During the 1980s, Cambodia had two governments, the Pol Pot regime of Democratic Kampuchea was internationally recognized. On the ground and in the post offices though, Vietnam had conquered Cambodia. You might think after the genocide of Pol Pot, a Vietnamese takeover would be welcome. The USA and China were long tired of a militarily aggressive North Vietnam and Thailand surely did not want them on the border. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Vietnam had farmed out their stamps to Cuba so most of the stamp issues of their client state were fairly generic topical stamps on animals or Mercedes automobiles or international meetings of no relevance to Cambodia. Occasionally though there was an issue like this showing traditional Khmer musical instruments. The Pol Pot regime did not bother with stamps at all between 1975 and 1980.
Todays stamp is issue A120, a 10 cent stamp issued by the occupying Peoples Republic of Kampuchea on October 10th, 1984. Cambodia was known as Kampuchea between 1970 and 1990. It was a 7 stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents cancelled to order.
The Khmer Rouge had received help from North Vietnam during it’s long struggle against the pro western governments in Cambodia. After the last pro west government of Lon Nol fell in 1975, Pol Pot turned some of his attention to the government of North Vietnam. He believed it was their intent to turn Kampuchea into a client state. Members of the Khmer Rouge that had received training from Vietnam were purged. His military also became aggressive toward Vietnam. 24 hours after the fall of Saigon, Kampuchea attacked the island of Phu Quoc. All during Pol Pot’s regime there were numerous clashes with Vietnam. In this Kampuchea had Chinese support although officially all three countries were friendly.
In late 1978, Vietnam started their “Counteroffensive on the southwest border”. Vietnam invaded with over 150,000 soldiers and Kampuchea fought back with arms airlifted from China. Surprising both sides fought in a conventional set piece manner. Kampuchea fell in a few weeks and the Cambodians purged from the Khmer Rouge for their Vietnam ties assumed leadership in the new People’s Republic of Kampuchea. The world was just not having this. China fought a short unsuccessful war with Vietnam and the Vietnam government was ostracized from all but the eastern bloc.
At the beginning of the 1990s, Vietnam had tired of the situation. Old Prince Sihanouk, see https://the-philatelist.com/2018/04/11/968-cambodia-the-human-rights-flame-burns-bright-at-least-on-the-stamp/ . came back to what was again the Cambodian Kingdom. There would be a coalition government with two Prime Ministers, one from the pro Vietnam party and one from the pro royalist. Left out was Pol Pot who tried to reenergize his guerilla war. Instead he was captured and killed himself after a show trial and being sentenced to a long prison term.
The instrument on the stamp is a Sra Lai. You can hear one here, https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Sra+lai+musical+instrument&view=detail&mid=D86EFDB1DE8956744D89D86EFDB1DE8956744D89&FORM=VIRE .
Well my drink is empty and I can see why the world in the 1980s just got tired of the area. Perhaps that was for the best allowing the Khmer people to work it out for themselves. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.