Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast Episode 135 - The Khmer Rouge Part 3: S21 and the Killing Fields.
13 snips
Dec 28, 2020 Dive into the harrowing world of the Khmer Rouge, exploring the grim reality of S21, a death camp where indoctrinated child guards enforced brutal treatment. The discussion contrasts chilling orders and propaganda tactics with absurd anecdotes. Unearth the fate of Western captives, revealing their tragic brutality and systematic erasure. Finally, witness the echoes of the Killing Fields, where survivor stories stand against a backdrop of torture and death, critiquing those who defended the regime amidst a landscape of unimaginable loss.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Paperwork And Torture Created Legitimacy
- S21 combined meticulous documentation with systematic torture to manufacture confessions.
- Prison record-keeping and photographs were used to legitimize executions regardless of actual guilt.
Confessions Fueled More Purges
- Interrogations aimed to extract confessions, not truth, using escalating torture methods and staged 'chewing' tactics.
- Confessions produced names that fed the camp's self-perpetuating purge cycle.
Bureaucracy Rationalized Mass Murder
- S21's commander admitted many detainees were innocent but claimed secrecy and procedure required their deaths.
- The camp's secrecy and bureaucratic rituals made mass murder seem administratively justified.