News of this week, ending May 11th in 1975. Evacuation of Cambodia, news of takeover of Cambodia by Khmer Rouge, Refugees heading to U.S., aftermath of fall of South Vietnam. 30th Anniversary of VE day and Egypt clears Suez Canal of wrecked ships from 1967 war in anticipation of re-opening the Canal.
May 11, 2011

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Cambodia - leaping from one horrifying odyssey to the next.


Pretty much a week of turmoil, that week of May 11th in 1975. May 11th came on a Sunday that year and news from this broadcast of The World This Week was filled with stories of evacuation, mayhem, confusion and anger.

The evacuation of Cambodia was nearing completion with Khmer Rouge forces closing in on Phenom Penh, the Capitol of Cambodia. Journalists escaping told stories of forced evacuations of Phenom Penh, leaving the city virtually empty, but the roads leading from the city clogged with sick and dying. Other refugees, this time feeling South Vietnam, were heading to the U.S. - and stories of mass panic and desperate attempts to escape were filling the news on an hourly basis. Egypt was busily clearing the Suez Canal of sunken ships, remnants from the 1967 War with Israel, with the hopes of re-opening the Canal as soon as the wreckage was cleared. And this week in 1975 marked the 30th anniversary of the end of the War in Europe - VE-Day.

[gordon-donate]
If you can, please do. If you can't, keep coming back anyway.

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