Something like a rockeye is more likely to be dangerous. Granted, a live BLU is much more dangerous than a rockeye, especially if you have a lot of people around when you find it.
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reallifelore
Calling modern Cambodia democratic is not accurate. Hun Sen was the head of state from the 1980s until a couple of years ago and only recently resigned and gave the country to his son. Doesn't sound very democratic to me. Everything that happened to mainland Southeast Asia in the 20th century breaks my heart. Henry Kissinger is one of history's greatest villains, responsible for millions of needless deaths.
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Calling modern Cambodia democratic is not accurate. Hun Sen was the head of state from the 1980s until a couple of years ago and only recently resigned and gave the country to his son. Doesn't sound very democratic to me. Everything that happened to mainland Southeast Asia in the 20th century breaks my heart. Henry Kissinger is one of history's greatest villains, responsible for millions of needless deaths.
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de6212
Both were already seen as backwaters by the French when they colonized Indochina. They focused almost all their attention and investment in what is now Vietnam. Before Europeans arrived, Laos had a kingdom called Lan Chang ( kingdom of a million elephants) that was a player in the region for a few centuries. It was based in Luang Prabang, which many would consider the cultural heart of Laos.
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Both were already seen as backwaters by the French when they colonized Indochina. They focused almost all their attention and investment in what is now Vietnam. Before Europeans arrived, Laos had a kingdom called Lan Chang ( kingdom of a million elephants) that was a player in the region for a few centuries. It was based in Luang Prabang, which many would consider the cultural heart of Laos.
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kilmer009
I've seen two Hollywood movies about the Khmer Rouge and both were brutal:
The Killing Fields (1984. It won a bunch of Oscars. Highly recommended.
First They Killed My Father (2017. Directed by Angelina Jolie, and it was also very well done.
A lot of the world doesn't know about the Khmer Rouge, and I am so dissappointed, it was one of the most brutal regimes in history.
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I've seen two Hollywood movies about the Khmer Rouge and both were brutal:
The Killing Fields (1984. It won a bunch of Oscars. Highly recommended.
First They Killed My Father (2017. Directed by Angelina Jolie, and it was also very well done.
A lot of the world doesn't know about the Khmer Rouge, and I am so dissappointed, it was one of the most brutal regimes in history.
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willdon. 1279
A happy accident brought me to this wonderful country in 2004. You admirably put together a fine, if often tragic, history of a place, a people I love and admire. With many friends, and an adopted family (recent granddaughter, Bosba, an extra joy) it has been a lovely, later, coda to my long and lucky life. Thank you.
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A happy accident brought me to this wonderful country in 2004. You admirably put together a fine, if often tragic, history of a place, a people I love and admire. With many friends, and an adopted family (recent granddaughter, Bosba, an extra joy) it has been a lovely, later, coda to my long and lucky life. Thank you.
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david_ritzmann
Has there ever been at least slight assistance of the US to help clean up the amount of ammunition in the ground waiting to kill innocent people Or do they, as with the remnants of World War II in the Pacific Ocean for example, just don't give a shit And now they are whining about mistreatment. Unbelievable.
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Has there ever been at least slight assistance of the US to help clean up the amount of ammunition in the ground waiting to kill innocent people Or do they, as with the remnants of World War II in the Pacific Ocean for example, just don't give a shit And now they are whining about mistreatment. Unbelievable.
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anho3345
The most important reason why Laos has such a small population is because the area where Lao people live is mainly the Northeast of Thailand, this land was annexed to Thailand in the 17th century, currently there are about 20 million Lao people living there, 5 times the population of the current country of Laos.
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The most important reason why Laos has such a small population is because the area where Lao people live is mainly the Northeast of Thailand, this land was annexed to Thailand in the 17th century, currently there are about 20 million Lao people living there, 5 times the population of the current country of Laos.
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anhbinbaccuc8850
This only concentrated on the latest war with America. During WW2 North Vietnam lost 2 millions people because the Japanese took all the harvests to feed their troop in Asia. In Vietnam they call it the Chicken year famine 1945. Without all these wars imagine the populations of all these countries now.
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This only concentrated on the latest war with America. During WW2 North Vietnam lost 2 millions people because the Japanese took all the harvests to feed their troop in Asia. In Vietnam they call it the Chicken year famine 1945. Without all these wars imagine the populations of all these countries now.
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GustyPepples
my grandma was a base person, her dad had served in the military and suffered a stroke shortly before the rouge came to get him. my grandma and fam begged for him to live. she and her siblings were seperated and sent to labor camps. she was given a nubmer. a tattoo on her forearm that all survivors have.
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my grandma was a base person, her dad had served in the military and suffered a stroke shortly before the rouge came to get him. my grandma and fam begged for him to live. she and her siblings were seperated and sent to labor camps. she was given a nubmer. a tattoo on her forearm that all survivors have.
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