In 1975, The Khmer Rouge became the ruling political party of Cambodia after overthrowing the Lon Nol government. Following their leader Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge imposed an extreme form of social engineering on Cambodian society. They wanted to form an anti-modern, anti-Western ideal of a restructured “classless agrarian society'', a radical form of agrarian communism where the whole population had to work in collective farms or forced labor projects. The Khmer Rouge revolutionary army enforced this mostly with extreme violence. The book “First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers”, written by Luong Ung, is the author’s story of growing up during this time period. She was five years old when the Khmer Rouge came into power. As stated in the author’s note, “From 1975 to 1979, through execution, starvation, disease, and forced labor, the Khmer Rouge systematically killed an estimated two million Cambodians, almost a fourth of the country’s population.”
There are several reasons why Luong wrote the book “First They Killed My Father”. One reason would be to show how people struggle to survive against all odds. Another reason for writing this book would be to show how the government's intentions and its actions can differ. She is also attempting to show how important family is and the effects that war can have on a person.
When the Khmer Rouge overthrew the Cambodian government and took over, Luong Ung was only five years old. She lived through the entire period of the Khmer Rouge being in power, which is why she can provide first hand evidence of the war and its effects on the people of Cambodia. She had to live through the harsh conditions and had her innocence stolen by the new government and its...
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...Why did the government instantly use force instead of finding some other method? Why couldn’t the Lon Nol government fight off the Khmer Rouge?
The story “First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers” is a riveting tale about life during the Khmer Rouge’s takeover of the Cambodian government. Luong Ung has said, "As I tell people about genocide, I get the opportunity to redeem myself ... It's empowering; it feels right. The more I tell people, the less the nightmares haunt me. The more people listen to me, the less I hate." I believe that the more Luong Ung is able to spread her story to others and cause them to become aware of the tragedy that transpired, the more it becomes less likely for a catastrophe like this to ever take place again. Hearing Luong Ung’s story will encourage readers to triumph over any obstacle that they may face in life.
...lives. It gives readers the chance to emphasize with these women and their families. It let readers experience the trials and tribulations these women underwent firsthand. A nonfiction novel would not have had that impact and ability to draw readers that close.
I was in the grips of genocide, and there was nothing I could do. Operation No Living Thing was put into full effect (Savage 33). The R.U.F., however, was not alone in servicing children as their own messengers of evil, the military group countering their acts of violence also had children fighting their battles. A Long Way Gone and The Bite of the Mango are eye-opening books because they give people all over the world a glimpse into the horrors kids in Africa face on a daily basis. However different Mariatu Kamara and Ishmael Beah’s experiences were regarding their journeys and disabilities, they both exhibited the same extraordinary resilience in the end to better themselves, create futures they could be proud of, and make the best of what the war left them.
"Cambodian Genocide." World without Genocide. William Mitchell College of Law, 2012. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. .
In the memoir, First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung, the author explores the idea of family to develop the theme in hard times its important to keep family first. Loung shows a lots of examples throughout the book which gives you (the reader) the opportunity to pay close attention to them.
In 1975, the Khmer Rouge had taken over Cambodia becoming the ruling political party and had overthrown the Lon Nol government. They wanted Cambodia to form an anti-modern agrarian society. This novel is of political oppression set in Cambodia. First They Killed My Father is an emotional and heart wrenching memoir told by the perspective of a child, Loung Ung. It is an moving story told about a families survival with vivid detail and is more breathtaking and extreme as it is told from five year old Loung. As the horror begins Loung suffered through many journeys during her young ages; the deaths of her parents and siblings, being evacuated from Phnom Penh, her hometown, the knowledge she now has of the regime, and the loss of economic status. This family was brought together by trying to survive and some managed to stay strong and survive while others were not. Loung explains her experiences and how her family supported eachother but she managed to be the only one to survive in the end. Each family member learns from these life experiences especially Loung. Each family member adopts several techniques to survive throughout including sacrifice, separation and secrecy. The most important technique that had the most effect was all the sacrifices each family member made in order to stay strong and survive.
Have you ever wonder what it would be like to live in a war time. In “First They Killed My Father” she is talking about what her and her family went thru when she was little. In “First They Killed My Father” Ung discusses the impact of war Ung was forced to work as a kid, lost her childhood memory, and she doesn’t have any ownership of her possessions.
After Vietnam erupted into civil war, both sides started employing clever tactics and new t...
Anyone who came into contact with western influences did not fall under the acceptable view of returning to” year zero”. This prompted the relocation of her and her family under orders of Angkar. Angkar, also known as Angka, is not one singular person or being; it is an idea similar to religion. Angka is a generalized idea made by Pol Pot, who was the leader of the Khmer Rouge. Every action carried out by the Khmer Rouge was in direct correspondence with the idea of this greater being of supremacy. When Loung Ung’s journey begins, she doesn’t quite understand the idea of ‘Angka’; but by the end of her experience she is all too familiar with the abhorrent nature of the Khmer Rouge. Fairly quickly Loung learns the ways of the Angka. She learns to feel inconceivable hatred from the acts that are carried out under the ruling of Angka. “The Angkar has taught me to hate so deeply that I now know I have the power to destroy and kill (Pg. 105).” Her hatred dims the ever-growing grief inside of her for her family and for those around her. An example of this hatred replacing her grief occurs when she stumbles upon a random dead body. Being that everyone was dressed the same she could not tell whether it was a civilian or a Khmer Rouge soldier. Her feelings of hatred help her on her journey so she decided it ‘must’ be a soldier and is therefore not mourning the death nor is she sorry. "I do not in fact know if the body is a civilian or a soldier. Thinking of the body as a civilian makes me think of Pa too much. It is easier to feel no pity for the dead if I think of them as all Khmer Rouge. I hate them all. Holding on to my hate for the Khmer Rouge also allows me to go on living the mundane details of life (Pg. 192).” In one camp that Loung and her sister Chou stayed at, they had a moment to speak of their father’s death. Loung regrets not being able to help him be stronger like
First They Killed My Father:a daughter of Cambodia remembers emphasized on the importance of the themes of geography. It is essential to understand where the story was taken place. Cambodia is located between Vietnam and Thailand. The relative location of Cambodia is important because to flee to America, many Cambodians travel through Vietnam, to Thailand because it is a safer route. Also, during the Khmer Rouge’s control several families fled to Vietnam illegally to escape the communist control.
Walker, Luke. "Cambodian Genocide." World Without Genocide. William Mitchell College of Law, 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. .
The poem of A Story by Li-Young Lee analyzes the coming of age of a son through the eyes and emotions of a father. On the surface, it seems like a simple situation of a father telling the son a story to entertain him. But it is upon closer inspection and deep analysis that reveals the true meaning of the poem that the poet is trying to convey to the reader.
Cambodia would become a battle ground for American troops fighting in Vietnam for four years; the war would kill up to 750,000 Cambodians through U.S. efforts to destroy suspected North Vietnamese supply lines. This devastation would take its toll on the Cambodian peoples’ morale and would later help to contribute to the conflicts that caused the Cambodian genocide. In the 1970’s the Khmer Rouge guerrilla movement would form. The leader of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, was educated in France and believed in Maoist Communism. These communist ideas would become important foundations for the ideas of the genocide, and which groups would be persecuted.
The Ung’s moved from one place to another just to keep their family together. Because their father was a former government worker, the Khmer Rouge would have killed him if they found out because they think anyone with an education is a threat to their dictatorship. For months they were on the road. Walking in the hot sun, starving and it was very hard for them to stay together. It was the hardest on Loung because she desperately wanted to be somewhere she can call “home” somewhere like Phnom Penh. But that was difficult considering they had to move to anot...
They staged a successful coup to depose Prince Sihanouk as head of state. But tens of thousands of people did not support the American backed government. Prince Sihanouk went into exile in China. With the support of China, North Vietnam, and CPK, Sihanouk was able to form the National United Front of Kampuchea and a government in exile called the Royal Government of the National Union of Kampuchea. These new developments had created new opportunities for Khmer Rouge. Being supported by North Vietnam and China. While Prince Sihanouk appealed to the Cambodian people.The Khmer Rouge was made up of a hardy people. It was known that they were more active and disciplined than the Khmer Republic government. They were able to withstand shortages of food and medicine. By early 1973, The Khmer Rouge had about 85% of Cambodian territory under their power. The Lon Nol army was unable to go on the offensive. But, with the help of the United States, the Lon Nol army was able to continue fighting the Khmer Rouge for 2 more
The Khmer Rouge is a name that was given to the followers of the communist party Kampuchea. Kampuchea was formed in 1968 as an offshoot of the Vietnam’s people’s army from North Vietnam. The Khmer Rouge is very smart, because no one knew about them for two years, they made their army from offshoots of other events during the 1970’s, and they picked the perfect time to attack and take control of Cambodia.