Pol Pot, born Saloth Sar on May 19, 1925, in Cambodia, rose to infamy as the leader of the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist movement that sought to transform Cambodia into a rural, classless society. Ascending to power in 1975, Pol Pot's regime embarked on a brutal campaign to eradicate all traces of the old society, including money, religion, and education. His vision led to the forced evacuation of cities, mass executions, and labor camps, actions that precipitated one of the 20th century's most devastating genocides. Under Pol Pot's rule, an estimated 1.7 to 2 million Cambodians died from execution, starvation, forced labor, and torture. The regime targeted intellectuals, professionals, and even those with perceived ties to foreign governments, labeling them as enemies of the state. This period, known as the Cambodian genocide, left a permanent scar on the country's psyche and demographic composition. Pol Pot's policies were characterized by extreme paranoia and a relentless pursuit of ideological purity, driving the Khmer Rouge to commit atrocities against their own people. The international community largely remained silent during this period, with limited knowledge of the full extent of the horrors occurring within Cambodia's borders. The Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1979 led to the fall of Pol Pot's regime. He fled to the jungle, where he continued to lead the Khmer Rouge in a guerrilla war against the Vietnamese-backed Cambodian government. Pol Pot was never brought to justice for his crimes; he died on April 15, 1998, under house arrest within a Khmer Rouge-controlled area. Today, Pol Pot's legacy is a haunting reminder of the dangers of absolute power and ideological extremism. Efforts to reconcile and remember the victims of the Cambodian genocide continue, with tribunals and memorials seeking to heal the wounds inflicted by one of history's darkest chapters.