The Killing Fields

Cambodia.

To many Westerners,

it seemed a paradise.

Another world, a secret world.

But the war in neighboring

Vietnam burst its borders...

...and the fighting soon spread

to neutral Cambodia.

In 1973, I went to cover

this sideshow struggle...

...as foreign correspondent

of The New York Times.

It was there, amidst the fighting...

...between government troops

and the Khmer Rouge guerrillas...

...that I met my guide

and interpreter, Dith Pran...

...a man who was to change my life...

...in a country that I grew to love

and pity.

So here we go

with Voice of America...

...news for Southeast Asia.

It's 6:
45 and a partly cloudy

morning here.

Clouds too in Washington.

President Nixon announced he'll

address the nation on Watergate...

...within the next few days.

The speech will be Nixon's

first since May.

The scandal has caused resignations

and paralyzed the White House staff.

It has also led to intense

confrontation and perhaps...

...a constitutional crisis

with Senate investigators...

...and a special

Watergate prosecutor.

The speech was announced

after the Gallup Poll disclosed...

...that Mr. Nixon's popularity

had fallen to the lowest point...

...for an American President

in 20 years.

A Supreme Court judge,

William O. Douglas...

...has ruled against an appeal

by the Administration...

...for a stay of the injunction...

...on further U.S. Bombing

missions in Cambodia.

Congress has already ruled

these bombings illegal...

...and they should cease in one

week's time on August the 15th.

Let's go, Sarun!

To the hospital!

Information. Information.

Air Cambodia regret delays of arrival

of flight number 125...

...from Bangkok because

of bad weather.

Mister, you want taxi?

Mister, you want taxi?

Good taxi.

Shut the f***ing blinds, will you?

What's all this sh*t?

I'm sorry.

I thought you were the houseboy.

I was developing some film.

If you're gonna yell, I'll come back.

I'm not feeling good.

Don't want to yell.

I want to be in a good mood.

The plane was late, no car.

I had to take a taxi here.

All I want to do is work.

I got you.

What the f*** is that on your head?

It's a sanitary napkin.

I had it soaked in ice.

Syd Schanberg.

Is Pran there?

No, I just came from the airport.

Well, if he comes in,

would you tell him I'm here?

I'll be at the Caf Central, tell him.

Thanks a lot.

What do you want to eat?

Want some eggs?

I can't. Somebody told me they faint

with fright when you cook them.

- What do you want to eat?

- What are you having?

I'm having a caf complet.

I'll have that. And some aspirin.

Anything I eat has got to be

absolutely dead.

That's why I can never eat an oyster.

I read somewhere that they put...

...that lemon juice on them

just to stun them. You know?

What's the difference?

An unconscious oyster's just as

horrible as the f***er wide awake...

- My God! Look at this.

- Did you see that?

What was it? A rocket?

I don't know.

I saw a guy on a motorbike.

I've been looking for you.

I left a message for you.

I didn't get it. I took a cab.

- There is a big accident right now.

- What?

I think U.S. Drop many big bombs

on little city.

- U.S. Bombs? You're sure?

- I think many dead.

- Does anybody else know about it?

- Nothing at all.

We're going.

Not possible right now, Sydney.

Too dangerous.

Where you going, Schanberg?

Neak Luong.

Neak Luong's closed.

Don't give me that, Reeves.

You got nothing to say about this.

I got a right to go wherever I like

in this sad little country.

That's the law. You impede me, you're

breaking the Cooper/Church Amendment!

Well, up the Cooper/Church

Amendment's ass!

Let's go!

So how can I help you, Mr. Schanberg?

I'm looking for information on why

my airplane was delayed this morning.

- Your plane was delayed?

- That's right.

I don't know. Maybe it's

bad weather. Your flight's...

You don't know anything about it?

No, I don't.

All right.

Then I'd like you

to listen to something...

...and then I'd like a comment.

This morning, for reasons beyond

anybody's control...

...I spend two hours in Bangkok

staring at a seat belt sign.

Meanwhile, my sources tell me...

...two Army helicopters are landing

here, just across the airfield.

Half the ambulances in Phnom Penh

are waiting there to meet them.

And now there's a rumor that

the U.S. Air Force dropped a bomb...

...or several bombs, on Neak Luong.

That's a rumor, and I'm not gonna

comment on a rumor.

I just want to know if that's the

reason why my airplane was delayed!

No comment.

How many killed?

How many wounded?

Thank you for your cooperation,

Major Reeves.

When I scrape this story out, I will

no doubt be quoting you in full!

I'm sorry.

This is just not good enough.

This is a big story...

...a major story, you understand that?

We've got to get down there!

- I know, but...

- I don't want to hear "no"!

I want to get down that river!

We should be down there now!

I'll be here.

Good night, Sydney.

- Messages?

- No, sir.

No, sir.

I'd talk, but it's been

a heavy day and I've got to go.

Let's get together again soon, okay?

- Bob?

- See you.

Bob?

Hello, Sydney. Good night, Sydney.

- Listen, I can't talk with you.

- You can talk to me.

The embassy is jittery.

Get information from a press officer.

Let's not start insulting each other.

Good night, Sydney.

All right, good night.

You've heard of pilot error?

Computer malfunction?

They screwed up on the coordinates.

A single B-52 dropped

its entire load on Neak Luong.

There's a homing beacon

in the middle of the town.

- Casualties?

- You'll be briefed tomorrow.

We estimate 55 military,

something like 35 civilians.

How many?

I hear it's in the hundreds.

Don't quote me on that.

Will there be a dreadful bloodbath

When the Khmer Rouge hit the town?

Will there be a dreadful bloodbath...?

Beer! We haven't had this

for four weeks.

New York Times probably

had it flown in.

- They keep it in their suite.

- We got a cellar. Don't you know?

Americans take themselves so seriously.

Don't be hard on the man. He's just

trying to get to the top of the heap.

We'll just have to pay more to get

our telexes to the top of the heap.

The man has just bought you a beer.

Now drink up.

- Cheers.

- Cheers, Syd.

- Enjoy it.

- Off to see the telex operator?

- New York Times goes to bed early.

- Sure!

Khmer Rouge in the sunset

The Yanks all at sea...

- All right?

- Very possible.

Let's go then!

This is good work.

- How much?

- Hundred fifty.

One hundred!

- All right?

- All right.

Nice going, Pran.

- What is he saying?

- He wants you to look at his family.

To take a photograph and help him

because his child was wounded.

Tell me what she's saying.

She needs help.

Her shop was destroyed last night.

Her husband killed.

How many bombs?

She doesn't know.

Does she know where the hospital is?

"Just over there."

She wants to know,

"Did someone arrest the pilot?"

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