The Killing Fields & S-21 Prison – Cambodia’s Dark History
Choeung Ek, known as The Killing Fields, is one of the most harrowing sites in Cambodia’s history. Between 1975–1979, the Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot executed approximately 17,000 people—men, women, and children—here. Victims were often killed brutally to save bullets. Today, a memorial stupa filled with skulls stands as a somber place for reflection.
In just 3 years of rule, the Khmer Rouge murdered ~2 million people—nearly 1/4 of Cambodia’s population. Their goal was to create an agrarian society “purged” of Western influence. Intellectuals, monks, and even people wearing glasses were branded “enemies of the revolution.”
Tuol Sleng (S-21), a former school turned prison, became a symbol of the regime’s terror. Prisoners endured brutal torture, forced confessions, and were later transported to the Killing Fields. Of the 17,000 people imprisoned here, only 12 survived. The museum now displays victim photographs, torture tools, and haunting historical records.
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