Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03

1975 in Kampuchea

Explore 31 historical events and records for Kampuchea in 1975.

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Historical records for Kampuchea in 1975

Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 31 of 31 unique records.

31Unique records

1 of 1Page

24Named events on this page

8Named people on this page

2Places on this page

March

March 1975

Capital Encircled

Nol, Lon · Phnom Penh · President of Khmer Republic · Warfare / Cambodian Civil War

Khmer Rouge forces surround Phnom Penh as the republic nears collapse

April

1 April 1975

Exile of Lon Nol

Nol, Lon · Phnom Penh · President of Khmer Republic · Government / Khmer Republic

Resigns and leaves Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh

1 April 1975

Saukham Khoy Acting President

Nol, Lon · Phnom Penh · Former President of Khmer Republic · Government / Khmer Republic

Saukham Khoy becomes acting president after Lon Nol leaves Cambodia

17 April 1975

Capture of Phnom Penh

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Politics / Communist Party

The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh

17 April 1975

Capture of Phnom Penh

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Warfare / Vietnam War, 2nd

The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh

17 April 1975

Coup

Lon, Mol · Phnom Penh · President of Kampuchea · Politics / Communist Party

The communist forces of the Khmer Rouge overthrow the Lon Government after a civil war

17 April 1975

Fall of Phnom Penh

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Leader of the Khmer Rouge · Government / Khmer Rouge

Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh, beginning Democratic Kampuchea

17 April 1975

Head of State Office Begins

Sihanouk, Norodom · Phnom Penh · Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea · Government / Democratic Kampuchea

Becomes head of state after Khmer Rouge victory and the end of the Khmer Republic

17 April 1975

Head of State Office Begins

Sihanouk, Norodom · Phnom Penh · Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea · Government / Democratic Kampuchea

Becomes nominal head of state after Khmer Rouge victory and the end of the Khmer Republic

17 April 1975

Khmer Rouge

Lon, Mol · Phnom Penh · President of Kampuchea · Politics / Communist Party

The communist forces of the Khmer Rouge overthrow the Lon Government after a civil war

17 April 1975

Khmer Rouge

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Politics / Communist Party

The Khmer Rouge captures Phnom Penh. The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh

17 April 1975

Khmer Rouge

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Warfare / Vietnam War, 2nd

The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh

17 April 1975

Siege of Phnom Penh

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Politics / Communist Party

The Khmer Rouge captures Phnom Penh

18 April 1975

Evacuation of Cities

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Leader of the Khmer Rouge · Government / Khmer Rouge

Forced evacuation of Phnom Penh population to rural zones

20 April 1975

Abolition of Currency

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Leader of the Khmer Rouge · Government / Khmer Rouge

Khmer Rouge abolish money, markets, and private property

25 April 1975

Establishment of DK

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Leader of the Khmer Rouge · Government / Khmer Rouge

Democratic Kampuchea declared under Angkar leadership

30 April 1975

Agrarian Reforms

Pot, Pol · Kampuchea · Leader of the Khmer Rouge · Government / Khmer Rouge

Collectivization and forced labor begin nationwide

September

9 September 1975

Return Visit

Sihanouk, Norodom · Phnom Penh · Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea · Government / Democratic Kampuchea

Allowed to visit Phnom Penh after five years in exile

December

December 1975

Return from Exile

Sihanouk, Norodom · Phnom Penh · Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea · Government / Democratic Kampuchea

Returns to Phnom Penh with his wife under Khmer Rouge supervision

Other events (month unknown)

1975

Angkar

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Founds the Angkar to act as enforcer & executioner for the new regime

1975

Arrest of Sihanouk

Sihanouk · Phnom Penh · President of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh & keep Sihanouk under house arrest

1975

Constitution of Kampuchea

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Prime Minister of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Establishes the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea

1975

Coup

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Politics / Communist Party

Successfully leads a coup in Kampuchea

1975

Foreign Secretary of Kampuchea

Sary, Leng · Foreign Secretary of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Appointed Foreign Minister

1975

Khmer Rouge

Sihanouk · Phnom Penh · President of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh & keep Sihanouk under house arrest

1975

President of Kampuchea

Sihanouk · President of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Appointed President of Kampuchea, 2nd term

1975

Prime Minister of Kampuchea

Nouth, Samdech Penn · Prime Minister of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Appointed Prime Minister of Kampuchea, 7th term

1975

Prime Minister of Kampuchea

Pot, Pol · Prime Minister of Kampuchea · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Appointed Prime Minister of Kampuchea

1975

Purge

Pot, Pol · Phnom Penh · Government / Government of Kampuchea

All foreigners are expelled from Kampuchea

1975

Secretary of Khmer Rouge

Pot, Pol · Secretary of Khmer Rouge · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Appointed Secretary of the Khmer Rouge

1975

Secretary of State for Defence

Sem, Son · Secretary of State for Defence · Government / Government of Kampuchea

Appointed Minister of Defence

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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.