What were you taught in school about the KR years?

[Soi Dog]

These question are for our much liked and respected Khmer members, Samouth and Prahkeitouj...

1) What do you remember learning about the Khmer Rouge years during your younger school days (up to and including high school)? Was the subject covered extensively in history class or only brushed over?

2) At what age was your first school trip to S-21 and the Killing Fields?

3) Do you feel your were taught the facts of those times correctly and fully back then, or has your knowledge of those times significantly grown after graduation?

I ask because one of our rural members says the local kids in his area aren't taught anything about that period...and I wonder if what he sees is any different from your experiences.

Bonus question:
4) Have you ever discussed with your parents and grandparents about their experiences about how they survived those turbulent and violent times?

[Samouth]

Thanks SD for asking us such interesting questions. This is what i always want to share.

1) What do you remember learning about the Khmer Rouge years during your younger school days (up to and including high school)? Was the subject covered extensively in history class or only brushed over?

If i remembered correctly, there was nothing about Khmer Rouge i had learned during my time at Primary school up to High school. This is really sad. There was nothing about history lessons neither the world nor Cambodia at primary school. I started to learn about history when i was at secondary school ( from grade 7-9). By the time, i was learning a lot about Cambodia's history, however there was nothing about Khmer Rouge. I mostly learned about BEFORE-ANGKOR period, ANGKOR period and AFTER or POST-ANGKOR period. However, we did learned about our independence from French colony (9 November 1953) and our victory day from Khmer Rouge (7 January 1979). Note, even though, we learned about victory day, but we had never learned more detail about Khmer Rouge regime in general. IMO, the reason they taught us about independence day and victory day, because they are our public holiday. We don't work and study on those day. So, at least, We (students and workers) know why we have day off.

Apart from secondary school, at high school i also learned about history too, but it mostly highlighted about the world, i.e world war I and world war II. Again, nothing about Khmer Rouge.

PS. I am not sure about state school curriculum nowadays. They might have included Khmer Rouge.

In contract, I started to learn more in-depth about Khmer Rouge when i was in year one at University. I had the best history teacher at University. I learned a lot from him about Khmer Rouge. Moreover, I have read a few English-Written books about Khmer Rouge. Therefore, i can say that, i at least know something about Khmer Rouge or Democratic Kampuchea

2) At what age was your first school trip to S-21 and the Killing Fields?

In Cambodia, there is no school trip for state school (private schools might have). I think, there were some students who had experienced school trips during their time at secondary or high school ( Some NGOs sponsored and facilitated to bring some students to historical sites such as Angkor Wat etc, however, this is only for outstanding student).

I went to visit S21 when i was in my late 17 years old. It was when i came to study at University in Phnom Penh. I went there by myself. I went to Killing Field when i was 22 years old (last year). I went there with a bunch of friend. Guess what, it was really funny. The guard stopped me and asked for ticket. He thought I was pinoy. I think, it was fair, because i went there with my barang friends and i spoke English the whole time.

3) Do you feel your were taught the facts of those times correctly and fully back then, or has your knowledge of those times significantly grown after graduation?

Yes i do. As i mentioned, i had one of the best history teacher at University. I think i knew a lot more about Khmer Rouge after i read those books.

4) Have you ever discussed with your parents and grandparents about their experiences about how they survived those turbulent and violent times?

Yes i have. It is actually the best source for me to learn about Khmer Rouge. Every times i listened to them narrating about how they went through that regime. I almost cried, because it was really sad. They went through many hard time.

My paternal grandpa was a governor in Khmer Republic regime, so he was killed in khmer Rouge. My father lost all his teenage time. He worked hard with little food. He couldn't go to school. Therefore, he couldn't fulfil his goal and dream.

Similarly to my dad, my mum also lost her teenage time. She worked hard and she couldn't go to school. She said, she wanted to become a doctor, but she couldn't fulfil it.

I am so fortunate as even though, my parents are not educated people, but they really value education. They do whatever they can to send me to school.

My maternal grandma lost all her 6 siblings and relatives during khmer Rouge. She is the only survivor.
My maternal grandpa also lost a lot of his siblings and relatives.
It was really hard for my mum and my maternal grandparents, because they are Chinese-Cambodian. They have never worked in the farm in their live especially growing rice. They didn't know how to do it, because they were businessman before khmer Rouge. They said, they were so lucky that they hadn't been killed in the first place for not knowing to grow rice. It took them a few months to be able to do it.

[prahkeitouj]

These question are for our much liked and respected Khmer members, Samouth and Prahkeitouj...

1) What do you remember learning about the Khmer Rouge years during your younger school days (up to and including high school)? Was the subject covered extensively in history class or only brushed over?

2) At what age was your first school trip to S-21 and the Killing Fields?

3) Do you feel your were taught the facts of those times correctly and fully back then, or has your knowledge of those times significantly grown after graduation?

I ask because one of our rural members says the local kids in his area aren't taught anything about that period...and I wonder if what he sees is any different from your experiences.

Bonus question:
4) Have you ever discussed with your parents and grandparents about their experiences about how they survived those turbulent and violent times?

Thanks, SD! These questions remind me about my childhood and young people nowadays.when I was grade 4, I started my first History lesson about Khmer History (Pre Angkor) because that grade students can read some texts.I learn some lessons about life in Pol Pot regime in my Khmer literature from a narrative.In grad 7, I didn't know if in curriculum in that time contained Khmer Rouge lesson or not because my teachers skipped some lessons, many lessons to learn but History subject was only One hour per week and I didn't have money to buy enough textbooks. I thought I learn many lessons about France colony, Pre Angkor, Angkor period, Post Angkor and world war I and II. Honestly, I was not interested in History subjest that time. But nowadays the Khmer Rouge History start in grad 9,but the lesson too short and difficult to understand the whole Kampuchea Democracy.

2. My school trip at high school was National Musuem. Neither S-21 nor Killing field. I visited S-21 when I was 23, senior, private trip with my former classmates. We were shocked and sad to see too many skulls, pictures and the smell made us..... Frankly, I never visit Killing Field.. I feel like .... maybe I think I can't accept it.

3. When I went to University, Only few lecturers who guided us correctly. My Khmer teacher played the documentary about Lon Nol, US bombing, The secret of Pol Pot...etc and my French teacher let us to join coferrence of Khmer Rouge, Provided us some good lessons of Khmer Rouge. But our university never gave us the trip to S-21 and Killing Field.
I like reading, read all kinds of books even I read slowly, but I could know more by my reading. I can say that my knowlegde grow by many factors.

4. Of course! My parents always talk to me about Pot Pol. They call them "A Pot". I'm a picky eater so I always eat slowly. My parents said that if I was born in A Pot, I would die first because in the Pol Pot regime thay had to eat as fast as they can. Only few seeds of rice and little waterlyly ,but a lot of water in the porridge. They said their knees bigger than their heads,too skinny. One of my uncle (my mum's brother) was killed. She didn't know well about killing because they lived different areas. My dad pretended to be an uneducated person in order to survive. My parents got married in Pol Pot regime. My dad is older than my mum 11 years. He suggested to marry with my mum many times and people there seemed to like my dad so much. My mum said that she didn't want to married with my dad but she was afriad that she would be token to another place and killed so she decided to married with him because she thought that marry with him ,her life would be safe they also killed buffalors for the wedding party.

[Samouth]

But nowadays the Khmer Rouge History start in grad 9,but the lesson too short and difficult to understand the whole Kampuchea Democracy.

I am sure that this is the new program. During my time, there was nothing about khmer Rouge.
I am not sure about nowadays curriculum since it has been changed a lot.
@ little salary, did you learn about khmer rouge when you were in grade 9?

[Secret Squirrel]

Very interesting answers guys. Thank you. If I may extend the question a little are you guys taught anything about the vietnam war with US, it's impact upon Cambodia and links to the Khmer Rouge.
I also wonder how much of the xenophobia towards Vietnam stems from what is taught in schools whether accurate or not.
Really appreciate your insight guys. I am sure many of us would love to sit you down in a bar, ply you with drinks and hear you wax lyrical all night about your perceptions. Maybe a CEO history seminar is in order.

[Samouth]

This is a very interesting question and it is actually my pleasure to share what i learned and knew particularly about my country.

If I may extend the question a little are you guys taught anything about the Vietnam war with US, it's impact upon Cambodia and links to the Khmer Rouge.

At school from all level, we are not taught about Vietname War with US. If you asked me this question in last 2 or 3 years ago, it would be a new topic for me. I would be clueless about it. i have never been aware and heard about Vietnam War until there was an American peace corps volunteer came to live with my family. By the time, he was living in Sihanoukville with my family, i was studying in Phnom Penh, but i came visit my house quite often. So, i had opportunities to talk with him to learn about American culture and the main reason to practice my speaking. At one point, we happened to discuss about Vietnam war with US. It was actually a new topic for me. I knew nothing and also never heard about it. He told and explained me how Vietnam war happened and also the reasons that US lost in Vietnam war. Then, i started to be interested about Vietnam war. So, i did a lot of self-study on Internet and asked some Cambodian veteran who experienced and knew about it. This is how i learnt about Vietnam war. IMO, there are some reasons that we are not taught about Vietnam War. As you might know, our prime minister has a really good relationship with Vietnam government. it is always believed that Vietnam government is his boss. So, for 1980 until now, Cambodia is solely under his control. Everything is under him. Therefore, there is no doubt if he was capable or not to tell what to teach and what not. I am sure, if you go ask Cambodians youth if they know or are aware of Vietnam war, there will be not many youths who know or can answer any questions about it, because it is not being taught at school.

I also wonder how much of the xenophobia towards Vietnam stems from what is taught in schools whether accurate or not.

Historically, what we learned about BEFORE-ANGKOR period, we had a lot of wars with Champa and Vietnam. By the time there was a country called Champa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champa Which is presently known as the central and southern of Vietnam. However, we were fighting with Vietnam as it was fighting with Champa. We only fought with Champa. Then, when Champa was completely conquered by Vietnam ( no more Champa country). Vietnam started to invade us to extend their territory, at the same time, Thailand (our neighbour country) also invaded us. We became weaker and weaker. We lost a lot of land. As, we couldn't resist with them. Our king asked French to colonise us. By the time, we also lost 4 provinces to Thailand including Siem Reap ( That's why Thai always claimed that they are the owner of Angkor Wat). After French came to colonise us, it helped us withdraw the four provinces from Thailand, but sadly, they cut our Kampuchea Krom, Khmer Krom or Lower Cambodia ( consisting 23 provinces and 13 million Cambodians) to Vietnam. IMO, The xenophobia toward Vietnam stem from the lost of Khmer Krom similar to Thailand, We lost Kamopuchea ler, Khmer ler or upper Cambodia to Thailand. In additions, Cambodians hate Vietnam even more, when Sam Rainsy (the leader of opposition party) claimed that we lost a lot of lands presently to Vietnam and one island called Koh Tral (Phú Quốc in Vietnamese). Note, the lost of khmer Krom and Koh Tral is not being taught at school. It is a very sensitive subject to talk. Not many Cambodians know khmer krom. This is really sad, since khmer krom still can speak khmer and maintain our culture so well.

I am sure many of us would love to sit you down in a bar, ply you with drinks and hear you wax lyrical all night about your perceptions.

I can pay by myself.

[Soi Dog]

Thank you both for your answers. I learned a lot from you.

Sadly, I was never taught anything about Cambodia in school. We learned some European history and a lot of American history only. I didn't hear about Khmer Rouge regime until much later and not in school but on my own.

You should both be so proud your family members are strong survivors to live through those times. Most of us would never have survived such harsh conditions. I have great respect for them. Their stories are fascinating.

[Anchor Moy]

Got a taxi one time from Kep or Kampot to Sihanoukville - the driver told us about the KR times in that area. It was terrible to hear but I will always be grateful to him for sharing his memories - sad stories about his family which really made history come alive for us.
Many Cambodians don't want to talk about that time, (and I respect that) but I got the feeling that this guy wanted to tell us his experiences. As we went through the countryside, he said " Here, just behind these fields my wife's family were living. They all died except my wife and her sister."

Terrible times.

[prahkeitouj]

But nowadays the Khmer Rouge History start in grad 9,but the lesson too short and difficult to understand the whole Kampuchea Democracy.

I am sure that this is the new program. During my time, there was nothing about khmer Rouge.
I am not sure about nowadays curriculum since it has been changed a lot.
@ little salary, did you learn about khmer rouge when you were in grade 9?

No, I didn't learn about it in grade 9,in 1998. The Khmer Rouge history just started in the high schools recently, maybe last few years because maybe it was a secret history and need to find more important sources before applying in the public education, but also cut off some parts of it because it related to some leaders who still alive. Even though now students study it but I think it's still secret history if they don't read more books. :p
Samouth, could you tell me the reasons why US lost the war in Vietname ?

[prahkeitouj]

Very interesting answers guys. Thank you. If I may extend the question a little are you guys taught anything about the vietnam war with US, it's impact upon Cambodia and links to the Khmer Rouge.
I also wonder how much of the xenophobia towards Vietnam stems from what is taught in schools whether accurate or not.
Really appreciate your insight guys. I am sure many of us would love to sit you down in a bar, ply you with drinks and hear you wax lyrical all night about your perceptions. Maybe a CEO history seminar is in order.

Xenophobia? My teachers never taught me to hate any foreigners. I admit that few teachers hate them,but they just guided us the history. I didn't listen to my teachers so much. What I got is from books,media, documentary and news. So I analyze it by my own. I don't hate them ,but I hate communism. During the cold war, Cambodia is the just the victim of the war between USA and Vietname. And Communist lead us to the darnkest period, many people died because of communism. We born in our country so patriotism was born with us too.