Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) Nearly all fors. who were in Cambodia when country fell to Communists now safely out. It's believed only few French farmers and 2 Americans remain in country
REPORTER: John Chancellor

(Thai-Cambodian border) Refugees shown crossing into Thailand; all filthy, exhausted, but relieved it was over. [Journalist, Dennis CAMERON - says it seemed they were in French embassy forever and then on truck and bus to border forever.] Fors. bring some explanations out, incling. rumors of executions, descriptions of harsh authoritarian rule.
REPORTER: Barry Kalb

(Studio) 2 Americans rptdly. still in Cambodia are John Yem and Brian Walsh. Now that last large group of fors. out, story of Phnom Penh after the fall can be told. Following report told to NBC by West German journalist Christoph Froehder.
REPORTER: John Chancellor

(Frankfurt, West Germany) Froehder only West television newsman in Phnom Penh on day it fell; as far as NBC knows, following pictures are only existing ones of Phnom Penh's fall. [FROEHDER - explains how he filmed Phnom Penh's fall. 1st picture shows Phnom Penh on April 16; picture taken as he rode on tank. People wave and cheer as Khmer Rouge troops arrive; victory celebration followed. Several Khmer Rouge troops posing as Phnom Penh civilians donned black uniforms as troops moved into city. Khmer Rouge didn't respect international zone as Red Cross expected. Khmer Rouge evacuated civilians from city as quickly as possible. All army soldiers of former government disarmed on spot by Khmer Rouge. Phnom Penh turned into ghost city as residents forced to leave. At beginning, around 2000 fors. in French embassy compound; many people very sick. All Cambodian citizens, even those married to French citizens, ordered by Khmer Rouge to leave French embassy compound; disobedience would result in death. Finally, group of fors. allowed to leave for Thailand; for 3 days, fors. traveled in open truck. Along way, town after town passed that had been completely evacuated.] [John CHANCELL asks if Cambodian army fought to very end with considerable courage.] [FROEHDER agrees, but they had little other choice.] [John CHANCELLOR - questions journalist about Khmer Rouge plans for civilian population.] [FROEHDER - says officer of Khmer Rouge told him people to be kept out of cities till they can be organized under Khmer Rouge point of view; incls. new administration system, military men to be brainwashed and become rice farmers.] [John CHANCELLOR - praises Christoph's courage and enterprise.]
REPORTER: John Dancy

(Studio) Strange, forced migration going on in Cambodia. To be deadly migration also. In South Vietnam, there've been no reports of migration, disease, or reprisals.
REPORTER: John Chancellor