Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea
The flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea was a historical flag of Cambodia from 1979 to 1993, used during the Cambodian–Vietnamese War.
Use | National flag and ensign |
---|---|
Adopted | 1979-1989 (PRK) |
Design | Red field, Angkor Wat in the center in yellow |
Variant flag of The People's Republic of Kampuchea | |
Use | National flag and ensign |
Adopted | 1989-1993 (SOC) |
Design | Red, blue field, a yellow Angkor Wat in the center |
Designed by | Hun Sen |
The flag that became the official flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea had been previously adopted by the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation (KUFNS), who had revived the flag of the Khmer Issarak in the days of anti-French resistance, declaring it the flag of the PRK.[1]
State of Cambodia
In 1989, Hun Sen renamed the country as the State of Cambodia and changed the flag: instead of just fully red, it was half red above and half blue below, reviving the blue color of preceding Cambodian flags. It had a yellow five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette in the center like the first. In some versions the Angkor Wat of the State of Cambodia flag displayed the architectural details of the Angkorian structure outlined in black.
Although the flags of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, and later the flag of the State of Cambodia, became the official flags within Cambodia after the ousting of the Khmer Rouge government of Democratic Kampuchea, the flag of Democratic Kampuchea would still be used by the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea and in the United Nations. As the PRK failed to gain widespread international recognition most states kept diplomatic ties with the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea.[2]
Symbolism
Red symbolizes blood and revolution. The five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette refers to the unity of soldiers, traders, workers, peasants and intellectuals of Kampuchea.
References
- Margaret Slocomb, The People's Republic of Kampuchea, 1979-1989: The revolution after Pol Pot ISBN 978-974-9575-34-5
- Michael Vickery, Cambodia 1975-1982, Silkworm Books 2000, ISBN 978-974-7100-81-5