4. Pol Pot: The Architect of Cambodia’s Genocide
Pol Pot’s vision for Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979) unleashed one of the deadliest genocides of the 20th century. Driven by a radical dream of an agrarian utopia, his regime dismantled cities, abolished currency, and forced millions into brutal rural labor camps. Nearly two million Cambodians died from starvation, disease, or execution. Pol Pot’s absolute control and disregard for human life left Cambodia devastated for generations. [Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum]
