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Anwar-al-Sadat becomes president after Nasser's death. He removes many of his political rivals from positions of power. He changes the country's name to the Arab Republic of Egypt in September 1971.
Hungary increases trade and cultural contacts with non-Communist countries.
The U.S. increases the pace of the nuclear arms race with the deployment of
Minuteman III,
the first missiles with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). This makes it possible to target many cities with nuclear weapons from a single missile.
Sihanouk is deposed and a pro-Western and anti-Vietnamese government takes over under the leadership of General Lon Nol. Lon Nol begins a campaign to fight the North Vietnamese Communist forces camped in border areas.
United States and South Vietnamese troops invade Cambodia, searching for North Vietnamese Communist soldiers. The destruction of villages and the death of civilians alienate many Cambodians and push them towards the Communist side.
Chinese and North Vietnamese leaders persuade the exiled prince Sihanouk to establish a government in exile, led by the Khmer Rouge Communist army.
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