Cambodian political scientist Sophal Ear explains how Cambodia—once a promising land of peace and a model of development—became the site of one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. He describes how the Khmer Rouge’s pursuit of an agrarian utopia resulted in the death of 1.7 million people, including his own father. Ear emphasizes the importance of historical accuracy when discussing past atrocities, repeating George Santayana’s famous maxim: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”