The Cambodian Coup refers to the removal of Prince Norodom Sihanouk by Prime Minister Lon Nol, leading to the establishment of which government?

• A. Khmer Republic
• B. Khmer Rouge Regime
• C. People's Democratic Republic of Cambodia
• D. Government-in-Exile

Answer: (A)

After Lon Nol overthrew Prince Sihanouk in 1970, Cambodia established a new domestic government called the Khmer Republic. This represented a shift toward a pro-Western, anti-Communist regime and set the stage for the ongoing conflict with the Communist insurgents. The Khmer Republic lasted until 1975, when Khmer Rouge forces seized Phnom Penh and established Democratic Kampuchea. The Khmer Rouge Regime refers to that later period, not the immediate outcome of the 1970 coup. The People's Democratic Republic of Cambodia was the Vietnamese-backed state formed after the 1979 invasion, and Government-in-Exile refers to exile administrations rather than the Lon Nol-era government.