General Charles de Gaulle’s visit to Phnom Penh in 1966 was marked by a highly symbolic and impactful speech delivered on September 1 at the Olympic Stadium before more than 100,000 people. Hosted warmly by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, de Gaulle emphasized the friendship and deep affinities between France and Cambodia, lauding Cambodia’s independence and neutrality. His speech gained international resonance as he strongly criticized U.S. military intervention in Vietnam, asserted the right of peoples to self-determination, and upheld non-alignment as a guiding principle for international relations. The event underscored France’s support for Cambodia’s sovereignty and marked a clear divergence from American foreign policy in Southeast Asia.
An archive (in French) of General de Gaulle’s 1966 visit to Phnom Penh is available on Monash University’s YouTube channel:
