How did the Khmer Rouge form?

The Khmer Rouge formed in the early 1960s as a communist guerrilla movement in Cambodia, influenced by the broader context of the Cold War and the rise of communist movements in Southeast Asia. Initially, it emerged as a faction of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, gaining support from rural peasants disillusioned with the corrupt government of Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The group's ideology was rooted in Marxism-Leninism, advocating for radical agrarian socialism, which culminated in their takeover of Cambodia in 1975, leading to a brutal regime under Pol Pot. Their rise was facilitated by the U.S. bombing campaigns in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, which destabilized the region and increased public support for the Khmer Rouge.