The Khmer Republic: The Lon Nol Line and Operation Chenla I

In late 1970 the Khmer Republic launched its first major offensive of the war, an attempt to reopen Route 6 and relieve the town of Kompong Thom. It was the first test of whether Lon Nol's army could actually fight.

Time Period Covered: June 1970 to January 1971

How did the Khmer Republic try to take back control of Cambodia? What was Operation Chenla I, and what did it reveal about the Cambodian army? What was the 'Lon Nol line'?

In this episode, we follow the Lon Nol government as it attempts to prove that the Khmer Republic can fight and win. After the initial chaos of the coup and the brief US incursion, Cambodia's leaders launch their first large-scale offensive: Operation Chenla I. We look at how the Cambodians, with American and South Vietnamese support, attempt to open Route 6, retake lost territory, and secure the Lon Nol strategy.

Please see this link for Chenla Offensive Visuals and Maps: https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/episodes/the-khmer-republic-chenla-one

Sources:

Wilfred Deac The Road to the Killing Fields
Craig Etcheson The Rise and Demise of Democratic Kampuchea
Sat Sutsakhan The Khmer Republic at War
Various New York Times Articles June 1970
CBS News September 4 1970
Ros Sereysothea (song)
David Chandler The Tragedy of Cambodian History
Henry Kamm Report From a Stricken Land
Haing Ngor Surival in the Killing Fields
Presidential Briefings 1970 (CIA reading room)
Lon Nol - Nixon Correspondance (Office of the Historian)