Cambodian Refugees in Long Beach, California: The Definitive Study

Cambodia was in a state of political and cultural upheaval from the late 1950s through the early 1990s. This was epitomized by the political reign of terror brought on by Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, as he seized power in 1975. His attempt to create a completely agrarian society left the country in chaos and an estimated three million Cambodians dead. With the inception of his brutal rule, Cambodians began to seek sanctuary in less hostile environments. With this, many left their native land and entered the United States as refugees. This movement to America has had one city as a focal point, Long Beach, California. By the late 1980s there were an estimated thirty-five thousand Cambodians living within this cities boundaries. This is Scott Shaw's ground breaking book on the subject, chronicling their plight.