Sihanouk announced in Peking that he had formed a coalition- The National United Front of Kampuchea (FUNK)- with former enemies the Khmer Rouge, to fight against the Lon Nol government.
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| Sihanouk and Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai |
Back in China after Lon Nol and Sirik Matak's coup, Sihanouk came under pressure from both People's Republic of China's Premier, Zhou En-lai and North Vietnam's Premier, Pham Van Ong to fight back against his ousters.
Sihanouk quickly agreed, no doubt spurred by rage, vanity and a thirst for revenge, and he joined with the Khmer Rogue and a rag-bag collection of Lon Nol's enemies to oppose the new Cambodian government.
Sihanouk of course was of great value-at least in the short term- to the communists, such was his standing, most notably in the countryside, with many Cambodians.
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