The Khmer Rouge's capture of Phnom Penh ended the Cambodian Civil War and initiated a brutal revolutionary regime that would kill millions.
Key Facts
- Date of fall
- 17 April 1975
- US evacuation date
- 12 April 1975
- Conflict ended
- Cambodian Civil War
- Executions site
- Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh
- Expatriates departed
- 30 April 1975 (from French embassy)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
By early April 1975, Phnom Penh was the last major stronghold of the Khmer Republic, completely encircled by Khmer Rouge forces and reliant solely on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport. The military situation was deemed untenable, prompting the United States to evacuate its nationals and allied Cambodians on 12 April before a Khmer Rouge takeover became inevitable.
On 17 April 1975, the Khmer Republic government abandoned Phnom Penh intending to relocate near the Thai border, but the city's remaining defences were quickly overrun. Khmer Rouge forces entered and occupied the capital the same day, formally ending the Cambodian Civil War. Captured Khmer Republic soldiers were taken to the Olympic Stadium and executed, while senior officials were forced to write confessions before being killed.
Following their occupation, the Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated Phnom Penh's entire civilian population, emptying the city. Expatriates sheltered in the French embassy until 30 April, when they were transported to Thailand. The fall marked the start of Khmer Rouge rule over Cambodia, a period characterized by mass atrocities and the deaths of an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent