Pol Pot was born on 19 May 1925 in Prek Sbauv. A Cambodian political leader, Pol Pot was born Saloth Sar and became head of the Khmer Rouge, a communist movement that fought a civil war and took power in Phnom Penh in 1975. As leader of Democratic Kampuchea, he oversaw the forced evacuation of the cities, the abolition of money, schools and religion, and an attempt to create an agrarian society. Mass executions, forced labour, starvation and disease caused the deaths of an estimated one and a half to two million people, about a quarter of the population, in what is regarded as a genocide. Vietnam invaded in 1979 and drove the regime from power. He continued to lead guerrillas from the jungle and died in 1998 without standing trial.
Before and after
- 12 March 1925Death of Sun Yat-sen
- 10 April 1925Publication of The Great Gatsby
- 19 April 1925Founding of Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo
- 20 April 1925Construction of Copenhagen Airport
- 19 May 1925Birth of Pol Pot
- 19 May 1925Birth of Malcolm X
- 21 May 1925Construction of Waldstadion
- 25 May 1925Founding of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg
- 29 June 1925Birth of Giorgio Napolitano
More in Wars, politics & history
- 1919Paris Peace Conference
- 3 March 1923Time
- from 1 August 1927 to 1 May 1950Chinese Civil War
- 30 September 1938Munich agreement
- from 1 September 1939 to 6 October 19391939 Invasion of Poland
- 1944Golden Globes
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.