The French hadcolonized

Indochina butwhile nationalist leaders led their

nations to freedom, other

problems developed.

In Vietnam, the French weretemporarily replaced by theJapanese but reclaimed theircolony after World War II.

But Vietnamese nationalists,led by Ho Chi Minh, foughtfor their freedom.

However, at independence,Vietnam was

divided. Ho Chi Minh led a communist regimein North Vietnam

whileSouth Vietnam was

led by a non-communist dictator.

But some South Vietnamesefavored unification with theCommunist North. This led

to a civil war in South Vietnam.

American troops entered SouthVietnam hoping to defeat theCommunist Vietcong.

But even American troops could not prevent the collapse of an unpopulargovernment.

By 1975, Vietnam was a united, communist nation.

Cambodia,

Vietnam’s neighbor,

was destabilized by the Vietnam

War.

Pol Pot, a communist leader ofthe Khmer Rouge, came to power

in Cambodia in 1975.

The Khmer Rouge wanted toeliminate city life, education,Western culture, religion,and foreign influences.

The Khmer Rouge committedgenocide, killing 25% of theCambodian population.

By 1979, the Khmer Rougefled as Vietnamese soldiersinvaded the country. Pol Pot

died in 1998 before histrial for crimes against humanity.