Changes

| deathnumber  =1,800,000 to 2,500,000 est.

| deathnumber  =1,800,000 to 2,500,000 est.

}}

}}

'''Pol Pot''' (born '''Saloth Sar''' May 19, 1928 – 1998) was the ruthless [[Cambodia]]n [[Communism|Communist]] [[dictator]] and [[genocide|genocidist]] responsible for killing 1-3 million Cambodians in the late 1970s (nearly a third of the Cambodian population).  Anyone thought to be [[intellectual]] was murdered, including the killing of people simply for knowing a foreign language or even merely wearing glasses.  Pol Pot held power through a combination of enormous charm and complete ruthlessness. He is infamous for being a communist who apparently did not even like to read the works of [[Marx]].

'''Pol Pot''' (born '''Saloth Sar''' May 19, 1928 – 1998) was the ruthless [[Cambodia]]n [[Communism|Communist]] [[dictator]] and [[genocide|genocidist]] responsible for killing 1-3 million Cambodians in the late 1970s (nearly a third of the Cambodian population).  Anyone thought to be intellectual was murdered, including the killing of people simply for knowing a foreign language or even merely wearing glasses.  Pol Pot held power through a combination of enormous charm and complete ruthlessness. He is infamous for being a communist who apparently did not even like to read the works of [[Marx]].

== Biography ==

== Biography ==

Pol Pot was born as the second son of a successful landowner, who had connections the royal court. His real name was ''Saloth Sar'', what he often denied probably to protect his family. Pol Pot was educated by Buddhists and at a private Catholic institution in [[Phnom Penh]]. Later he moved to [[Paris]], where he became involved with the Communist Party. 1953 he returned to Cambodia. In September 1960 Pol Pot founded the ''Workers Party of Kampuchéa'' together with others. The party became a guerilla army and grew in influence.<ref>http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pe-Pu/Pol-Pot.html#ixzz3eMfOGqK2</ref>

Pol Pot was born as the second son of a successful landowner, who had connections the royal court. His real name was ''Saloth Sar'', what he often denied probably to protect his family. Pol Pot was educated by Buddhists and at a private Catholic institution in [[Phnom Penh]]. Later he moved to [[Paris]], where he became involved with the Communist Party. 1953 he returned to Cambodia. In September 1960 Pol Pot founded the ''Workers Party of Kampuchéa'' together with others. The party became a guerilla army and grew in influence.<ref>http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pe-Pu/Pol-Pot.html#ixzz3eMfOGqK2</ref>

When Pol Pot took over Cambodia in 1975, he abolished [[private property]], [[money]], schools and [[religion]] and converted everything back to an agricultural society.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8350313.stm</ref> He emptied the cities. His [[Khmer Rouge]] government fell in 1979 when the communist country of [[Vietnam]] invaded Cambodia after a series of violent border confrontations, and Pol Pot fled to the northern jungle with his forces. Pol Pot was popular in China, because they believed Cambodia would be a counterbalance to Vietnam, which was friendly with the Soviet Union. The Chinese support for Pol Pot was a reason he was not ousted earlier to disowned by the communist movement.

When Pol Pot took over Cambodia in 1975, he abolished [[private property]], [[money]], schools and [[religion]] and converted everything back to an agricultural society.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8350313.stm</ref> He emptied the cities. His [[Khmer Rouge]] government fell in 1979 when the communist country of [[Vietnam]] invaded Cambodia after a series of violent border confrontations, and Pol Pot fled to the northern jungle with his forces. Pol Pot was popular in China because they believed Cambodia would be a counterbalance to Vietnam, which was friendly with the Soviet Union. The Chinese support for Pol Pot was a reason he was not ousted earlier to disowned by the communist movement.

An Oscar-winning film about his dictatorship, ''[[The Killing Fields]]'' brought a wider knowledge of his atrocities, but only years after they had taken place.  The United States and other Asian nations were blamed for once supporting him in order to counter Vietnam next door.

An Oscar-winning film about his dictatorship, ''[[The Killing Fields]]'' brought a wider knowledge of his atrocities, but only years after they had taken place.  The United States and other Asian nations were blamed for once supporting him in order to counter Vietnam next door.

==See also==

==See also==

* [[List of dictators]]

* [[Friendly dictator]]

** [[List of dictators]]

* [[Dictatorship of the proletariat]]

** [[Friendly dictator]]

* [[List of Communist States]]

* [[List of Socialist States]]

** [[Dictatorship of the proletariat]]

* [[Death toll of communism]]

** [[List of Communist States]]

** [[List of Socialist States]]

** [[Death toll of communism]]

* [[Single-party state]]

==References==

==References==