In the Shadows of Utopia: The Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian Nightmare

By: Lachlan Peters
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  • Summary

  • A comprehensive, long-form history podcast about Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge and the Pol Pot Regime.
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Episodes
  • S1 Ep1: An Introduction to the Khmer Rouge, the Killing Fields and the 'Cambodian Genocide'

    S1 Ep1: An Introduction to the Khmer Rouge, the Killing Fields and the 'Cambodian Genocide'
    Jan 28 2018
    How would you react to being forced out of your home at gunpoint, ordered to leave all of your belongings behind, and instructed to walk for days, weeks and months, to an unknown fate in the countryside?

    And that is just the beginning of the nightmare.
    ​
    The first episode of the series is intended to be a very basic introduction to the the complex set of circumstances that Cambodia faced midway through the 1970s.

    ​The conquest of Cambodia by the Communist Party of Kampuchea, known to the world as the Khmer Rouge, would usher in one of the most destructive and murderous regimes of the 20th century. This limited series is an attempt to provide a detailed narrative history of Cambodia, with a focus on explaining the rise of the Khmer Rouge and the reasons why their utopian visions ended with more than one quarter of the population dying in just under four years. More than two million Cambodians, as well as various ethnic minorities, will perish at the hands of their own government. Explaining this story requires time, research and explanation of historical forces in Cambodia as well as the wider world. Not just dates, numbers and names.

    Join Lachlan Peters, a long-time student of Cambodian history as he shares the story of one of the most fascinating countries in the world, and the long path toward its darkest period.


    Sources
    Pin Yathay Stay Alive My Son
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia and Voices From S-21
    Philip Short Pol Pot: History of a Nightmare
    Roland Neveu The Fall of Phnom Penh
    Elizabeth Becker When the War Was Over
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    53 mins
  • S1 Ep2: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part One

    S1 Ep2: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part One
    Apr 19 2018
    How did the Khmer civilisation begin? How were they able to prosper to the point of building the megacity of Angkor?

    Time period covered: 2000 BC – 900 AD

    In this episode, Lachlan seeks to explain the early processes that developed amongst the Khmer civilisation in and around the region that would eventually become Cambodia. This involves an explanation of the different cultural influences from India and China that would see a kind of hybridised people come to prominence on the Indochinese mainland. The story of early Funan and Chenla, as well as the development of the ‘Devaraja cult’; a system where a universal monarch is regarded as a kind of incarnation of a deity is discussed as well as the establishment of the early cities which will become the seat of the vast Khmer Empire. The ingenious methods of water management that will support the kinds of society and architecture the civilisation is famous for is also explained.

    The episode ends at the reign of Yasovarman and the construction of Phnom Bakheng and the vast baray, in the era just before the ‘peak’ of the civilisation.

    Sources
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia

    Extra Media
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/show-content.html
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    46 mins
  • S1 Ep3: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part Two

    S1 Ep3: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part Two
    Jul 18 2018
    How did the largest city in the pre-industrial world function? What was Khmer society like during the ‘golden age’ of Angkor? How did this civilisation falter and fade?

    Time period covered: 1100 - 1431

    Lachlan begins this episode with a discussion of one of the most impressive and famous examples of Khmer architecture; Angkor Wat. The details of this building, and what it meant for the civilisation that could build it, is explained. We also learn about the life and times of Jayavarman VII, widely recognised as the ‘greatest’ of the Devaraja who lead the Khmer to conquer the greatest extent of territory and build some of its most iconic temples.

    Zhou Daguan, a Chinese diplomat who visited the region, is discussed as he gives a rare insight into the lives and culture of the Khmer at Angkor somewhere near it's peak. But changes would soon follow. But rather than using words like 'collapse', 'decline' or 'fall' to describe this period of Khmer civilisation, it may be more accurate to term this process as the 'transformation' of a society. The reasons for this transformation, ranging from climate change to religion are discussed.

    Sources
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia
    Zhou Daguan The Customs of Cambodia
    BBC, ‘Jungle Atlantis: Angkor Wat’s Hidden Megacity’ 2014
    Virtual Angkor Project https://www.virtualangkor.com

    Extra Media
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/show-content.html

    Jungle Atlantis on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/123320994 
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    57 mins

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Profile Image for tomas hancox

Very well told and comprehensive look at Cambodian history and the Khmer Rouge

I found this podcast after visiting the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh and wishing that there had been more context on how the Khmer Rouge had come to power. Well in this podcast Lachlan provides as much context as anyone could wish for, starting all the way back at the Khmer Empire. The story so far is thoroughly researched, well told and filled with insightful commentary from Lachlan, his sources and interviews.

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