In 1957, Cambodia's Prince Norodom Sihanouk fled to a monastery near Angkor Wat to become a monk. As it turned out, this was just a maneuver aimed at proving his indispensability rather a fulfilment of his lasting monastic vows. Within a fortnight, he was back in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, launching an attack on his political enemies within the Democrat Party, pitting soldiers against party leaders. He then initiated new elections and won 99 percent of the vote against the only rival party, the socialist Pracheachon. The Communists, realizing that they could not compete against the omnipotent Sangkum, decided to go underground. This is just one episode in Sihanouk's long political biography, but it provides an excellent outlet to understanding this complex political figure, who did not shy from engaging in long-winded, controversial moves in pursuit of Cambodia's independence.
Sihanouk's political career, known for its remarkable longevity, spanned eight...