As part of the Vietnam War (1955-1975), civil war erupted in Cambodia in 1967 between communist and democratic forces. On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and declared victory. This resulted in the deaths of 1.5 to 2 million people and became known as the Cambodian Genocide. In addition, it led to a mass exodus as an estimated 150,000 Cambodians fled to the United States as refugees between 1975 and 1994. In this lesson, students will learn about the history of the Khmer Rouge regime and how it led to three waves of Cambodian refugees in the United States. Students will study challenges faced by Cambodian refugees and examine ways they have formed resilient communities in the United States.