Analysts or Apologists? The Left Media on Kampuchea by Paul Kelemen, critically dissects Western leftist media narratives that justify Vietnam’s occupation of Kampuchea. It exposes how publications like New Statesman and Marxism Today distort history by portraying the Vietnamese invasion as liberation while dismissing Kampuchea’s right to self-determination. Kelemen challenges claims that Democratic Kampuchea was merely a Chinese proxy, instead highligh…

This pamphlet, Answering the Lie Machine, exposes the web of distortions spun by imperialist and revisionist forces to justify Vietnam’s invasion of Kampuchea. It reveals how the so-called humanitarian crisis was manufactured by the Soviet-backed Vietnamese occupiers, who burned crops, looted grain stores, and displaced millions to break the revolutionary will of the people. By 1978, Democratic Kampuchea had restored rice production to 3.4 million tons,…

China and Indochina by Jitendra Mohan, examines the shifting geopolitical struggle between China, Vietnam, and the broader Indochinese region. It dismantles Hanoi’s justification for its 1978 invasion of Kampuchea, exposing the myth of a ‘Chinese threat’ propagated by Vietnamese propaganda. The text highlights China’s decades of material support for Vietnam’s liberation struggle—totaling up to $20 billion—before Hanoi’s strategic realignment with the So…

Coalition: A Great Step Forward by Jitendra Mohan, examines the historic formation of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK) in 1982 as a crucial development in the struggle against Vietnamese occupation. It details the diplomatic maneuvers and internal debates that led to the unification of the Khmer Rouge, the Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF), and Sihanouk’s FUNCINPEC under a single front. The text highlights the role…

Democratic Kampuchea: Theses on the Kampuchean Revolution 1975–78 by Volker Grabowsky, critically examines the successes and challenges of Democratic Kampuchea’s radical transformation. It highlights the regime’s rapid collectivization, achieving self-sufficiency in rice production by 1977, with exports reaching 130,000 tons. The text defends Kampuchea’s strategy of self-reliance, severing ties with the global capitalist system while fostering relations…

From Socialism to Expansionism by Martin Jordan, examines Vietnam’s transformation from a revolutionary force to a regional hegemon following its 1975 victory. It details how Vietnam’s economic crisis—marked by a food deficit of 4.4 million tons, the collapse of its Five-Year Plan, and failed collectivization—drove its military occupation of Kampuchea. The text exposes how Hanoi’s vision of an Indochinese federation, with Kampuchea as an agricultural hi…

This Guide to Kampuchean Organizations and Personalities provides an overview of the political and military forces shaping Kampuchea in the wake of the Vietnamese invasion. It details resistance movements such as the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front (KPNLF), led by Son Sann, which has established liberated zones and distributes international aid. It also examines the fractured loyalties of figures like Heng Samrin, head of the Vietnamese-backed…

Inside Democratic Kampuchea by Michael McColgan, offers a rare firsthand account of life in the liberated zones of Kampuchea in 1981, challenging mainstream narratives of total Vietnamese control. It details the resilience of 30,000 people in newly established villages, where agriculture, small industries, and trade flourished despite the proximity of the war front. The text highlights the adaptation of Democratic Kampuchea’s policies, including the all…

"This review by P.K. critically examines Ben Kiernan’s How Pol Pot Came to Power, challenging its portrayal of the Khmer Rouge as primarily driven by racial chauvinism. The reviewer argues that Kiernan minimizes Vietnam’s long-standing efforts to control the Kampuchean communist movement, instead framing the conflict as a clash of ideologies. The text highlights how Khmer nationalism emerged in response to historical Vietnamese dominance, rejecting Kier…

"This review by Volker Grabowsky critically examines Michael Vickery’s Cambodia 1975-1982, and provides reassessment of Democratic Kampuchea and the Vietnamese occupation. Vickery argues that living conditions under the Khmer Rouge varied by region, with the Southwest Zone under Ta Mok maintaining stability, while areas like Battambang and Pursat suffered due to deep class divisions. He challenges the portrayal of Democratic Kampuchea as merely a 'peasa…

The Analytical Errors of the Kampuchean Communist Party by W. E. Willmott, critically examines the ideological miscalculations that shaped Democratic Kampuchea’s policies. It argues that Pol Pot’s focus on the peasant-landlord contradiction as the primary conflict in Kampuchean society was fundamentally flawed, overlooking the exploitative role of commerce and usury. The text contends that peasant support for the revolution was driven by nationalism—spu…

This critique, of Aftermath by Michael McColgan and Martin Jordan, dissects John Pilger and Anthony Barnett’s pro-Vietnamese propaganda, exposing its distortions of Kampuchea’s struggle. The authors challenge Pilger’s portrayal of Vietnam’s 1979 invasion as a 'liberation,' highlighting his dismissal of Kampuchean self-determination in favor of Hanoi’s colonial ambitions. They reveal how Aftermath ignores Vietnam’s military occupation of Kampuchea, its s…

This work, Vietnam Re-Colonised: Soviet Expansionism in Southeast Asia by E. Vincent, exposes how Vietnam’s invasion of Kampuchea in 1978 transformed it into a de facto Soviet satellite. It details how Hanoi’s military and economic survival became entirely dependent on Moscow, with Soviet aid quadrupling from 1981 to 1985 and over 90% of Vietnam’s imports coming from the USSR. The text highlights how Soviet naval and air bases in Vietnam, including Cam…

This issue of Kampuchea: Vietnam’s Vietnam by Laura Summers critically examines Vietnam’s 1979 invasion and occupation of Democratic Kampuchea, revealing its devastating effects on the Kampuchean people. It details how over 500,000 perished from famine caused by forced resettlements and military aggression, while nearly a million sought refuge near the Thai border for survival. The text exposes Vietnam’s economic motives, rooted in historical imperialis…

Le Kampuchea: Vietnam-Cambodge, Guerres et Indépendance by Catherine Quiminal, examines the struggle for Kampuchean sovereignty and the Vietnamese occupation that followed. It traces the Khmer Rouge’s rise from resistance against Sihanouk’s rule and U.S. intervention to their attempt at immediate collectivization and national self-reliance. Quiminal challenges Hanoi’s justification for invasion, exposing its long-term ambition to dominate Kampuchea unde…

This study, Why Vietnam Invaded by Jitendra Mohan, dismantles the myth that Vietnam’s occupation of Kampuchea was a humanitarian intervention. Instead, it reveals Hanoi’s broader strategy of enforcing an ‘Indochina bloc’ under Vietnamese hegemony, with Kampuchea serving as an agricultural hinterland for Vietnam’s industrial ambitions. The text demonstrates how Vietnam’s economic crisis, with food shortages reaching 4.3 million tons in 1978, compelled it…