In this Book

Facing the Khmer Rouge: A Cambodian Journey

Book
Ronnie Yimsut
2011
summary

As a child growing up in Cambodia, Ronnie Yimsut played among the ruins of the Angkor Wat temples, surrounded by a close-knit community. As the Khmer Rouge gained power and began its genocidal reign of terror, his life became a nightmare. In this stunning memoir, Yimsut describes how, in the wake of death and destruction, he decides to live.

Escaping the turmoil of Cambodia, he makes a perilous journey through the jungle into Thailand, only to be sent to a notorious Thai prison. Fortunately, he is able to reach a refugee camp and ultimately migrate to the United States, where he attended the University of Oregon and became an influential leader in the community of Cambodian immigrants. Facing the Khmer Rouge shows Ronnie Yimsut’s personal quest to rehabilitate himself, make a new life in America, and then return to Cambodia to help rebuild the land of his birth.

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page, Copyright, Dedication

Contents

pp. vii-viii

Foreword

pp. ix-xii

Preface: Between Worlds

pp. xiii-xix

Acknowledgments: A Book is Born

pp. xx-xx

Family Tree of Ranachith ("Ronnie") Yimsut

pp. xxi-xxii

Chronology

pp. xxiii-xxviii

1. Childhood Idyll: Siem Reap

pp. 1-15

2. Bamboo in the Wind: Regime Change in Siem Reap

pp. 16-21

3. An Uncivil War: Heavy Shelling in Siem Reap

pp. 22-27

4. Shocks and Surprises: Angkor Wat and Domdek

pp. 28-38

5. A Time of Plenty: Back Home in Siem Reap

pp. 39-46

6. An Era Is Ended: Siem Reap under Siege

pp. 47-55

7. An Empty Village: Krobey Riel and Siem Reap

pp. 56-61

8. A Great Leap Backward: Keo Poeur, Kok Poh, and Kork Putrea

pp. 62-69

9. The Death of Dogs: Tapang

pp. 70-80

10. Miracle at the Temple: Wat Yieng

pp. 81-86

11. Dead Weight: Ta Source Hill and the Massacre Site

pp. 87-94

12. Kill or Be Killed: Krobey Riel, Dorn Swar, and Prey Roniem

pp. 95-106

13. Barefoot Escape: Srae Noy, Resin Mountain, andthe Deep Northern Jungle

pp. 107-123

14. Alien Worlds: Din Daeng, Sisaketh, Buriram, and Aranya Prathet

pp. 124-141

15. Urban Jungle: Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Oregon State

pp. 142-165

16. Back to the Past: Oregon State, Siem Reap, and Phnom Penh

pp. 166-176

17. Back in Time: Oregon State and Phnom Penh

pp. 177-182

18. Turning Point: Elections in Phnom Penh

pp. 183-198

19. Facing the Khmer Rouge: Siem Reap, Ta Source Hill, the Massacre Site, and Pailin

pp. 199-207

20. Lights: Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

pp. 208-213

Epilogue

pp. 214-219

Afterword: The Healing and Reconciling Process

pp. 220-222

Notes

pp. 223-226

Glossary

pp. 227-232

Index

pp. 233-240

About the Author

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