Podcast
Real Dictators
The book was referenced when the author shared vivid memories of her childhood under the Khmer Rouge, describing her mother's fear of the Viet Cong, a superstition about a comet predicting war, and the upheaval of fleeing a bombed home. Her testimony was used to illustrate the personal impact of the Cambodian Revolution during the episode.
Episode: Pol Pot Part 3: Vietnam War, Cambodian Revolution
The author described their childhood experience under the Khmer Rouge, and how their mother's fear of the Viet Cong foreshadowed the war that would follow.
The tale of the comet, there's old superstition. The folk superstition says something like, when the tale of the comet points to a certain country, Cambodia will be drawn into war with that country.
Suddenly I could see that my mom wasn't excited anymore. She was scared and all that, and I remember asking her, Ma, what does war mean? And of course she didn't answer, and what does country mean? And she didn't want to answer me, and then that was like a precursor to what came next with the Viet Cong.
And I remember my pa told my older sister Chia to get all my siblings to go to the bunker. And I would scream, every bomb exploded. And soon after that, we had to leave that home because the Viet Cong was so close.
We had to leave that home and go to the capital city. Actually, me and my father and my brother came back and the home was destroyed.
Episode: Pol Pot Part 3: Vietnam War, Cambodian Revolution
Chanrithi Him, author of 'When Broken Glass Floats', remembers the fear and uncertainty inspired by the Viet Cong raids during her childhood.
The tale of the comet, there's old superstition. The folk superstition says something like, when the tale of the comet points to a certain country, Cambodia will be drawn into war with that country. Suddenly I could see that my mom wasn't excited anymore. She was scared and all that, and I remember asking her, Ma, what does war mean? And of course she didn't answer, and what does country mean? And she didn't want to answer me, and then that was like a precursor to what came next with the Viet Cong.
And I remember my pa told my older sister Chia to get all my siblings to go to the bunker. And I would scream, every bomb exploded. And soon after that, we had to leave that home because the Viet Cong was so close.
We had to leave that home and go to the capital city. Actually, me and my father and my brother came back and the home was destroyed.