First They Killed My Father

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What was the Cambodian Genocide? Why did it begin, and how did it impact Cambodia and the larger global community?

Teaching Suggestion: As students begin writing, consider helping them anticipate the potential sensitivity issues and themes of this unit, specifically graphic violence and How the Government Justifies Genocide. You may also consider providing students with a graphic organizer to keep track of their thoughts as they explore the resources below.

• “Cambodia 1975-1979” - This page from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum explores the causes, events, and results of the Cambodian Genocide. The links to subsequent pages help provide a more cohesive understanding of the rise of the Khmer Rouge.
• “Khmer Rouge: Cambodia’s Years of Brutality” - This page from the BBC explains the origins of the genocide and describes the ways in which Khmer Rouge officials were (and were not) held accountable for their actions.

2. Who is Loung Ung, and how has her experience as a child in Cambodia impacted her life? How did she find her way to writing, and what does writing mean to her?