First They Killed My Father Terms

Angkar means “the organization,” and is the name by which the Khmer Rouge referred to its government. In her child soldier training camp, Loung is forced to shout chants of praise toward the Angkar. read analysis of Angkar

Dysentery is a case of infectious diarrhea, typically spread through ingesting contaminated food or water. It is often accompanied by abdominal pain, rapid weight loss, nausea, and dehydration. Though treatable with modern medicine, severe cases… read analysis of Dysentery

Translated as the “red Khmers,” the Khmer Rouge refers to Cambodian communists who, led by the dictator Pol Pot, overtook Cambodia in 1975. The group attempted to transform Cambodia into a self-sufficient agrarian society… read analysis of Khmer Rouge

A Cambodian general who led the overthrow of the monarchy in 1970 and ruled until the Khmer Rouge takeover in 1975. Pa is conscripted into working as a military police captain for the Lon Nol… read analysis of Lon Nol