Lon Nol (
November 13,
1913 -
November 17,
1985) was a
Cambodian politician and former Defence Minister of Cambodia who orchestrated the coup that toppled Prince
Norodom Sihanouk on
March 18,
1970. Following Sihanouk's exit,
American and
South Vietnamese forces freely entered Cambodia in their pursuit of Communist units. Lon Nol fled into exile in
Hawaii when the Communists seized power in Cambodia in
1975.
See also: Cambodia -- Vietnam War
