A Journey Beneath the Killing Fields
Beneath the Killing Fields is more than a memoir—it is my family’s unflinching story of survival during Cambodia’s darkest chapter. Forced from our home during the Khmer Rouge regime, my parents and siblings endured hunger, forced labor, separation, and unthinkable loss.
Yet even in the face of war, despair, and silence, they held on to resilience, love, and the hope of a future. Their memories—once buried, unspoken, or too painful to share—are now woven together here for the first time.
This book is not only a personal chronicle but also a preservation of history. It gives voice to the children who labored in the fields, the parents who risked everything to keep their families alive, and the loved ones we lost along the way. These are stories that refuse to be erased—stories that must be remembered, so that generations to come will understand both the depths of cruelty and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Reviews & Praise
‘What a powerful, beautifully written tribute to the survivors and victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide.’
— Verified Amazon Customer
‘Tragic and heartbreaking, yet inspiring and positive. Very unique memoir that I am glad to have read.’
— Brent
‘Short, packed, powerful…the survivors’ testimonies are riveting… It is now the readers’ turn to bear witness.’
— Rachel
About the Author and Memoir
Dr. Peter Chhim is the author of Beneath the Killing Fields: A Family Remembers, a memoir that brings to light his family’s survival of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Born in 1977, while the regime was still in power, Peter was too young to remember its horrors directly—but he grew up in their shadow.
Through years of research and deeply personal interviews with his parents and siblings, Peter wove together the fragments of memory that had long remained unspoken. In doing so, he created not just a historical record, but a powerful tribute to resilience, love, and loss.
As both son of survivors and narrator of their story, Peter bridges the silence between generations. His memoir ensures that those who suffered are not forgotten, those who were lost are honored, and those who survived are given voice.
A Family’s Journey
In Beneath the Killing Fields, Peter Chhim invites readers into an intimate account of one family’s will to endure in the face of unimaginable loss. Drawing from deeply personal interviews with his parents and siblings, Peter weaves together moments of fear, sacrifice, and unexpected acts of love during the Khmer Rouge regime.
More than a memoir, this work is a bridge between generations—a preservation of memory that gives voice to those who could not speak, honors those who were lost, and passes forward the lessons of survival. Through his words, you’ll walk beside a family that clung to hope amid chaos, finding strength in each other and courage in the smallest acts.
For readers, it’s a journey into Cambodia’s recent history—but also a universal reminder that even in the darkest chapters, resilience can prevail and love can survive.
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Beneath the Killing Fields: A Family Remembers 