Questions to Consider:
1. What fundamental problems existed in the Khmer Rouge's ideology and plan and that caused the destruction of so many lives in Cambodia? Does this demonstrate something inherently wrong with communism or does it demonstrate the ineffective and callous interpretation and execution of the ideology by the Khmer Rouge leaders?
2. With armed struggle and war a reality of life for people all over the world both past and present, how does one draw the line as to which means are ethical and unethical for bringing about change? How much suffering is tolerable to bring about a “better society”? What should happen when it is clear that a struggle for change is making society worse, as it was in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge?
3. What could have been done, on the part of the international community, to ameliorate the harm done to the people of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge between 1975-79? When, if ever, should national sovereignty be overridden to stop the immense suffering of people? How could this have happened in Cambodia and by whom?
Word Count Requirement: 500-750 words
Sources to Reference:
Please refer to the ideas, either using a description, quote or paraphrasing, from at least one of the sources in your response and please respond in some way to at least one of the question sets. You can also refer to the film, First They Killed My Father after we watch it as a class on Monday.
Excerpt 1 from Chapter 6 of A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide (Power, 2002)
(Cambodia: The Unknowable Unknown and Wishful Thinking)
Excerpt 2 from Chapter 6 of A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide (Power, 2002)
(Cambodia: From Behind a Blindfold and Official US Intelligence, Unofficial Skepticism)
Excerpt 3 from Chapter 6 of A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide (Power, 2002)
(Cambodia: This Is Not 1942 and and Options Ignored; Futility, Perversity, Jeopardy)
“The Rise and Fall of Democratic Kampuchea” by Sok Udom Deth (2009)
Rubric to Review: LTQ Rubric