WeeklyUpdates
Thursday, March 25, 1969
Some Appalling
Actions That Must Be
Considered
There was a certain point
during the Cold War when
Cambodia decided to maintain
its neutrality, but without any
consent or
1 impact on the whole country into
reasoning, they were going to
get involved with the war as
well as their location. It only
made it worse to have
Cambodia border Vietnam
because it was another strategic
location that the North
Vietnamese utilized to install
military bases. By 1960, the
NVA had already stationed its
supplies and troops to help
them when striking South
Vietnam. Cambodia, and its
prince Sihanouk, decided to
allow the North Vietnamese to
continue with their plan of
instalment and soon enough
thought it was best for
Cambodia to refuse any kind of
aid from the United States.
After everything had been
settled and the North
Vietnamese had stepped into
Cambodian territory, they
began an incursion in South
Vietnam. Soon enough
President Nixon came to find
you know? Its as if we However, United States actions in
were all there next to the Cambodia demonstrate that the
bomb, but at the same United States intervened only when
its economic and ideological interests
time it had just been a
were supported. Consequently,
loud thud. I was just 2 American actions during the Cold
War created instability in Cambodia
and undermined the nations values
of national security and democracy.
The US and its president had decided
it was best to aim at the North
Vietnamese Armys bases located in
Cambodia, but they didnt take the
walking down the same
street I usually take in thorough consideration. The U.S had
recently discovered that Cambodia
order to get to work on
didnt want any of their economic or
time, its my little military support anymore, so the U.S
shortcut. I had just said found it justified to bomb Cambodia
my hellos to some of in a matter of weeks after the South
the people, and even Vietnamese destruction caused by the
NVA. The United States wasnt
patients, from the
going to take any chances of
neighborhood that over
becoming the next victim of the NVA
the years I got to meet. I
and its supporting communists, so
was only a few blocks individuals secretly prepared to put
away from my an end to it all. They thought it was
workplace where I their last opportunity before the
worked as a general North Vietnamese completed a more
tragic event.
doctor. I thought it was
President Nixon and national
going to be a day like
security advisor Kissinger, were
any other normal day,
determined to overthrow the
but the unexpected communists from Cambodia, once
occurred. After the loud and for all. Their way of doing so and
roar, all I remember was completing such dangerous task
waking up on the floor involved the violation of some of
their US values during this time of
with smoke in the air,
war. They believed in total
making it hard to
democracy, where people had
distinguish the chaos,
opportunities to voice their opinions
and other individuals by and views with the freedom of speech
my side. It was one of that never really limited them from
the most horrific scenes I doing so. However, this value
have ever lived to seemed to perish during President
Nixons plan of bombardment
experience. The first
because the whole operation was to
thing that came into my
be kept a secret from the rest of the
mind was my family. It
country. There was a tape that
had been a while since I suggested that this was only kept
Price:400 riels
States. A short while after, the
Khmer Rouge came to exist.
It was one of the most terrifying
organizations to take power
because it chose to make severe
and extreme changes to the
lifestyle of Cambodians. Once the
Khmer Rouge officially took
power, they decided to get rid of all
of the people that proposed a
certain threat to them and this
included educated people,
specialists, people who they
thought had had relations with
previous Cambodian governments,
etc. There were certain moments in
time when the Angkar tricked
specialists from Cambodia into
expressing their true sentiments
toward the Rouge (Ponchaud). This
only led to the execution of a vast
amount of innocent individuals
who were considered a threat to the
Khmer Rouge. Then, there were
also cases of inhumane treatment
imposed by the Khmer Rouge upon
its civilians that left them scarred
for the rest of their lives (Office of
the Co-Investigating Judges).
During these atrocious and painful
moments for Cambodia, the US
failed to intervene and aid them.
This only demonstrates their lack
of intervention and most
importantly national security,
which they failed to protect. This
evidently led to the non fulfillment
of communist containment in
Cambodia.
These historic events led us to
believe that the United States
actions did not match with their
values in Cambodia, however,
many individuals would take a
stance and argue that their values
were effectively consistent. For
instance, some may take the idea of
the United States helping
Cambodia while the Khmer
Republic was in power over
out about this incident and due
to this sudden action from the
NVA, he decided it was best to
put an end to North Vietnam
and its communists by simply
acting aggressive towards them.
It wasnt only President Nixon
who took this courageous, yet
life-changing, decision. He
personally talked to his national
security advisor, Kissinger, and
together they thought it would
all turn out to be the way they
had always expected if they
were to bomb the NVAs bases
in Cambodia. Still, President
Nixon was hesitant about his
commitment to bomb
Cambodia and instead decided
to wait until the CIA tried to
utilize a source of bribery
against Cambodia until they
reached a settlement of ending
any type of relations with North
Vietnam. Unfortunately, the
Cambodian government refused
any settlement imposed by the
United States and seemed to
remain loyal to its surrounding
communist neighbors. Short
after, there had been a Viet
Cong attack on Saigon, South
Vietnams capital, and this was
going to serve as the
justification as to why the
United States bombed
Cambodia. This essentially
became the turning point for
the United States. However,
this was going to be a different
and more dangerous bombing
performed by the U.S. due to
the fact that President Nixon
wanted to keep this bombing a
secret from the public. Nixons
decision to accomplish this
without any other individual
finding out was because he
believed that if the
bombardments were to catch
the publics attention, then
national chaos would arise and
spread among everyone. This
last spoke to them. I between Nixon and Kissinger
dont know if the United because Nixon repeatedly mentioned
States had planned to his plans on how to damage the
North Vietnamese Army (Mr.
bomb a specific location
Kissinger/The President (tape)).
or civilian premises as Society wasnt allowed to find out
well, but all I do know is about these bombings in any way,
that they managed to shape, or form. It is evident that this
affect us in various types life-changing secret would only
of ways. harshly impact the US citizens and
As fast as I could, I change their perspective toward
American ideology. It would have
stood up and headed
been considered ethical if the United
home as fast as my legs States had first asked the publics
could take me. I was just opinion about whether or not it would
terrified that the benefit the country to commit such
bombings would have crucial decision. It was even more
continued consequently shocking and immoral to find out that
and they would become President Nixon chose to lie to the
pilots who were sending in and
an obstacle for me to get
dropping the bombs. The president
home. I was jogging by had lied to them about the location of
now, then running, then where the bombs would drop so that
walking once again. As I they too would be unconscious about
passed by the different the atrocious truth. Furthermore, the
streets they seemed pilots records were deemed to
nearly unrecognizable. I remain clean from any of these
missions performed by them so that
continued to be in
there wouldnt be any kind of proof
dismay at what had just to track down in the future regarding
occurred, in the morning the bombings. Without any further
I had thought it was hesitation, the President ordered the
going to be a day like launching of the first set of bombs
any other. I finally that were codenamed breakfast. After
reached my lovely home successfully sending these bombs
into orbit, the Nixon administration
and went crazy to locate
ordered other sets of bombs to target
my family as soon as Cambodia and the bases installed
possible, I didnt want within. The codenames for the
the horrible scenes in my following were known as Lunch,
mind to become reality. Snack, Dinner, Supper, and the last
Until this day, I am one was Dessert which marked the
thankful to still have a end of the dishonest bombings during
Operation Menu.
loving family that
The overall effect of these
supports one another and unnecessary bombings, that only hurt
Im grateful for the innocent individuals, also made an
minor damage that we impact on the amount of trust that the
had personally American society sustained as they
encountered. But one continued to rely on their government
things for sure, my and its ideology. It is evident that
Nixon and Kissinger didnt take into
family and I, and I
consideration the aftermath of the
believe that many other bombings in Cambodia, which would
individuals will never later serve as a factor that portrayed
forget this traumatic the inconsistency of the United
experience as it will go States value of national security.
down as a historic event, Many historians, like Stephen Kinzer,
and Im not sure if it will also criticize the U.S. actions during
these outrageous times during the
Cambodia. They may suggest that
President Nixon demanded
economic and military aid to be
offered to Cambodia in order to
help them resist communist
influences from North Vietnam. In
reality, the United States was only
trying to protect American
interests. Their main goal and
reason for trying to protect and
influence Cambodia was because
they wanted to help them maintain
the Khmer Republic that had taken
over. However, in 1975, when the
Republic fell to the Khmer Rouge,
a communist government, the U.S.
and its congress decided to stop
giving aid to Cambodia. They no
longer wished to support and
improve conditions in this country,
instead during the final years of the
Vietnam War the United States
pulled out of this region, allowing
the Rouge to easily gain access into
the position of power. Clearly, the
United States actions did not
corroborate with its values in
Cambodia and in the end failed to
contain communism in this region.
In essence, during the Cold
War, the United States actions did
not coincide with their values in
Cambodia. They went against their
values of democracy and national
security as they committed
immoral actions. At first, they had
supported and aided Cambodia in
order to avoid the spread of
communism in their region. Later,
the US had given up and refused to
give further help to Cambodia
because the Khmer Rouge had
come into existence. The United
States was known as the empire of
liberty for allowing its citizens to
use their voice as a source to help
change the country. However, this
wasnt essentially true when the
bombing of Operation Menu took
place. All of the bombings were
kept a secret from the people, not
taking into consideration their
thoughts and opinions on a crucial
matter. Furthermore, the United
States refused to intervene in
Cambodia when inhumane
treatment was imposed during the
Khmer Rouges reign. They
essentially allowed a communist
government to torture and mistreat
decision of bombing Cambodia
not only had an everlasting
domestic effect, but it also led
to unimagined foreign
consequences.
A Horror Story to
Retell in Years
US Reporter: Can you please
describe the moment
everything happened, how did
you feel?
Cambodian citizen: It was
all a big shock to me and the
rest of the people around me. It
was totally unexpected.
All we heard were big
explosions at a distance, but
they still seemed so far away,
benefit the United States
of America.
A Dire Decision
Emits
Consequences for
the United States
American forces in South
Vietnam have once again,
been targeted by the North
Vietnamese and soon after
this offensive attack,
President Nixon met with
his national security
advisor, Henry Kissinger,
to proofread and conclude
what activities they would
take into consideration.
During the Cold War, the
United States claimed that
its goal was to contain
communism.
Cold War. For example, he also innocent human beings. All in all,
believed that the covert operations the United States could have done
that the United States utilized to and performed further critical
overthrow governments only made actions in order to stop the
things worse for themselves, by domination of communists in
weakening American security and it Cambodia.
also affected the foreign countries,
ignoring their painful sufferings
(Kinzer). Right after the bombings,
Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer
Rouge, decided to take advantage of
the US and its unprincipled behavior
presented during 1969. Pol Pot took
his chances and used the bombings
and their severe destruction as a
source of propaganda to influence the
Cambodians that the United States
didn't necessarily care for Cambodian
security, instead they just cared for
their own benefits. Pol Pot,
miraculously, started gaining more
supporters as a boundless quantity of
people were added to the list of those
who had been struck by US bombs
and experienced a sense of
abomination toward the United

Statistical Analysis: Bibliography:

GDP per capita: 117 3 A., Robby, and Evan O. "Nixon's Fatal Decision." The Secret
Infant Mortality Rate: N/A Bombing of Cambodia. Google Sites, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
Population: 5,300,000
Population Growth Rate: N/A
This information was taken in Kinzer, Stephen. Overthrow: America's Century of Regime
from the year of 1969. The GDP Change from Hawaii to Iraq. New York: Times /Henry Holt,
per capita explains the average 2007. N. pag. Print.
income that every individual in
Cambodia is receiving. This was a very low number compared to
other countries of the world, especially the first and second world Mr. Kissinger/The President (tape) (1970): n. pag. Web.
countries. The reason for this is that Cambodia, during this time,
was more agricultural rather than industrialized. Also, there Office of the Co-Investigating Judges. "Document 112: Written
population, as we see above, was also roughly low compared to Record of Witness Statement of Prak Khan to the Extraordinary
those other locations. This meant that this could have been Chambers Courts of Cambodia." (2007): n. pag. Print.
another one of the reason why they didnt really earn a higher
GDP. Now, the infant mortality rate and population growth rate
are both listed as N/A during this time. There are plenty of reason Ponchaud, Franois. "Cambodia: Year Zero." Fordham
as to why this could happen. Some of these reasons may include Homepage. Modern History Sourcebook, n.d. Web. 06 Apr.
that the country didnt want to include them because it would 2017.
allow others to have a negative perspective towards this place.
Also, perhaps the people that are in charge of this miscounted and
didnt want to expose false numbers to the public. Either way,
these numbers werent available but they could have shown up for
the more recent years.
1. Nixon on his second day as president, January 21, 1969
2. The U.S. Air Force launched Operation Menu, the B-52 bombing of Cambodia, March 18, 1969
3. Cambodian map during 1969 showing how it shared a border with Vietnam