Given the keyword ‘biggest mass execution in modern history,’ most people nowadays will think of the Holocaust, the genocide of over 2 million Jews by the Nazis. However, a more recent event is almost equivalent to, or perhaps exceeding, the Holocaust. This historical event is called ‘Killing Fields,’ the death of over 2 million Cambodians due to execution, starvation, or disease under the Khmer Rouge regime 1975. 

Khmer Rouge had a hold of Cambodia in 1975, with their grand plan of ‘revolution.’ People first welcomed them, only to realize how violent and radical a dictatorship they were. The leader of the Khmer Rouge government, Pol Pot, insisted that everyone against the revolution must be killed for the country’s good. Their first act was to migrate people from the cities to the countryside forcefully. Anyone who rejected or disobeyed was killed. Due to the hot weather that reaches over 40 degrees Celsius and lack of food, many Cambodians died on their way. 

In the countryside, Cambodians were forced to work for the Khmer Rouge. They had to work over 10 hours every day in this poor environment. They were given only small amounts of food and, sometimes, none. Diseased, pregnant, young, and old were not considered an exception. Some who were too weak to work were killed. People who complained were killed. People who stole food were also killed. 

Moreover, Pol Pot arrested many Cambodians who were ‘intellectuals’ in fear of them revolting, tortured, and executed them. This standard of ‘intellectuals’ were highly absurd. Many were arrested just because they wore glasses, had soft hands, could speak English, or even average students, just because they were educated. The methods they used to execute these people were awfully terrible and violent. An example was to kill children by hitting them against a tree with thorns. 

Khmer Rouge was eventually driven out by Vietnamese forces. After their reign ended, a quarter of Cambodians were gone. Cambodia still holds remains of this tragic history. They have constructed a Toul Sleng Museum and Killing Fields Memorials to commemorate the dead. We must also remember all of those who were sacrificed during this time. 

Resources:
Marissa. (2017, October 16). The history of Cambodia’s killing fields. Culture Trip. https://theculturetrip.com/asia/cambodia/articles/a-guide-to-cambodias-killing-fields/ 

Remembering the killing fields. National Cambodian Heritage Museum and Killing Fields Memorial. (n.d.). https://www.cambodianmuseum.org/remembering-the-killing-fields 

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