PANO – The Vietnam-Cambodia solidarity formed early in the history. The solidarity has then regularly been consolidated and nurtured over time, and strengthened in the struggle to free Cambodians from the genocidal regime of the Khmer Rouge.
Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and Cambodian revolutionary soldiers. A filed photo
In April 1975, although the resistance war against the American invasion ended in victory, Cambodians had yet to enjoy peace. The Khmer Rouge government, led by Pol Pot and Ieng Sary, exercised extreme internal policies, causing serious consequences to all sector of life, including social life and traditional cultural values. In 3 years 8 months and 20 days, the regime left 3,314,768 Cambodians brutally killed without trial, almost 570,000 missing people, 141,848 handicapped, and more than 200,000 children orphaned. Only hatred and resentment were seen everywhere in the country.
In terms of foreign relations, the regime implemented extreme external policies, inciting national hatred against Vietnam. Right after the liberation day of Vietnam (April 30th 1975), the regime invaded Phu Quoc (May 3rd 1975) and Tho Chu (May 10th 1975) islands. Despite objection from Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge forces kept staying on, forcing Vietnam to react to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, dispelling the invaders.
Escalating the provocation, on December 22nd 1978, Pol Pot deployed 19 out of 23 infantry divisions, artillery, tank and armoured forces along the border and intruded into Vietnam’s territory, brutally killing Vietnamese people and robbing properties.
Exercising legitimate self-defence, regular forces of Vietnam on December 23rd 1978 along the border opened large-scale counter-attack operations, wiping the enemy out of the territory of Vietnam, destroying major forces of the Khmer Rouge, supporting the revolutionary forces and people of Cambodia in combat.
As the Vietnamese forces started counter-attack operations along the border, the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation foresaw that the Khmer Rouge forces in the border areas would be destroyed or at least contained. Therefore, the Front decided to wage the uprising across the nation, attacking central organs of the Khmer Rouge regime, taking advantage of the support of the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers to overthrow the regime of Pol Pot and Ieng Sary.
Then, at the request of the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation to free the Cambodian from the genocidal regime, Vietnam together with Cambodia revolutionary forces launched the counter-offensive campaign. Vietnamese Army Corps 4 started by destroying the enemy forces in Ben Soi (Tay Ninh province, Vietnam). Military Zones 7, 9, 5 and Army Corps 3 and 2 of Vietnam also joined the campaign then.
On December 24th 1978, Military Zone 7 attacked the enemy along Road 10 and Road 13, capturing Kratié (December 30th 1978). On December 25th 1978, Army Corps 3 launched attacks along Road 7, taking control of Snong Chup, advancing towards Kam-pong Cham town. Military Zone 5 operated along Road 19, penetrating deep into Phnom Penh. By January 2nd 1979, the three main groupments of the enemy (each groupment consisted of 5 divisions) deployed along Road 1, Road 7 and Road 2 leading to Phnom Penh were destroyed and disintegrated. On January 7th 1979, the joint forces of Vietnam and Cambodia made the total victory.
The victory of the Cambodian revolution is of special significance, putting an end to the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime, marking the advent of the era of freedom and independence for the nation.
The support and sacrifice of the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers are boundless and have been praised and honoured by the army and people of Cambodia. As Dr. Chhay Yi Heang, Advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia, once said, “The genocidal regime of Pol Pot and Ieng Sary is the enemy of not only Cambodia, but also the whole mankind. That Vietnam’s people, government and volunteer soldiers freed Cambodians from the genocide and helped revive the nation is a noble and great cause for justice in the 20th century “.
Translated by Huu Duong
Đăng ký: VietNam News