Overview

Lon Nol was a Cambodian general who seized power in a March 1970 coup that overthrew the government of Prince Norodom Sihanouk while the prince was abroad. The coup; which had CIA involvement and U.S. foreknowledge; served American strategic interests by replacing the neutralist Sihanouk with a pro-American military government willing to cooperate with U.S. operations against North Vietnamese supply lines running through Cambodia (the Ho Chi Minh Trail). The coup provided the Nixon administration with a justification for the already-ongoing secret bombing campaign (Operation Menu; which had begun in March 1969 without congressional authorization) and the subsequent ground invasion of Cambodia in April 1970. The U.S. bombing of Cambodia; which continued through 1973 under Operation Freedom Deal; dropped approximately 2.7 million tons of ordnance on the country (more than the Allies dropped in all of World War II); killing an estimated 100;000 to 500;000 Cambodian civilians. Lon Nol's incompetent and corrupt military government proved unable to contain the growing Khmer Rouge insurgency; which exploited anger over the U.S. bombing to recruit fighters. The Khmer Rouge ultimately overran Phnom Penh in April 1975; beginning the Cambodian genocide that killed an estimated 1.5-2 million people; roughly 25% of the population. Lon Nol fled to Hawaii in April 1975; where he lived in exile until his death in 1985. His regime and the U.S. bombing are considered key precursors to the Khmer Rouge's rise to power.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports