Norodom Sihanouk, << NAWR uh dum SEE uh nuk >> (1922-2012), was a king of Cambodia. He was affectionately known as the King Father. He was an important figure in Cambodian politics from 1941 to 2004.
Sihanouk was born in Phnom Penh on Oct. 31, 1922. He became king in 1941. At that time, Cambodia was part of French Indochina. Sihanouk became a supporter of Cambodian independence. Cambodia became independent in 1953. In 1955, Sihanouk gave up the throne and was elected prime minister. He was elected head of state in 1960.
In 1970, during the Vietnam War, the prime minister, Lieutenant General Lon Nol, and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak ousted Sihanouk and forced him into exile. Sihanouk had publicly proclaimed Cambodian neutrality in the war. But he secretly allowed North Vietnamese Communists—the enemies of the United States and South Vietnam—to establish bases in Cambodia.
In 1975, a Communist group called the Khmer Rouge gained control of Cambodia and set up a harsh political regime. Sihanouk was allowed to return to Cambodia as head of state, but he had no real political power.
In 1978, Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia, and Sihanouk fled to China. A civil war broke out among the Khmer Rouge, the Vietnamese, and other Communist and non-Communist groups. The opposing groups signed a peace agreement in 1991 and elections were held. In 1993, a new National Assembly made Sihanouk king again. In 2004, he gave up the throne because of poor health. He was replaced by his son Norodom Sihamoni. Sihanouk died on Oct. 15, 2012.
See also Norodom Ranariddh; Norodom Sihamoni.
