Comments on: Currently Re-reading: Part Two http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=currently-re-reading-part-two resource on a disaster Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:04:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: mau http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-78 mau Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:11:44 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-78 Drinks. Drinks.

]]> By: Pineapple http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Pineapple Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:42:53 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-76 I'll be returning to that hilly city in early December. I’ll be returning to that hilly city in early December.

]]> By: mau http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-75 mau Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:19:03 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-75 You heading back to Sheffield any time soon? You heading back to Sheffield any time soon?

]]> By: Pineapple http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Pineapple Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:52:47 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-72 Off the top of my head, I don't think so, but then again I could be wrong. Sihanouk was head of state, and Penn Nouth was the prime minister of the GRUNK for a time. I have some pictures scanned from the English-language brochure produced by the GRUNK. It documents the 1973 visit made by Sihanouk, who the KR tried to prevent from making contact with the people living inside the liberated area. Those who feature most include the usual personalities; the three "ghosts" Khieu Samphan, Hou Youn and Hu Nim. Chosen, in part, for their general popularity outside secretive Communist circles. Pol makes an appearance, but not described as anyone important. He stays in the background. How he liked it. Thuon was a protege of Son Sen, I think, and also collabroated with Samphan on his short-lived leftist Aesopian-language journal. He was given a place on the CPK's Central Committee and became trade minister in the early days of the regime, but his downfall was, as you say, rapid. The Northern Zone, too, performed poorly in infrastructure development and rice production. I'll have to check this to see if I have confused facts and people, but I think his downfall was fairly easy to arrange because it was from the inside out. A kind of "coup" occurred in the Zone, as the military commander of the region was linked to Ke Pauk. He had authority regarding the local jails, and only he could sign the death warrants. And of course the security service was with the Pol Potists. I'll try and dig out more info to see whether the above is wrong. Off the top of my head, I don’t think so, but then again I could be wrong. Sihanouk was head of state, and Penn Nouth was the prime minister of the GRUNK for a time. I have some pictures scanned from the English-language brochure produced by the GRUNK. It documents the 1973 visit made by Sihanouk, who the KR tried to prevent from making contact with the people living inside the liberated area. Those who feature most include the usual personalities; the three “ghosts” Khieu Samphan, Hou Youn and Hu Nim. Chosen, in part, for their general popularity outside secretive Communist circles. Pol makes an appearance, but not described as anyone important. He stays in the background. How he liked it. Thuon was a protege of Son Sen, I think, and also collabroated with Samphan on his short-lived leftist Aesopian-language journal. He was given a place on the CPK’s Central Committee and became trade minister in the early days of the regime, but his downfall was, as you say, rapid. The Northern Zone, too, performed poorly in infrastructure development and rice production. I’ll have to check this to see if I have confused facts and people, but I think his downfall was fairly easy to arrange because it was from the inside out. A kind of “coup” occurred in the Zone, as the military commander of the region was linked to Ke Pauk. He had authority regarding the local jails, and only he could sign the death warrants. And of course the security service was with the Pol Potists. I’ll try and dig out more info to see whether the above is wrong.

]]> By: lb http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-71 lb Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:41:15 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-71 Just out of interest, wasn't Koy Thuon the public 'face' of the Angkar early on, insofar as it had one? I seem to remember reading somewhere that he was used on propaganda materials, intended for foreign consumption, as a representative of the regime. Ironic, really, considering the regime was to have him killed within two years. I suppose that Thuon would, however, have been familiar to foreigners who cared about such matters from the film and photographs of Sihanouk's 1973 visit to the Northern Zone. So perhaps there was some logic behind the choice. Just out of interest, wasn’t Koy Thuon the public ‘face’ of the Angkar early on, insofar as it had one? I seem to remember reading somewhere that he was used on propaganda materials, intended for foreign consumption, as a representative of the regime. Ironic, really, considering the regime was to have him killed within two years.

I suppose that Thuon would, however, have been familiar to foreigners who cared about such matters from the film and photographs of Sihanouk’s 1973 visit to the Northern Zone. So perhaps there was some logic behind the choice.

]]> By: Pineapple http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Pineapple Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:09:43 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-68 Yes, I agree with you. It would have been out of character for him, and the ingrained years-old behaviour of the Party. The beginnings of a cult would have probably been to his personal dislike. As for the article, it doesn't have a lot of info on the Chinese soviet movement, probably not more than you know already. Same with a brief mention of the Revolutionary Hightide, regarding the Vietnamese Nghe-Tinh soviet movement/rebellion of the early 1930s. Touches on the peasant violence getting out of hand, with poor peasants attacking and killing middle peasants also. Mau: I'm not sure. Yes, I agree with you. It would have been out of character for him, and the ingrained years-old behaviour of the Party. The beginnings of a cult would have probably been to his personal dislike. As for the article, it doesn’t have a lot of info on the Chinese soviet movement, probably not more than you know already. Same with a brief mention of the Revolutionary Hightide, regarding the Vietnamese Nghe-Tinh soviet movement/rebellion of the early 1930s. Touches on the peasant violence getting out of hand, with poor peasants attacking and killing middle peasants also.

Mau: I’m not sure.

]]> By: Tong Reasathea http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Tong Reasathea Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:08:42 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-65 I'll get that work from my local library too. I'm interested in early Chinese soviets as well, though I don't like apparent killings that took place. Pol Pot probably never wished for personality cult, his surviving busts are made in Tuol Sleng. And who was the minister of propaganda after the death of Hu Nim? Yun Yat, Son Sen's wife. That partly should explain turn to personality cult. Angkar invention was unique feature of Khmer communism. That fit into making its function just fine. Finally on Stalin. There's a lot of writings in Russian about Stalin, many not translated to English. Some of them praise Stalin in all the fields. He wasn't that much inspiring personality, imho. He lived in luxurious villa, he ate fine foods, there were no charisma in Pol Pot's style. Unfortunately Pol Pot wasn't vegetarian/vegan and he occasionally drank but his others modest habits definitely overdo Stalin's czar's manners. I’ll get that work from my local library too. I’m interested in early Chinese soviets as well, though I don’t like apparent killings that took place.

Pol Pot probably never wished for personality cult, his surviving busts are made in Tuol Sleng. And who was the minister of propaganda after the death of Hu Nim? Yun Yat, Son Sen’s wife. That partly should explain turn to personality cult.
Angkar invention was unique feature of Khmer communism. That fit into making its function just fine.

Finally on Stalin. There’s a lot of writings in Russian about Stalin, many not translated to English. Some of them praise Stalin in all the fields. He wasn’t that much inspiring personality, imho. He lived in luxurious villa, he ate fine foods, there were no charisma in Pol Pot’s style. Unfortunately Pol Pot wasn’t vegetarian/vegan and he occasionally drank but his others modest habits definitely
overdo Stalin’s czar’s manners.

]]> By: mau http://padevat.info/2009/11/14/currently-re-reading-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-64 mau Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:36:32 +0000 http://padevat.info/?p=140#comment-64 Is that picture on the cover, German in origin? Is that picture on the cover, German in origin?

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