Episodes

  • S1 Ep1: An Introduction to the Khmer Rouge, the Killing Fields and the 'Cambodian Genocide'

    S1 Ep1: An Introduction to the Khmer Rouge, the Killing Fields and the 'Cambodian Genocide'
    Jan 28 2018
    How would you react to being forced out of your home at gunpoint, ordered to leave all of your belongings behind, and instructed to walk for days, weeks and months, to an unknown fate in the countryside?

    And that is just the beginning of the nightmare.
    ​
    The first episode of the series is intended to be a very basic introduction to the the complex set of circumstances that Cambodia faced midway through the 1970s.

    ​The conquest of Cambodia by the Communist Party of Kampuchea, known to the world as the Khmer Rouge, would usher in one of the most destructive and murderous regimes of the 20th century. This limited series is an attempt to provide a detailed narrative history of Cambodia, with a focus on explaining the rise of the Khmer Rouge and the reasons why their utopian visions ended with more than one quarter of the population dying in just under four years. More than two million Cambodians, as well as various ethnic minorities, will perish at the hands of their own government. Explaining this story requires time, research and explanation of historical forces in Cambodia as well as the wider world. Not just dates, numbers and names.

    Join Lachlan Peters, a long-time student of Cambodian history as he shares the story of one of the most fascinating countries in the world, and the long path toward its darkest period.


    Sources
    Pin Yathay Stay Alive My Son
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia and Voices From S-21
    Philip Short Pol Pot: History of a Nightmare
    Roland Neveu The Fall of Phnom Penh
    Elizabeth Becker When the War Was Over
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    53 mins
  • S1 Ep2: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part One

    S1 Ep2: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part One
    Apr 19 2018
    How did the Khmer civilisation begin? How were they able to prosper to the point of building the megacity of Angkor?

    Time period covered: 2000 BC – 900 AD

    In this episode, Lachlan seeks to explain the early processes that developed amongst the Khmer civilisation in and around the region that would eventually become Cambodia. This involves an explanation of the different cultural influences from India and China that would see a kind of hybridised people come to prominence on the Indochinese mainland. The story of early Funan and Chenla, as well as the development of the ‘Devaraja cult’; a system where a universal monarch is regarded as a kind of incarnation of a deity is discussed as well as the establishment of the early cities which will become the seat of the vast Khmer Empire. The ingenious methods of water management that will support the kinds of society and architecture the civilisation is famous for is also explained.

    The episode ends at the reign of Yasovarman and the construction of Phnom Bakheng and the vast baray, in the era just before the ‘peak’ of the civilisation.

    Sources
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia

    Extra Media
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/show-content.html
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    46 mins
  • S1 Ep3: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part Two

    S1 Ep3: The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Empire - Part Two
    Jul 18 2018
    How did the largest city in the pre-industrial world function? What was Khmer society like during the ‘golden age’ of Angkor? How did this civilisation falter and fade?

    Time period covered: 1100 - 1431

    Lachlan begins this episode with a discussion of one of the most impressive and famous examples of Khmer architecture; Angkor Wat. The details of this building, and what it meant for the civilisation that could build it, is explained. We also learn about the life and times of Jayavarman VII, widely recognised as the ‘greatest’ of the Devaraja who lead the Khmer to conquer the greatest extent of territory and build some of its most iconic temples.

    Zhou Daguan, a Chinese diplomat who visited the region, is discussed as he gives a rare insight into the lives and culture of the Khmer at Angkor somewhere near it's peak. But changes would soon follow. But rather than using words like 'collapse', 'decline' or 'fall' to describe this period of Khmer civilisation, it may be more accurate to term this process as the 'transformation' of a society. The reasons for this transformation, ranging from climate change to religion are discussed.

    Sources
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia
    Zhou Daguan The Customs of Cambodia
    BBC, ‘Jungle Atlantis: Angkor Wat’s Hidden Megacity’ 2014
    Virtual Angkor Project https://www.virtualangkor.com

    Extra Media
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/show-content.html

    Jungle Atlantis on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/123320994 
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    57 mins
  • S1: Bonus Episode: 'Visualising Angkor' with Tom Chandler

    S1: Bonus Episode: 'Visualising Angkor' with Tom Chandler
    Jul 29 2018
    Tom Chandler is a senior lecturer at Monash University. His research has focused upon the design and development of immersive simulations of the past, particularly the medieval Cambodian capital of Angkor. In what is the first interview of the series Lachlan speaks with Tom about how immersive virtual recreations can transform our imagination of the 'skeletal remains' of Angkor. The uses of this research for historians as well as the resources that Tom and his team at the Virtual Angkor Project are discussed, as well as his thoughts on technology and archaeology.

    Visit https://www.virtualangkor.com/ for more information about the project Tom is building.
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    52 mins
  • S1 Ep4: Cambodia After Angkor - Part One

    S1 Ep4: Cambodia After Angkor - Part One
    Feb 26 2019
    How did the Khmer go from a civilisation which dominated most of mainland Southeast Asia, to a reduced vassal state of either the Siamese or the Vietnamese? Why did the capital move from Angkor? Why are the Vietnamese the ‘hereditary enemy’ of the Khmer?

    Time period covered: 1431 - 1800

    The next part of the series is hugely important for establishing the context of Cambodia in the 20th century, and therefore the factors leading to the Khmer Rouge revolution. The transition of Angkor to Phnom Penh, as well as the relationship that develops between the Khmer and their neighbours in Siam and Vietnam are important aspects of Cambodian history in its ‘dark ages’ or ‘middle period’. In this episode, Lachlan introduces a brief history of Vietnam, as this eastern neighbour will play a vital role in the story of the region in the 20th century and is necessary for a Cambodian History podcast focusing on the Khmer Rouge.

    Sources
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia
    Christopher Goscha Vietnam: A New History

    Support
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/support.html
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    56 mins
  • S1 Ep5: Cambodia After Angkor - Part Two

    S1 Ep5: Cambodia After Angkor - Part Two
    May 5 2019
    How will the forces of Imperialism and Colonialism come to the region of Indochina? What role will Europeans play in shaping what will eventually become the state of Cambodia?

    Time period covered: 1500 - 1825

    Cambodia’s transitionary period will also see the start of European influence in the region. What did these early encounters look like? The ridiculous story of Ruiz and Veloso, two ‘adventurers’ from Spain and Portugal who attempt to take over the country is relayed. Lachlan also spends some time introducing what the larger forces of colonialism looked like around the globe at this time. The attention then shifts to France as we look to foreshadow the coming imposition of control from Europe that will culminate in ‘French Indochina’ being eventually established.

    The story of Pierre De Behaine, a French missionary stationed in Vietnam, is told as we look to set up the long and tangential relationship between Vietnam and France. The period of conflict within Vietnam and the eventual unification of that kingdom by Emperor Gia Long – with help from the aforementioned missionary – is also related to Cambodian history, particularly the infamous Cambodian folktale of ‘the master’s tea’; a story about Vietnamese cruelty to the Khmer that can still be heard today.

    Sources
    Briggs, L.P. ‘Spanish Intervention in Cambodia’, T'oung Pao, Second Series, Vol. 39, 1950
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia
    Alex Hinton Why Did They Kill?
    Support
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/support.html
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • S1: Bonus Episode: An Interview With Professor David Chandler

    S1: Bonus Episode: An Interview With Professor David Chandler
    Jun 30 2019
    Professor David Chandler is perhaps the most widely recognised and respected scholar of Cambodian history. Author of books such as A History of Cambodia, Brother Number One, Voices from S-21 and The Tragedy of Cambodian History, David has also testified as an expert witness on two occasions during the trial of former leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

    I had the privilege to sit down with Professor Chandler in his home in Melbourne to discuss ideas about the current state of Khmer Rouge historiography, his thoughts on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, whether the crimes of the CPK can be considered 'genocide', and his experience visiting the country so soon after it 're-opened' in 1981.

    David was until recently a Professor Emeritus at Monash University, where I first met him in 2011.

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    56 mins
  • S1 Ep6: The Dawn of French Indochina

    S1 Ep6: The Dawn of French Indochina
    Aug 31 2019
    What happened in the years leading up the French colonisation of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam? How did Cambodian rulers become so dependent on either Siam or Vietnam for protection?

    Time period covered: 1789 - 1887

    In this episode, Lachlan bridges the gap between Cambodia’s ‘middle period’ and the dawn of French colonisation of Indochina. Beginning with the French revolution and its links with the eventual Khmer Rouge revolution, we then explore the imposition of Vietnamese control on Cambodia in the 19th century, as well as the story of a French naturalist who visited the region. The episode ends with the different ways in which the French conquered Cambodia and Vietnam.

    The story of Cambodia’s ‘years of calamity’ and the influence of this period on the psyche of a country dominated by the ascendant Siam and Vietnam is explored. We even have an introduction to the early years of Saloth Sar, otherwise known as Pol Pot.

    Sources
    David Chandler A History of Cambodia
    Henri Mouhot Travels in Siam, Cambodia and Laos
    Philip Short Pol Pot: History of a Nightmare

    Support
    https://www.shadowsofutopia.com/support.html
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    2 hrs and 1 min