Fall of Phnom Penh
| Fall of Phnom Penh | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Cambodian Civil War and the Vietnam War | |||||||
Clockwise from top left: | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 GRUNK Khmer Rumdo FUNK Khmer Issarak Khmer Rouge MONATIO |
Khmer Republic | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Pol Pot Ta Mok Duch Yun Yat Ke Pauk Ieng Thirith Son Sen Nuon Chea Ieng Sary Khieu Samphan Hem Keth Dara Norodom Sihanouk Penn Nouth |
Lon Nol # Sak Sutsakhan Sirik Matak  Long Boret Lon Non Vong Sarendy † Dien Del Mey Si Chan  Êñuôl Kosem # | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
Special Forces (Central - Highway 4 Front) Eastern Military District (Area 203) Western Army (Area 401) Southwestern Army Group (Area 405) Northern Army (Area 304) |
FANK (1st Infantry Division) (2nd Infantry Division) (3rd Infantry Division) (7th Infantry Division) (7th Infantry Division) (1st Airborne Brigade) Pochentong Airport Defense Force | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
40,000 |
~20,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Fall of Phnom Penh was the capture of Phnom Penh, capital of the Khmer Republic (in present-day Cambodia), by the Khmer Rouge on 17 April 1975, effectively ending the Cambodian Civil War. At the beginning of the month, Phnom Penh, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer Rouge and totally dependent on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport.
With a Khmer Rouge victory imminent, the United States government evacuated US nationals and allied Cambodians on 12 April. On 17 April, the Khmer Republic government evacuated the city, intending to establish a new government center close to the Thai border to continue resistance. Later that day, the last defences around Phnom Penh were overrun and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh.
Captured Khmer Republic forces were taken to the Olympic Stadium where they were executed; senior government and military leaders were forced to write confessions prior to their executions. The Khmer Rouge ordered the evacuation of Phnom Penh, emptying the city except for expatriates who took refuge in the French embassy until 30 April, when they were transported to Thailand.