409:, the KPNLF reportedly lost nearly a third of its 12,000 to 15,000 troops in battle and through desertions. This setback, which was blamed on Son Sann for his alleged meddling in military matters (particularly his unwillingness to cooperate with Sihanouk's forces), aggravated long-standing conflicts within the KPNLF. In December 1985 several KPNLF leaders announced the formation of a Provisional Central Committee of Salvation, which would be the new executive body of the KPNLF. Key members of the group included General
423:. He said, however, that General Sak would remain as Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Military Command, which was launched in January 1986 reportedly as a concession to the dissident group. Under a compromise worked out through a third party, General Sak regained his control of the armed forces in March 1986. In July General Dien retired temporarily to a monastery.
287:. Also during this time he was involved in the evacuation of Cambodian forces from positions along National Route 19 to Vietnam with the help of American troops. In 1971 he was elevated to the rank of colonel in command of the 2nd Group, which consisted of the 2nd Brigade and two other brigades. His unit was involved in the disastrous
426:
After shedding his monk's robes in late 1986, General Dien continued as deputy commander-in-chief, directing combat operations against the
Vietnamese until their withdrawal from Cambodia in 1990. General Dien presided over the demobilization of the KPNLF's armed forces in February 1992, after which
475:
saw him in combat on several occasions and admired his appearance of calm control: "General Dien Del, perhaps best general, a man with a merry sparkle in his eyes…strutted up and down in his tiger suit, pistol at his hip, saying he would fight to the last."
265:, France. He returned to Cambodia in 1961 and assumed the post of Deputy Chief of Headquarters G-1. In 1962 he joined the Royal Armed Forces General Staff, and in 1964 he was promoted to major and became commander of the 24th Intervention Battalion.
396:
arrived in
Thailand from the United States. Minister of Defense under Sihanouk, he had been Head of State of the Khmer Republic during its final days and had a reputation for decisiveness and incorruptibility that lent legitimacy to the KPNLF.
225:
occupation (1979–1992). Following
Vietnam's withdrawal from Cambodia in 1990, he presided over the demobilization of the KPNLF's armed forces in February 1992. In 1998 he was elected to the National Legislative Assembly as a member of
54:
443:. In 2000 Dien Del became chairman of the National Assembly's Interior, National Defence, Investigation, and Suppression Commission. For over fifteen years, he exercised a prominent role as an advisor to the
480:
Colonel Jim Morris found him a savvy tactician when observing
General Dien's operations during the 1985 Vietnamese assault: "Dien Del wisely used his main force units to defend KPNLF settlements."
926:
369:
139:
701:
Corfield J.J. "A History of the
Cambodian Non-Communist Resistance, 1975–1983." Clayton, Vic., Australia: Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, 1991
250:
from 1946 to 1952, then entered military service in the French colonial
Cambodian Army. From 1953 to 1956 he was a company commander in the 6th Battalion at
519:
Information supplied by
General Dien Del himself during an interview with the Cambodia Oral History Project on August 22, 1994. Transcript available at The
377:
359:
218:
467:
As an officer and a leader, General Dien commanded respect from his superiors, his colleagues, his subordinates, and many other observers. Journalists
364:
In May 1977 he flew to Paris and helped to organize a political group in cooperation with non-communist resistance forces under former Prime
Minister
258:(FARK) Headquarters G-1 Office. He studied at the Royal Military Academy in 1957–58, and returned to headquarters as the deputy chief of G-1.
376:, persuading local leaders to join forces. By mid-1979 the KPNLAF consisted of about 1,600 soldiers. On 9 October 1979 this group became the
710:
Abdul Gaffar Peang Meth, "A Study of the Khmer People's
National Liberation Front and the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea",
592:
572:
582:
561:
406:
303:. He returned to Cambodia in January 1972 and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in command of the 2nd Division. Journalist
617:
315:, seeing the heads of Khmer Rouge soldiers on stakes along the road. Dien Del told her that beheading was practiced by both sides.
339:
209:(1932 – February 13, 2013) was a prominent Cambodian military officer and later, politician. He directed combat operations in
911:
508:
326:
Radio reported that on 20 February he was "severely injured" in combat at Dei Eth. In April he took charge of the defense of
392:
In
January 1981 General Dien established an officer training program at Ban Sangae Refugee Camp. Shortly after this General
308:
304:
866:
Sebastian Strangio, "Revisiting Lon Nol’s Cambodia: A look back at Lon Nol’s ill-fated gamble on democracy in Cambodia,"
177:
901:
680:
639:
526:
436:
255:
143:
906:
280:
131:
916:
880:
805:
674:
633:
520:
455:
Dien Del died in a hospital in Phnom Penh on February 13, 2013. His body was cremated at the Tuek Thla Pagoda in
69:
846:
831:
444:
312:
865:
456:
373:
292:
251:
93:
921:
896:
347:
288:
274:
162:
157:
779:
335:
73:
420:
613:
504:
439:
General Staff, and in 1998 he was elected to the National Legislative Assembly as a member of
243:
120:
589:
579:
569:
554:
372:(KPNLAF). Nguon Pythoureth followed and the two went from one refugee camp to another on the
77:
684:
643:
596:
586:
576:
565:
530:
327:
319:
135:
419:
Son Sann countered with the formation of a new military command committee under General
230:. He spent the last fifteen years of his career as advisor to the Cambodian government.
477:
214:
197:
20:
890:
410:
393:
296:
413:, General Dien Del, Abdul Gaffar Peang Meth, Hing Kunthon and former Prime Minister
414:
331:
322:. Throughout the early months of 1975 he supervised the defense of Phnom Penh, and
658:
323:
262:
31:. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the
874:
799:
468:
284:
247:
239:
192:
169:
32:
318:
In May 1974 he was appointed Governor and Commander of Territorial Forces in
816:
678:
637:
559:. Washington: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980, Part 2, pp. 72-79.
524:
472:
440:
227:
381:
365:
343:
261:
From 1959 to 1960 he attended a French military administration school at
210:
222:
24:
346:. He was held there in a refugee camp until May 1975, when he went to
876:
A Tribute by General Dien Del by Abdul Gaffar Peang-Meth, 18 Feb 2013
726:
300:
53:
283:(FANK) and assumed the command of the 2nd Brigade at Prey Sar near
388:
Guerrilla resistance against the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia
384:, and General Dien Del was appointed Chief of the General Staff.
610:
You Don't Belong Here How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War
368:. On 1 February 1979, Dien Del flew to Thailand to form the
780:
KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA, LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF 26 JULY 1998
295:
Province in 1971. After this he was sent to study at the
242:
family in 1932 at Sóc Trăng. He attended the prestigious
817:"Cambodia’s General Dien Del passed away at age of 81,"
673:
Cambodia Oral History Project interview transcript, The
254:. He came to Phnom Penh in 1957 and was a member of the
134:
Division; Governor and Commander of Territorial Forces,
279:
In 1970 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the
731:. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1987.
542:
Cambodia Oral History Project, August 22, 1994, p. 2
338:on 17 April, he flew out on the last helicopter to
191:
150:
126:
116:
108:
100:
83:
63:
44:
435:In 1994 he was appointed Inspector General of the
836:. 1st ed. New York: Arcade Pub., 1998, pp. 64-5.
790:Television Kampuchea, Phnom Penh - May 26, 2000.
557:The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse
370:Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces
330:, the main entrance into Phnom Penh across the
307:later described a visit to his headquarters on
354:Role in the formation of the KPNLF (1977–1979)
221:(KPNLF) guerrilla forces fighting against the
200:, Montpelier School of Military Administration
58:Dien Del in Kien Svay, Cambodia, January 2008
8:
927:Members of the National Assembly (Cambodia)
851:. Canton, Ohio: Daring Books, 1989, p. 167.
401:Power struggle within the KPNLF (1985–1986)
766:"Cambodians Hand Over Weapons to the UN,"
697:
695:
693:
291:, an attempt to clear National Route 6 in
52:
41:
612:. Public Affairs Books. pp. 215–6.
495:
493:
378:Khmer People's National Liberation Front
360:Khmer People's National Liberation Front
219:Khmer People's National Liberation Front
213:, first as a general in the Army of the
16:Cambodian politician/general (1932–2013)
722:
720:
654:
652:
489:
834:Cambodia: Report from a Stricken Land
550:
548:
7:
217:(1970–1975) and then as a leader of
801:A Tribute to Dien Del by Peang Meth
336:Khmer Rouge forces entered the city
182:Defense of Ampil Refugee Camp, 1985
14:
503:, Maisonneuve et Larose, 1995,
407:Vietnamese dry-season offensive
269:Cambodian Civil War (1970–1975)
238:Dien Del was born to an ethnic
350:, with his wife and children.
1:
632:Transcript available at The
437:Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
144:Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
753:"Ordained: Gen. Dien Del."
742:Far Eastern Economic Review
712:Contemporary Southeast Asia
281:Khmer National Armed Forces
142:; Inspector General of the
943:
675:Vietnam Center and Archive
634:Vietnam Center and Archive
608:Becker, Elizabeth (2021).
521:Vietnam Center and Archive
357:
272:
18:
729:Cambodia: A Country Study
463:Journalists’ observations
427:he returned to Cambodia.
138:; Chief of General Staff
51:
744:, 24 October 1985, p. 44
714:v. 12 (Dec 1990), p. 174
256:Royal Khmer Armed Forces
178:Cambodian–Vietnamese War
849:The Devil's Secret Name
663:London: Heinemann, 1995
819:Southeast Asia Weekly,
687:, item no. 3671302006.
533:, item no. 3671302006.
445:Government of Cambodia
912:FUNCINPEC politicians
727:Russell R. Ross, ed.
646:, item no. 2430708015
457:Tuek Thla, Phnom Penh
374:Thai-Cambodian border
311:in January 1973 with
109:Years of service
94:Tuek Thla, Phnom Penh
868:The Phnom Penh Post,
501:Les clés du Cambodge
499:Jennar, Raoul Marc;
431:Career in government
405:In the 1984 to 1985
348:Alexandria, Virginia
313:cameraman Neil Davis
902:Cambodian Civil War
289:Operation Chenla II
275:Cambodian Civil War
163:Operation Chenla II
158:Cambodian Civil War
907:Cambodian generals
821:February 15, 2013.
683:2008-05-24 at the
642:2008-05-24 at the
595:2018-01-24 at the
585:2007-02-21 at the
575:2019-04-12 at the
564:2007-02-21 at the
529:2008-05-24 at the
299:High Command near
917:Khmer Krom people
768:New Straits Times
204:
203:
121:Brigadier General
934:
877:
853:
844:
838:
829:
823:
814:
808:
802:
797:
791:
788:
782:
777:
771:
764:
758:
751:
745:
739:
733:
724:
715:
708:
702:
699:
688:
671:
665:
656:
647:
630:
624:
623:
605:
599:
552:
543:
540:
534:
517:
511:
497:
305:Elizabeth Becker
297:South Vietnamese
207:General Dien Del
90:
87:13 February 2013
78:French Indochina
56:
42:
942:
941:
937:
936:
935:
933:
932:
931:
887:
886:
875:
862:
857:
856:
845:
841:
830:
826:
815:
811:
800:
798:
794:
789:
785:
778:
774:
770:, Feb 23, 1992.
765:
761:
752:
748:
740:
736:
725:
718:
709:
705:
700:
691:
685:Wayback Machine
672:
668:
657:
650:
644:Wayback Machine
631:
627:
620:
607:
606:
602:
597:Wayback Machine
587:Wayback Machine
577:Wayback Machine
566:Wayback Machine
553:
546:
541:
537:
531:Wayback Machine
518:
514:
498:
491:
486:
465:
453:
433:
403:
390:
362:
356:
340:Utapao Air Base
328:Monivong Bridge
320:Kandal Province
277:
271:
236:
187:
136:Kandal Province
92:
88:
68:
59:
47:
40:
17:
12:
11:
5:
940:
938:
930:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
889:
888:
885:
884:
872:
870:March 18 2010.
861:
860:External links
858:
855:
854:
839:
824:
809:
792:
783:
772:
759:
746:
734:
716:
703:
689:
666:
661:River of Time.
648:
625:
618:
600:
544:
535:
512:
488:
487:
485:
482:
478:Special Forces
464:
461:
452:
449:
432:
429:
402:
399:
389:
386:
380:(KPNLF) under
358:Main article:
355:
352:
273:Main article:
270:
267:
244:Lycée Sisowath
235:
232:
215:Khmer Republic
202:
201:
198:Lycee Sisowath
195:
189:
188:
186:
185:
184:
183:
175:
174:
173:
166:
154:
152:
148:
147:
128:
124:
123:
118:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
102:
98:
97:
91:(aged 81)
85:
81:
80:
65:
61:
60:
57:
49:
48:
45:
21:Cambodian name
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
939:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
894:
892:
882:
878:
873:
871:
869:
864:
863:
859:
852:
850:
843:
840:
837:
835:
828:
825:
822:
820:
813:
810:
807:
803:
796:
793:
787:
784:
781:
776:
773:
769:
763:
760:
757:, 3 Aug 1986.
756:
750:
747:
743:
738:
735:
732:
730:
723:
721:
717:
713:
707:
704:
698:
696:
694:
690:
686:
682:
679:
676:
670:
667:
664:
662:
655:
653:
649:
645:
641:
638:
635:
629:
626:
621:
619:9781541768208
615:
611:
604:
601:
598:
594:
591:
588:
584:
581:
578:
574:
571:
567:
563:
560:
558:
551:
549:
545:
539:
536:
532:
528:
525:
522:
516:
513:
510:
506:
502:
496:
494:
490:
483:
481:
479:
474:
470:
462:
460:
458:
450:
448:
446:
442:
438:
430:
428:
424:
422:
417:
416:
412:
411:Sak Sutsakhan
408:
400:
398:
395:
394:Sak Sutsakhan
387:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
361:
353:
351:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
316:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
276:
268:
266:
264:
259:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
233:
231:
229:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
199:
196:
194:
190:
181:
180:
179:
176:
171:
167:
164:
161:
160:
159:
156:
155:
153:
149:
146:General Staff
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
122:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
86:
82:
79:
75:
71:
66:
62:
55:
50:
43:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
867:
848:
842:
833:
827:
818:
812:
795:
786:
775:
767:
762:
754:
749:
741:
737:
728:
711:
706:
669:
660:
628:
609:
603:
556:
538:
515:
500:
466:
454:
434:
425:
418:
415:Huy Kanthoul
404:
391:
363:
332:Bassac River
317:
293:Kampong Thom
278:
260:
252:Kampong Speu
237:
234:Early career
206:
205:
151:Battles/wars
89:(2013-02-13)
36:
28:
922:2013 deaths
897:1932 births
324:Khmer Rouge
263:Montpellier
168:Defense of
74:Cochinchina
891:Categories
847:Morris J.
509:2706811501
484:References
469:Henry Kamm
285:Phnom Penh
248:Phnom Penh
240:Khmer Krom
223:Vietnamese
193:Alma mater
170:Phnom Penh
101:Allegiance
96:, Cambodia
33:given name
659:Swain J.
568:See also
473:Jon Swain
441:FUNCINPEC
421:Prum Vith
309:Highway 4
228:FUNCINPEC
112:1951–2001
70:Sóc Trăng
832:Kamm H.
755:Asiaweek
681:Archived
640:Archived
593:Archived
583:Archived
573:Archived
562:Archived
527:Archived
382:Son Sann
366:Son Sann
344:Thailand
211:Cambodia
127:Commands
104:Cambodia
46:Dien Del
19:In this
881:YouTube
806:YouTube
555:Sak S.
25:surname
616:
590:Part 3
580:Part 2
570:Part 1
507:
301:Saigon
172:, 1975
165:, 1971
140:KPNLAF
23:, the
451:Death
334:. As
614:ISBN
505:ISBN
471:and
132:FANK
130:2nd
117:Rank
84:Died
67:1932
64:Born
29:Dien
879:on
804:on
476:Ex-
342:in
246:in
37:Del
27:is
893::
719:^
692:^
677:,
651:^
636:,
547:^
523:,
492:^
459:.
447:.
76:,
72:,
35:,
883:.
622:.
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.