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Cambodia’s international sea trade was carried out through Mekong. This was till 1954. Mekong came under the control of Vietnam with the end of Indochina resulting in the decision to construct a new port for successful sea trade in Cambodia. Kampong Som was chosen for its depth of water and accessibility. The town was later named Sihanoukville. What followed here next is referred to as the History of Sihanoukville. According to the History of Sihanoukville the construction of the port was brought about by a French Cambodian construction team from1955 to 1960 with funds from France. Another major construction leading to the development of the town was the road to Phnom Penh, Route 4, which was funded by the USA. The town first emerged as a settlement for the workers. In the honor of the king the new port town was named Sihanoukville. The historical development of Sihanoukville states that the town reached its zenith in the 1960s due to the success of the port. Due to the booming Sihanoukville Tourism the town witnessed the construction of the Independence Hotel on the Independence Beach in Sihanoukville, the Angkor Brewery, villas on the Ochheuteal Beach in Sihanoukville, and the St Michael's Catholic Church. The History of Sihanoukville, Cambodia says that the port went through construction work again from 1965 to 1970. It was stopped due to the Lon Nol coup d'etat. One of the major phases of the History of Sihanoukville was its role in the American Vietnam conflict. It helped the anti- American forces in Vietnam in acquiring weapons. In 1975 the S.S. Mayaguez, a U.S. container ship was captures by the Khmer Rouge. The USA attacked an island close to Sihanoukville. The ship was released after fierce bombing. Another major turn in the History of Sihanoukville was hosting the Australian, Belgian and French military units of United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) in 1992 and 1993 UN sponsored elections. Later the town saw an influx of foreign tourists which was disrupted by the murders of the 3 backpackers and 3 expatriates. The location has attained stability post 1997-1998 with the end of the Khmer Rouge making. Today it is a popular tourist destination emerging out of its past of war and murder. The numerous restaurants, bars and hotels with a large number of tourists have changed the face of the city.
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