Remembering the Fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge: A Cambodian Gallery.

This article focuses on the final days of Phnom Penh in April 1975 as the Khmer Rouge seized control of Cambodia, marking a pivotal moment in Southeast Asian history. It highlights photographs by Samuel Jackson, who documented the last American evacuation, and Naoki Mabuchi, a Japanese photojournalist who captured the arrival of the Khmer Rouge and the reactions of Cambodians, including refugees and political figures such as former Prime Minister Prince Sirik Matak. The Khmer Rouge’s takeover led to widespread violence and persecution, resulting in millions of deaths, and the regime soon expelled all foreigners. Efforts by individuals and institutions, including the Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center, have preserved these images to shed light on this often overlooked chapter beyond American Vietnam War narratives.