Cambodian Genocide:
A Brief Overview for High School Students
Specifically referenced in the CA HSS Framework on page 358, the Cambodian Genocide is considered a ‘hot spot’ of the Cold War that 10th grade students should study to better understand that time in history. In this video, students will receive a brief introduction to the causes and effects of the Cambodian Genocide and be introduced to a survivor. They will hear her first-hand account of living in Cambodia at the time and learn about her experience participating in the Cambodian Airlift and being a refugee in America. This video can be a powerful complement to a study of the Cold War and Vietnam War, lending a view of someone who was 12 years old during the event. This video is also designed to be a starting point for a larger conversation about how genocide can occur, what international response to genocide should be, and what role individuals have in preventing genocide from occurring in the future.
