We’ve been touring the amazing temples in Siem Reap — including Angkor Wat below — but the biggest takeaway from our visit is how difficult it’s been for Cambodia to overcome decades of war and genocide.
The United States played a major part in this history when President Nixon authorized secret bombing of the country in 1969. This ultimately led to the rise of the Khmer Rouge and the killing of more than two million Cambodians during the brutal regime.
It’s distressing to be reminded of such a tragic blunder by your country. But as one man told me when we discussed the challenge Cambodia still has in clearing land mines: “We cannot change the past but we can influence the future.”
We’re off to the airport tomorrow for the next leg of our journey.
