1. The French had
colonized
Indochina but
while nationalist
leaders led their
nations to
freedom, other
problems developed.

2. In Vietnam, the French were
temporarily replaced by the Japanese but reclaimed their
colony after World War II.

3. But Vietnamese nationalists,
led by Ho Chi Minh, fought
for their freedom.

4. However, at independence,
Vietnam was divided. Ho Chi Minh led a communist regime
in North Vietnam while
South Vietnam was led by a non-communist dictator.

5. But some South Vietnamese favored unification with the
Communist North. This led
to a civil war in South Vietnam.

6. American troops entered South
Vietnam hoping to defeat the
Communist Vietcong.

7. But even American troops
could not prevent the
collapse of an unpopular
government.

8. united, communist nation.
By 1975, Vietnam was a
united, communist nation.

9. Cambodia, Vietnam’s neighbor,
was destabilized by the Vietnam War.

10. Pol Pot, a communist leader of the Khmer Rouge, came to power
in Cambodia in 1975.

11. The Khmer Rouge wanted to
eliminate city life, education,
Western culture, religion,
and foreign influences.

12. The Khmer Rouge committed
genocide, killing 25% of the
Cambodian population.

13. fled as Vietnamese soldiers invaded the country. Pol Pot
By 1979, the Khmer Rouge
fled as Vietnamese soldiers
invaded the country. Pol Pot
died in 1998 before his
trial for crimes against humanity.