Question

Explain how the Nazis and the Khmer Rouge each rose to power

Answer 1

They rose to power strictly with the use of fear and killing.

Answer 2

When comparing the Nazi Regime in Germany under Hitler to the Khmer Rouge, there are some striking similarities. From the Killing Fields in the Khmer Rouge, to Pol Pot and Hitler both dying before they were held accountable for their crimes against humanity, and everything in-between. The following paragraphs aim to compare and contrast the Khmer Rouge to the Nazi Regime and Pol Pot to Hitler.

“It will restore to our Volk, beyond the divisions of rank and class, its consciousness of national and political unity and the duties this entails.” (114) The Nazi party was very much about the revival of their folk, their country, and their culture. The Khmer Rouge, on the other hand, was not interested in the revival of culture; they were actively against Cambodian culture. They wanted a country of farming and communism, where no one had anything to decipher one person from the next. The Khmer Rouge exterminated an estimated 3 million people during their 4 year reign of Cambodia from 1975-1979. Of these people, artists, performers, immigrants, political figures, religious folk, men, women, children, and native Cambodians were all exterminated. During the Nazi reign, an estimated 20 million people were exterminated from 1933-1945. 

Unlike Hitler, Pol Pot was not well loved by his soldiers. “Hitler’s popularity continued to grow. It was difficult for skeptics not to be affected by the enthusiasm generated by the regime.” (134) Hitler rallied people. He wanted to be well loved by Germany because he knew that was the key to his success. Hitler’s success is directly related to his absolutely phenomenal public speaking skills. Pol Pot had his soldiers terrified of him. If anyone defied or was suspected of defying Pol Pot, they were exterminated, regardless of their position or allegiance to him. Paranoia ran rampant within the Khmer Rouge and is a contributing factor as to why the Khmer Rouge had such a short reign.

Cambodia flourished before Pol Pot came to power with the Khmer Rouge. During the time before the Khmer Rouge, the country was healthy and prosperous. Cambodia ran on a merit system based on Buddhism and family was the most important value within the country. When the Khmer Rouge took over, no one wanted to leave their life and belief system to become a farmer. There was a lot of resistance from the population, but if anyone resisted, they were murdered, sometimes with their families watching or their families having to do the killing of each other. In Germany, however, “…most workers, too, were quite ready to trade personal freedom for security and order.” (141) Germany was not prosperous and flourishing before the stronghold of Hitler on the country. Therefore, the general population was eager for security so of course they were willing to trade their freedom to get behind someone who was offering security for them and their families.