ABSTRACT
Decades before the establishment of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK) in 1982, Cambodia had known armed anticommunist groups. Some of these groups, such as those in the fifties and sixties, were in a state of confrontation with both Communist guerrilla forces, like the Khmer Rouge, and the prevailing "neutralist" Sihanouk government in Phnom Penh. Cambodian nationalism and resistance to French colonial rule, spurred on by Japan's march through much of Asia during the Second World War, had given impetus in 1940 to the formation of various "Independent Cambodia" committees. The political differences and leadership infighting at the apex of the CGDK all have led to more desertions from the Cambodian resistance forces, particularly since 1987. The Cambodian resistance's third and smallest coalition partner, the forces of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, appeared in mid-1987 to be rising in popularity and strength.
