Foreign Tour Begins
Leaves Cambodia for a foreign tour before the political crisis in Phnom Penh
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1970 in Kampuchea
Explore 42 historical events and records for Kampuchea in 1970.
Historical records for Kampuchea in 1970
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 42 unique records.
42Unique records
1 of 2Page
36Named events on this page
5Named people on this page
7Places on this page
January
March
Embassy Protests
Anti-Vietnamese demonstrations increase pressure on Sihanouk's neutral policy
Ultimatum to Vietnamese Forces
Demands Vietnamese communist forces leave Cambodian territory
Anti-Communist Government
Neutralist rule is replaced by an anti-communist government aligned with the United States
Cambodian Coup
Leads the government as the National Assembly removes Sihanouk while abroad
Cheng Heng Head of State
Cheng Heng becomes provisional head of state while Lon Nol keeps executive control
Coup
Sihanouk is held responsible for the North Vietnamese taking refuge in Kampuchea. A Coup overthrows Prince Sihanouk while the Prince is out of the country
Coup
Lon Nol leads the political takeover that removes Sihanouk during his absence abroad
Emergency Powers
Lon Nol receives emergency powers after Sihanouk is removed
In Moscow asks Russia to press North Vietnam to remove troops from
In Moscow asks Russia to press North Vietnam to remove troops from Kampuchea
Kampuchean National Assembly votes to depose Sihanouk by 92 votes to
The Kampuchean National Assembly votes to depose Sihanouk by 92 votes to 0
National Assembly
The Kampuchean National Assembly votes to depose Sihanouk by 92 votes to 0
National Assembly Vote
National Assembly votes unanimously to withdraw confidence from Sihanouk
Overthrow
Removed from power by the Cambodian National Assembly while abroad
Sihanouk Abroad
Acts while Sihanouk is outside Cambodia during the decisive National Assembly session
Sihanouk Deposed
Premier Lon Nol supports the National Assembly vote removing Sihanouk
State of Emergency
Emergency powers are invoked as Lon Nol becomes effective head of government
Fights communists until victory or death against stooges of American imperialism
Fights communists until "victory or death" against "stooges of American imperialism"
FUNK Announced
Announces a resistance front against the Lon Nol government
Alliance Kampuchea and United States
Leads to civil war in Kampuchea & US bombing of Khmer Rouges strongholds
Borders Closed
Orders airports and borders closed against Vietnamese communist movement
April
Sihanoukville Closed
Closes Sihanoukville to North Vietnamese military supply routes and requests modern weapons
US Alliance Sought
Seeks closer military and diplomatic support from the United States
US Diplomacy
Requests American support against Vietnamese communist forces in Cambodia
Indochina Peoples Conference
Urges coordination among Indochinese movements against US-backed governments
Cambodian Campaign
United States and South Vietnamese forces enter Cambodia against communist base areas
FANK Expansion
Expands the Khmer National Armed Forces after the coup
May
GRUNK Founded
Forms the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea in exile
American Military Aid
Receives expanded American military support for the new anti-communist regime
June
Army Mobilization
Mobilizes forces as civil war spreads through the countryside
October
Republic Proclaimed
Proclaims the Khmer Republic and abolishes the monarchy
Other events (month unknown)
Abdication
The political appeal of the Khmer Rouge is increased as a result of the situation created by the removal of Sihanouk as head of state in 1970
Alliance Kampuchea, United States and South Vietnam
Leads to civil war in Kampuchea & US bombing of Khmer Rouges strongholds. Attacks on north Vietnamese sanctuaries bring Kampuchea into the war with south Vietnam
Exile of Sihanouk
Allies with the extreme wing of the Khmer Rouge & forms a Government in exile
Exile of Sihanouk
The political appeal of the Khmer Rouge is increased as a result of the situation created by the removal of Sihanouk as head of state in 1970. Sihanouk, in exile in Beijing, makes an alliance with the Khmer Rouge and becomes the nominal head of a Khmer Rouge-dominated Government-in-exile (known by its French acronym, GRUNK) backed by the Peoples Republic of China
GRUNK
Sihanouk, in exile in Beijing, makes an alliance with the Khmer Rouge and becomes the nominal head of a Khmer Rouge-dominated Government-in-exile (known by its French acronym, GRUNK) backed by the Peoples Republic of China
KCP
The political appeal of the Khmer Rouge was increased as a result of the situation created by the removal of Sihanouk as head of state in 1970. Sihanouk, in exile in Beijing, makes an alliance with the Kampuchean Communist Party and becomes the nominal head of a Khmer Rouge-dominated Government-in-exile
Khmer Rouge
The political appeal of the Khmer Rouge was increased as a result of the situation created by the removal of Sihanouk as head of state in 1970
Khmer Rouge
Allies with the extreme wing of the Khmer Rouge & forms a Government in exile
Khmer Rouge
The political appeal of the Khmer Rouge is increased as a result of the situation created by the removal of Sihanouk as head of state in 1970
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.