Back to Year Zero  When any group gains total control of a country, they can change the way that it is run.  When the Khmer Rouge gained control of Cambodia, they wanted to have a new society and to ignore the past.  To start off, Pol Pot re- numbered 1975 as Year Zero of the new era.

Year Zero e/pol-pot.htm e/pol-pot.htm Once he was in power, what did Pol Pot try to create in Cambodia? The Khmer Rouge arriving in Phnom Penh. tml What does communism mean? What does capitalism mean? Western culture is seen as being Capitalist. Why would Pol Pot have wanted to rid Cambodia of Western influences and Capitalism?

Changes in Year Zero  List 10 ways that Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge tried to “purify” Cambodian society, and seal Cambodia off from the outside world.  Looking at your list, explain in 3-4 sentences how these actions would have helped the Khmer Rouge isolate Cambodia.  Choose the item from your list that you think would be the hardest to have taken away, and explain why. pol-pot.htm Khmer Rouge soldiers in worldhistory/genocide/pol- pot.htm

New Lives Year Zero  What happened to the people who lived in Cambodia’s cities?  Where did they go?  What did they do when they got there? de/pol-pot.htm People being forced from the cities. html

Harsh Life  Life became so harsh that thousands of people died of the farms from overwork, malnutrition and disease.  The Khmer Rouge told Cambodians “whether you live or die is not of great significance.” de/pol-pot.htm

Purges  What does it mean if a government conducts a purge? pol-pot.htm  Which groups did Pol Pot try to purge from Cambodian society?  Why would he have chosen these groups?  What other methods did the Khmer Rouge use to change society? one.html

Deaths  When the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia, the population was  What percentage of the population died or left Cambodia?  In 1979 the Vietnamese gained control of Cambodia. A mass grave in Cambodia. The exact number of deaths can never be calculated. ldhistory/genocide/pol-pot.htm

The Impact on People’s Lives  Go the Survivors’ Stories section on the Cyber Cambodia site.  This website gives you the experiences of 7 people with the Khmer Rouge.  Read through three of the survivors’ stories (3 short stories or three sections from long stories.  Use this information to complete the diagram on the next page in your workbook.  What were the people’s experiences? What did they? (

W Chart of Survivors’ Experiences What were the people’s experiences. What did they: For each of the 5 words write what you find the people experienced with the Khmer Rouge. You may use key words, describe events, draw a sketch or diagram. Use a whole page in your workbook. SEE THINKFEEL HEARSMELL