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I have been doing some reading about Indochina during the 20th century, and I have taken interest to Cambodian history.

I have been reading about a figure named Pol Pot, above all, he was opportunist with a thirst for power. Little known is that he studied in France during the forties, and gained an affinity with Marxism-Leninism.

He would later return to Cambodia and join the military, soon becoming a high ranking officer with his natural talent. Also little known is his connections with the Communist Party of Kampuchea, later known as the Khmer Rouge. He was known to attend meetings from time to time.

During the Cambodian coup of 1970 he eagerly supported the new Lon Nol government. Lon Nol was already an acquantince of Pol Pot, and both were known to have a budding friendship. Lon Nol appointed Pol Pot, now a revered military leader to a position in the new government and he soon rose to power.

General Pol Pot lead relatively successful campaigns against the Khmer Rouge, and he was fondly looked up to by most Cambodian soldiers. The soldiers even helped to form a short lasting Pol Pot cult of personality among peasants in the countryside, the eager Pol Pot in his quest for power happily supported this.

When his military tactics proved unsuccessful, the Khmer Rouge took power and Pol Pot fled to Vietnam, protected by the Communist Party of Vietnam. The Khmer Rouge government was lead by Ieng Sary and Nuon Chea, and led to the deaths of millions in the Cambodian genocide.

When Democratic Kampuchea, the new name the Khmer Rouge gave to the nation attacked Vietnam, Vietnam retaliated and invaded Cambodia. This invasion was successful and the Vietnamese installed a new government, the People's Republic of Kampuchea.

And who lead this government? Pol Pot himself! Pol Pot had gained the trust of the Vietnamese government and Cambodian refugees in Vietnam, rising to power in the Kampuchea United Front For National Salvation.

The Salvation Front formed a new Marxist-Leninist government, under the leadership of Pol Pot. Pol Pot would lead the nation until his death in 1998. Today, long after the end of the Cold War, the People's Republic of Kampuchea endures as a socialist state.

But what if Pol Pot joined the Khmer Rouge, as he was close to doing in the 50s? With his thirst for power, could he have risen to power in the party? Could Pol Pot maybe even lead the horrific Cambodian genocide? Or could he have prevented it?
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