The Formative Years of Pol Pot

This chapter examines the early life of Salah Tzar, later known as Pol Pot, focusing on his influential time in Paris amid revolutionary ideas. It highlights his ideological evolution shaped by literature and experiences, including a significant labor trip to post-war Yugoslavia that profoundly impacted his worldview. The chapter also explores the dynamics of Cambodian communist movements under the shadows of larger regional influences, revealing early aspirations and conflicts for autonomy within the revolutionary landscape.