Monita Nuth of Herndon High School

Introduction

I am interviewing my father, Mr. Juvy Nuth. He was born in Cambodia in June 1946 and has lived through conflicts resulting from Cambodia's changing government. After Cambodia's independence from France and the rise of new rulers, life has dramatically changed for him and the rest of the nation. Growing in the educated middle class in Cambodia's major city, my father was targeted by the Khmer Rouge, and his new family with my mother and a two year old son was forced out of their house to work in the labor camps of the south. Over a course of almost ten years, my parents had another son, and escaped from Cambodia to come to America in 1981. My mother had me in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 23, 1981. My father had to deal with the lost of his loved ones, overcome his past, and find a way to start a new life in a new world.

In 1953, Cambodia received its independence from France, and Prince Norodom Sihnaouk became the prime minister in 1955, then head of state in 1960. Cambodia's non involvement in the Vietnam war proved to be fatal. The Soviets and Chinese sent supplies to North Vietnam and Sihnaouk took sides with the communist forces. He later broke diplomatic relations with the U.S. and gave the Vietminh the right to set bases in Cambodia. From this domestic, problems developed. Agricultural exports fell and inflation increased. Shortly after, General Lon Nol overthrew Sihnaouk , but Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge took over almost all of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge created labor camps and killed more than 1,000,000 Cambodians.

Interview

M: 1. How old were you when Cambodia received its independence from France in 1953? Were there any noticeable changes?

J: Well, I was born in 1946. I was only seven at the time. I was a young boy. There was no difference except that Cambodia was a monarchy and later became a republic.

M: 2. Did you support Prince Norodom Sihanouk?

J: Yes, I supported him, but not after Cambodia fell to the communist regime.

M: 3. Did you ever support communism?

J: No, never. I have always been anticommunist.

M: 4. How did you feel about Cambodia's involvement with either side (communist and noncommunist) in the Vietnam war?

J: I was angry. It led to the rise of communism. I believe in justice. When I was young, it was taught to me in school. I don't like corruption and when people use power to their advantage.

M: 5. Give me your opinion of General Lon Nol's and Prince Sisowath Sirik's overthrowing of the former prime minister, Sihanouk.

J: I supported Lon Nol because he was part of a republican government. Sihanouk was making poor decisions and our nation was falling apart.

M: 6. How was Cambodia different under the new ruler?

J: Good, the first couple of years were good. But after two years, the economy went down, there was corruption, and inflation went up.

M: 7. What did you think of the United States's involvements with Cambodia and the war?

J: I supported the US. I didn't care, whomever . . . The people needed help and they helped us fight the communists.

M: 8. I know you were in the military. When were you in it and why?

J: I was in my middle twenties. I was in the military under Lon Nol from 1970-1975. I married your mother in 1971. . . . We were fighting the communist. The situation of the country forced me to join the army. I felt that I had to serve my country. If I didn't, I'd probably just be a target on the street.

M: 9. What was your occupation before you went into the military?

J: I was a math teacher. I couldn't teach when the Khmer Rouge took over.

M: 10. What were your feelings toward the Khmer Rouge?

J: At first I supported them. I agreed with their idea of socialism. I was in the Khmer Rouge from 1975-1979. Then I was against them because of their practices in the government and country. There were a lot of killings. I 've never liked them after that.

M: 11. Did you know anyone that stayed a Khmer Rouge or anyone you once knew that later became your enemy?

J:Ummmmmm. . . . Yes! My old math professor. He was a communist. He was the commander of the Khmer Rouge.

M: 12. I'm aware of your animosity for the leader of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot. What impact did this man have on the nation?

J: I don't like him! Dictatorial leadership! Many, many people were killed. I lost my friends and family because of him. He forced the educated middle class and those who didn't share his beliefs into labor camps.

M: 13. Did you have any family in Phnom Penh? How had their life changed?

J: Yes. I used to live there. Our family was forced out of our house. Your brother was only a baby at the time. We were only able to take some clothes with us. Everything else was left behind, pictures, money, everything. We were moved to the country side.

M: 14. What were the conditions like in the camps? What kind of labor did they make you do?

J: Under Pol Pot, everyone was forced to work in the rice fields almost every hour of the day. We got little sleep and worked for minimum food. We were kept prisoners.

M: 15. What else do you remember from days under Pol Pot?

J: Some of the men had to gather fish. There was a net at the bottom of the lake held down by rocks. Since I could hold by breath the longest, I had to go down a lot and fix the net. One time my ear drum bursted. Air came out my ear because the water was so deep. My ear still bothers me a little when I watch tv. I'd miss a couple of words.

M: 16. At the beginning of each day, did you think you were going to survive?

J: I had to for our family.

M: 17. What made you finally decide to leave Cambodia?

J: There was a list of families that would be later executed. I heard that our family didn't have much time.

M: 18. When and where did the family escape to?

J: We had to escape at night, barefoot in the jungle, until we reached the Western Thai border.

M: 19. Compare Cambodia before its conflicts and America now. Where would you rather live and why?

J: Cambodia because it was peaceful.

M: 20. Would go live in Cambodia if it was back to normal in about a five years ?

J: It can't go back to normal that fast. Cambodia is like a slow, old car on a freeway of new cars.

M: 21. Are you still angry with Cambodia's government?

J: Yes!

Observation

From this project, I've learned more about my background and Cambodia's history through the research and the interview with Juvy Nuth, my father. He is always busy with something. If he's not at work, cooking dinner, fixing cars, or playing his musical instruments, etc., he's practicing with the band in the basement of my aunt's house, every weekend from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. So I find myself grateful to be able to talk to him and learn about his past. He or anyone else in my family is reluctant to talk about their experiences in Cambodia, for it's not a chapter in their life they'd like to be reminded of.

The interview went fairly well. However, a few of my father's responses were short and not as detailed as I had hoped. During the interview, I decided to skip certain questions, for I could hear his voice begin to weaken as he spoke. I saw how painful it was for him to share his past with me as he paused, turned his head in between each question, and looked up with glazed, pink eyes. I was surprised by my father's knowledge of Cambodia's history. His accuracy with the dates according to certain events was impressive. Unexpectedly, this project has turned out to serve as some importance to me. Overall, this has been a great learning experience and has given me a chance to bond with my father.

Bibliography

Britannica Encyclopedia, 1992 vol. 2, Bayeu- Ceanothos

"Enchantment of the World, Cambodia," by Miriam Greenblatt

Information Finder, (c) 1996, World Book Inc.

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