The infamous project launched by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia during the 1970s was the Cambodian genocide. Led by Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge aimed to transform Cambodia into a classless agrarian society, implementing radical policies that targeted urban populations, intellectuals, and ethnic minorities. This resulted in mass executions, forced labor, and widespread famine, culminating in the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people between 1975 and 1979. The genocide is regarded as one of the darkest periods in modern history and has had lasting impacts on Cambodian society and its memory.