Who Is Brainwashing In First They Killed My Father

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During the Khmer Rouge’s takeover of Cambodia depicted in First They Killed My Father,by Loung Ung, brainwashing often took place to manipulate the people of Cambodia to despise the Vietnamese “invaders.” Most brainwashing occurred in children, because of their impressionable minds. Given the right amount of propaganda to its children, a tyrannical force, such as the Khmer Rouge, can control the population into fighting for them. In First They Killed My Father, children are made into soldiers for the Khmer Rouge, and are taught to resent the “Youn” population. This brainwashing is seen in Met Bong as she says, “The Youns hate you. They want to come and take away the Khmer’s treasures, including you” (Ung 132) showing that the children of the