Cambodia: THE LOSS OF KHMER TERRITORY [KH]

Like any other country, Cambodia was the complex product of geographical, social and political experience that provides precedent and warning for future history. It was never quite the smiling, gentle land that foreigners liked to see. Water has fashioned Cambodia. In prehistory the central plain of the country was under the sea, and waves broke against the Dangrek Mountains of Southern Laos. The Mekong River fell through the narrow Laotian ranges and over the Khong Falls into the sea. Gradually the river built up the soil and filled the gulf to form present-day Cambodia and southern Vietnam. Today only the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) in the centre of Cambodia marks the original line of the seacoast. The lake is shaped an upside-down violin from northwest to southeast across the country, its stem leading into the Tonle Sap River to join the Mekong at the watershed on which the city of Phnom Penh was eventually built. The rivers meet briefly and dived again, as the Mekong and the Bassac, and flow on in two streams through fertile, red muddy fields into the great fanlike Delta of the Mekong, and so to the South China Sea.

In late spring the rivers begin to swell as torrents flow from the Himalayas over the Khong Falls and into the central plains. The great clouds that have been lowering over the Indian Ocean are driven toward the Asian land mass by the southwest trades. They break over the cracked plains and for four months Cambodia is inundated. The Mekong and the Bassac cannot contain the mass of silt-laden water that pours down toward the sea, and backs up in the Tonle Sap. In what should constitute a wonder of the world, the waters are actually reversed; they rush swirling back up the Tonle Sap River and burst into the Great Lake, which instantly spills over its shores and drowns thousands of acres of trees and fields. For most of the summer months the land remains under water to be re-fertilized and reinvigorated, and all of Cambodia is, in Rimbauds words, filled with ochrous skies and drowned forests. By November, the Himalayan snows have melted, prevailing winds are reversed, the clouds are driven away, the torrents of the monsoon cease, and the pressure on the Tonle Sap eases. The waters slip off the land and, filled with millions of fish, sweep down the rivers and into the sea. As a result, parts of Cambodia are potentially among the most fertile of the tropical zones. But in its raw state the area is hostile; the damp atmosphere is draining the oppressive, the animal life is unfriendly, and the receding waters leave stagnant swamps as well as fertilized soil. Only extensive irrigation ensures a crop necessary for an expanding population. Civilization have flourished in the plains when the water has been brought under control, but-as elsewhere in Southeast Asia-there has always been tension between the people in the plains and the nomadic groups who have lived in the forest or the mountains.

Cambodia became a vassal of Siam, unnoticed and almost unmentioned. Occasional attempts were made by her kings to reassert themselves, and Angkor was briefly reoccupied, but the efforts never lasted long. For the next several centuries the Siamese and Vietnamese kingdoms grew and Cambodia waned. Siamese armies moved back and forth across the western part of the unproductive land, and to the east the Vietnamese moved southward into the Mekong Delta. The capital shifted from site to site, including Phnom Penh, as different dynasties occupied the throne. Successive princes sought support from either the Vietnamese or the Siamese and became beholden to either one or the other. The Khmers fear of their more populous neighbors increased as more and more of the old empire was annexed. But there was a vital different in the relationships. The Siamese and the Khmers shared the same religion and similar cultural patterns; this mitigated the effects of occupation by Siam. Relations with Vietnam by contrast involved a sharp cultural clash between Indian-influenced and Chinese-dominated views of society; they were much more brutal and bitter. Unlike the Siamese, the Vietnamese regarded the Cambodians as barbarians and attempted to eradicate Cambodian customs in the areas they seized. By the early nineteenth century, the king received his crown from the Siamese and paid tribute to the Vietnamese. Cambodia was reduced to silver between the two countries; Angkor, largely lost from view, was well inside Siam. As one scholar has noted, thousands of Khmers were being killed and uprooted in a series of ruinous wars, carried on inside [their] territory by the Thai, the Vietnamese and local factions. The Thais burned down the Khmer capital three times in the first half of century; Vietnamese advisers kept the Cambodian monarch a prisoner for fifteen years; the chronicles are filled with references to plaques, famine and flood. It was a dark period.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Khmer
• Empire
• Kampuchea
• CambodiaMekong
• River
• Tonle
• Sap
• Indian-influenced
• Thais
• Vietnamese
• Mekong
• Delta
• Siamese

[TheUrbanlegend1983]

From all the ignorant comments posted, only one is worth reading as it truly reflects what actually transpired. Good job lanxang817, it is obvious that you are actually educated unlike the rest. Bottom line is, once upon a time the Khmer empire was massive, however, due to greed & power, it has allowed for the bordering countries to swiftly steal and manipulate (via Govt) their way into Khmer territory. I used to think it was horrible, however the truth is we did it to ourselves.

[AhmekKhmer]

@TheUrbanlegend1983, ever consider that the Khmer were too nice to it neighbor? look into that if you're not one of those ignorant.

[viet2008powerful]

Cambodia...Truly beggar of Asia!!!

[AhmekKhmer]

@viet2008powerful, come to Cambodia and see that the Vietnamese are begging for in Cambodia from tourists.

[lanxang817]

Khmer Empire was big,but inner conflict between

Khmer destroyed everything, allow us Thai and

Laos to form our kingdom. If Khmer stick together

and didn't kill each other,we Laos and Thai won't be

able to fight Khmer and still be with Khmer today.

[AhmekKhmer]

@lanxang817, wasn't it that you want to break away and created the conflicts? if it didn't you would be Khmer of today.

[wdsf5193]

@sayyid14 I have to send it to your box b/c it is too long.

[sayyid14]

@wdsf5193 Can you give you opinion about Funan Empire?? are they Austronesia Empire(Cham ancestor) or Khmer..Some Proff or Scinetis claim Funan is Austronesian not Khmer..Which is True??.

[sayyid14]

@wdsf5193 why i love khmer so much.Coz 1st they build greatest Civilization.they are near to Austronesian(Malay-Polynesia) juz like Mongolian/Viet have Closer to Chinese-tibet.Even Khmer culture influenced by India but not 100% copy from INDIA,just like Chinese Muslim(Hui) not so influenced by Arab.similar to Javanese/Malays they build new Culture.I'll pray that Krom will stand 4 their root,khmer surin,khmer&mon in Thailand,Malays in South Thailand,thx only coz they are muslim,malay still exist.

[sayyid14]

@wdsf5193 Viet jelous with Khmer and Malayanic people 1st they are small.they culture from China,they population,ethic,culture are not rich..Khmer rich in culture,2nd Largest Population in SEA but be Vietnamize,Thainize,Burmize(Mo­n people,some malay buddist and Khmer).Thai only Chang mai province..East Thai,Issan,Central give back to Khmer Bangkok must change to khmer name back.South provice give back to Malaysia & send back Pattani canon & other artifect..Thai STEALER what other nation have it.

[wdsf5193]

@sayyid14 (2) account + film ATTACK <<----- this was filmed and spoken by westerners. Another one "Khmer Krom, Indigeneous People from Vietnam" <<------ those khmers escaped from Khmer Krom land in southern Vietnam now and they tell it all about VietCong Racists.

[wdsf5193]

@sayyid14 Yes, we believe in Karma. One day Earthquakes and Tsunamis will come to destroy VietCong Racists soon. And all Laos, Khmer, Chinese, Philippine, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan can finish all VietCong last then Laos and khmer can get the land back and help Champa who still survive to rebuild their language and culture back. VietCong is the worst animals in the world, NOT HITLER, all of VIETCONG ARE RACISTS. The world MUST KNOW THAT. Watch --> "Hunted Like Animal" Eyewitness -->

[sayyid14]

@wdsf5193 Khmer people not rich in culture but rich 'heart' help alot his neighbor,loa,tai,viet etc..khmer also have impact in our culture n art(include dark magic,kru sue still exist in malaysia,indo,philipine by witchcraf women this orgin by khmer) many more.khmer are kind people..dont worries if Thai or any country insulting camodia is poor bla bla bla believe in karma maybe today is good today to them,nexday your golden age..U.S.A(indpendent from UK) need 300year to become superpower n rich

[sayyid14]

@wdsf5193 same like Spratly island..Spartly belong to Philippine,and some Malaysia near with Sabah State(old name aka Malaya North Borneo) Malaysia.Viet,Chinese,Taiwan wanted Southeast chinese deep in my Sarawak state..Chinese always discramated native land..juz becoz that sea name South china sea belong to China? no..china care juz only Oil yes..Malaysia & brunei rich coz OIl and GAS.you can google see spartly island it or youtube..chinese also steal Japanese Sea in Okinawan island..

[wdsf5193]

@sayyid14 Oh I see what you mean, and some of the VC people comment on YouTube always claim that they are Han Chinese.Cambodian people know that they are one of Chinese minorities too, but they are NOT Han Chinese.Han Chinese ar Majority,not minority.And Viet claim that they are Han Chinese.If they are Han Chinese, why didn't they speak Chinese, why they speak Viet?That's true.Viet invaded Champa (It's in Central Vn) it took Viet 700-800 years to invade Champa.Now, they want Laos & Cambodia too.

[wdsf5193]

@sayyid14 Yes, there are so many Cham in Cambodia.They are Cham Khmer, since they speak only Khmer, but they still carry their culture, and Cambodia always friend to everyone, so Cham and Khmer are always friends.But, Vietcong are never friend with Cambodia since generations.They always try to invade Cambodia and Laos,VC are not just invade, but they did all the killing too.Yes, thai language look different, but their numerics like on their money are khmer numerics (they copy from Khmer)