“China got a bad deal in Indochina. Cambodia is a poor ally compared to Vietnam, It’s weak, unstable and not dependable,” says a Western diplomat to @AP. “The Khmer Rouge are also xenophobic, extremist and literal communists:” https://t.co/xGM9dgEhe1

“The🇻🇳-🇰🇭conflict marks the first instance of a proxy war between China and the Soviet Union. The latter clearly supports Vietnam politically & militarily & Cambodia is supported by China” – Zbigniew Brzezinski, US President Carter’s national security adviser Duch is ordered by Nuon Chea to tape-record confessions of Vietnamese prisoners at S-21 for radio broadcasts. Duch later says his order was that Vietnamese soldiers would confess that they invaded Cambodia to include it in an Indochinese Federation.

Radio PhnomPenh charges that Vietnamese forces had installed anti-Khmer Rouge “hooligans” in Cambodian areas they had overrun. Other reports indicated that civilians in some locations were welcoming the invading Vietnamese and helping them against the KR. The ambassadors in China of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Tanzania & Iraq leave for a 2-week visit to Cambodia. They will go to PhnomPenh & Angkor, but were told they were “free to travel” in Cambodia. The ambassadors of Norway & Nepal were also invited but declined. Cambodia says it has “wiped out” Vientamese invaders, claiming that 29,200 Vietnamese were killed or wounded in the 4 months of fighting, with a kill ratio of better…

POL Pot visits Cambodia’s East Zone and holds a public meeting at Wat Taung, where he outlines the Khmer Rouge policy that every Cambodian should kill at least 30 Vietnamese. Vietnam begins an orderly withdrawal from Cambodian territory, consolidating its forces in a few strategic positions, including the Parrot’s Beak, to better prevent future Cambodian attacks. Vietnam repeats its call for negotiations with Cambodia.

Jan.5 ,1978: Vietnamese Premier Dong says it is fighting for self-defence, as his troops make gains in Cambodia. Diplomats say its military operation is to show strength to stop frequent Khmer Rouge incursions. Vietnam is said to have 60,000 troops in the area vs.🇰🇭’s 25,000.

Thailand says it will remain neutral in current conflict between Cambodia and Vietnam – “the border dispute was historical, which just surfaced.” The Soviet Union meanwhile says the conflict has been provoked by China. Fighting in the Parrot’s Beak area of Cambodia continues, with 10,000 troops said to be deployed on each side, says @Reuters. Unconfirmed reports speak of an 8,000 death toll. Sihanouk expresses “indignation” at the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia on radio PP.

The Chinese ship Hongqi (“Red Flag”) leaves Cambodia (Kompong Som) for Hong Kong with a cargo of rubber plus 105 tons of sesame, 30 tons of lotus seeds, 13 tons of betel products, 12 tons of beans, and 5 tons of peanuts. Jan.3, 1978: Pol Pot orders that up to 60% of Cambodia’s forces wage a guerrilla war against Vietnam. “To tie up the enemy by the throat, shoulders, & ankles to prevent his head turning anywhere and to increase the possibility of our medium-sized forces smashing his head.” Jan.3, 1978: Cambodia rejects Vietnams offer of peaceful negotiations to settle the border war until all Vietnamese troops are withdrawn from…

Jan.2, 1978: French television channel TF1 reports on the incursion of six Vietnamese divisions deep in Cambodian territory and the historic context of the conflict between Vietnam – Cambodia. https://t.co/GQvXcyqcwt

Vietnam responds with asking for a diplomatic resolution & refers to their past fraternal struggle against imperialism. After failed negotiation attempts, it acted on the border in “self-defence”, in response to various attacks and “utterly inhuman crimes” by🇰🇭vs. civilians. https://t.co/AvfC0pUdVu Cambodia breaks off relations with Vietnam. On radio PhnomPenh, Khmer Rouge Head of State Khieu Samphan accuses Vietnam of “ferocious and barbarous aggression”, “raping and killing our women” and says that it has waged an undeclared war since September: https://t.co/Y0VbXHQMmu

@RPanh Oberg was the Swedish Ambassador to Thailand who went to Cambodia on Dec. 22 1977 to visit Angkor Wat and then said this https://t.co/rNy1o9kjHd Sweden distances itself from Oberg, who dismissed refugee reports of atrocities by the Khmer Rouge against civilians following a recent visit to Cambodia. So🇸🇪will send its ambassador to China, Kaj Bjork, to 🇰🇭in January to “better judge conditions in the country”