"The Khmer Rouge took control in Cambodia in the 1970s. Its leaders wanted a return to a simpler, agrarian lifestyle, but the communist group's actions caused famines instead. The Khmer Rouge claimed to be a "party for peace," yet committed a genocide with a death toll estimated to be over one million. How did this guerrilla movement rise to power in the first place? This book provides a comprehensive yet concise narrative of the history of the Khmer Rouge, from its inception during the 1950s through its eventual reintegration into Cambodian society in 1998. The Khmer Rouge: Ideology, Militarism, and the Revolution That Consumed a Generation examines the entire organizational life of the Khmer Rouge, looking at it from both a societal and organizational perspective. The chapters cover each pivotal period in the history of the Khmer Rouge, explaining how extreme militarism, organizational dynamics, leadership policies, and international context all conspired to establish, maintain, and destroy the Khmer Rouge as an organization. The work goes beyond inspecting the actions of a few key leadership individuals to describe the interaction among different groups of elites as well as the ideologies and culture that formed the structural foundation of the organization." -- Publisher's description.

Preface: the Era of Artillery Bombardment -- Acronyms -- The forgotten front in a forgotten war -- An army that has a state -- The enemy could be everywhere and everyone -- The last great war -- End of an era.