Cambodian coup of 1970

The March 1970 military coup that removed Prince Norodom Sihanouk as Cambodia’s head of state and led to the establishment of the Khmer Republic.

Norodom Sihanouk: Cambodian royal, politician, and head of state who dominated the country’s politics for much of the mid-20th century. His removal from office was the coup’s defining political outcome.
National Assembly of Cambodia: Cambodia’s national legislature, responsible for lawmaking and formal political decisions. It voted to withdraw Sihanouk’s authority while he was abroad.
Cheng Heng: Cambodian politician who served as president of the National Assembly and later head of state. He became acting head of state after the Assembly removed Sihanouk.
Coup of 18 March 1970: The parliamentary vote on 18 March 1970 that removed Norodom Sihanouk from Cambodia’s leadership. This formal act marked the decisive moment of the coup.
Khmer Republic: The Cambodian republic established in 1970 after Norodom Sihanouk’s removal, led initially by Lon Nol. The new state institutionalized the political break caused by the coup.
Sisowath Sirik Matak: Cambodian royal and politician who served as deputy prime minister under Lon Nol in 1970. He helped organize the political campaign against Sihanouk’s government.
Penn Nouth: Cambodian politician who served repeatedly as prime minister under Norodom Sihanouk. His government was dismissed during the crisis preceding the coup.
Sihanouk Trail: A network of supply routes used by North Vietnamese forces through eastern Cambodia during the Vietnam War. The dispute over these routes helped precipitate the political confrontation.
Vietnam War: A major conflict in Southeast Asia from the 1950s to 1975 involving North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and foreign powers. The war’s expansion into Cambodia intensified pressures on Sihanouk’s neutrality.
Anti-Vietnamese demonstrations in Cambodia: Demonstrations in Cambodia in March 1970 targeting North Vietnamese and Viet Cong presence. The protests supplied immediate public pressure for action against Sihanouk’s policies.

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Sinn SisamouthRelated: The coup and ensuing conflict transformed the society in which Sisamouth performed.