Khmer Rouge Genocide

Aside from these economic and political changes, Pol Pot also wanted to create a country where old culture and various other ethnic groups do not exist. Thus, this desire of Pol Pot’s caused one of the bloodiest genocide in history. A majority of the Buddhist people were executed as the religion was not accepted. Lots of teachers and intellectuals were also purged so that no one can oppose Pol Pot’s will. Artists were also executed (as they can create pieces that were influenced by old culture). However, the main target for these purges and mass murders was to eliminate the Vietnamese that lived in Cambodia. During the Vietnam war, Cambodia and Vietnam made an alliance to fend of the American forces from both Cambodia and North Vietnam. During this time period, Cambodia had a growing suspicion that the Vietnamese would son dominate the country and annexed their land. For this reason, during the Khmer Rouge genocide, many Vietnamese people (especially those in power) were purged and executed. All these mass murders and execution, accompanied by the starvation and diseases due to the failed agrarian system, was the cause for the death of 1-3 million people (Cambodia during that time had 8 million people on their land).

Skulls from the executed population are gathered. 

http://www.independent.co.uk/migration_catalog/article5310859.ece/alternates/w620/khmer-rouge-skulls.jpeg