​It was forty eight years ago (June 20, 1977 – June 20, 2025) when the Khmer Rouge regime's genocidal campaign escalated, brutally murdering patriotic individuals and innocent Cambodian citizens. In Koh Tha-mor village, Tunloung commune, Memot district, Kompong Cham province (it is T’bong Kh’mum province), bordering Song Be province (it is Binh Phuoc province, Vietnam), 25-year-old Deputy Battalion Commander Hun Sen, along with four of his comrades, decided to defect from the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime and crossed the border into Vietnam seeking assistance to overthrow the most brutal Khmer Rouge regime in history led by Pol Pot. After many hardships and challenges, with perseverance and determination to seek the support from Vietnam and other countries to overthrow the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime and revive Cambodia, the Party, State, People, and the Vietnam People's Army warmly welcomed "Deputy Battalion Commander Hun Sen" and his comrades. The base of Brigade 874 under Military Region 7 at Suoi Ram hamlet, Long Giao commune, Xuan Loc district (it is Long Giao town, Cam My district) was chosen to assist Mr. Hun Sen in establishing the Kampuchea (Cambodian) United Front for National Salvation and opened a training center there on May 12, 1978.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Prime Minister Hunsen cutting the ribbons to inaugurate the national historical relic where Brigade 125, precursor to the Kampuchea (Cambodian) United Front for National Salvation - (documentary photo)

The establishment of Brigade 125 - precursor to the Kampuchea (Cambodian) United Front for National Salvation met the historical necessity, creating a transformative shift in the struggle of the Cambodian people to eliminate the Pol Pot genocidal regime. From its inception, the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation stood alongside the Vietnamese volunteer troops, achieving glorious results that contributed significantly to the historic victory on January 7, 1979, bringing revival to the Cambodian nation and permanently preventing the return of the genocidal regime. The victory opened a new chapter for Viet Nam - Cambodia cooperation and development.

In 2011, the Command of Military Region 7 (Vietnam) coordinated with the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces to gather and build a cemetery for 49 Cambodian fallen revolutionary soldiers. Subsequently, Military Region 7 and the People's Committee of Dong Nai province continued to restore, upgrade, and construct the historical site of Brigade 125. The site consists of three main components: a memorial monument, a memorial house, and a martyrs cemetery, all built in Cambodian architectural style.

On January 2, 2012, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Brigade 125 Historical Site was inaugurated and received the Certificate of the National Historical Site.  The historical site represents the patriotism of Prime Minister Hunsen and the Cambodian soldiers, as well as the mutual affection between the two nations. Since its inauguration, the Brigade 125 Historical Site has been regularly maintained and upgraded by the military and people of both countries, and it consistently receives visits from delegations of the Royal Cambodian Army.

In particular, young people and students from Cambodia who are studying and working in Vietnam visit this site every year to express their gratitude to those who contributed to the revival of a nation with a long - standing Angkor civilization, showing appreciation to the Vietnamese people and army for their unwavering support and friendship with the neighboring Cambodian people, united together through thousands of years of history. Not only Cambodian brothers, but also officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army, as well as officials and people from Dong Nai, especially the younger generation, frequently visit, listen to historical stories, and learn about the traditional solidarity between the two nations' peoples to continue preserving and continuously strengthening the long - lasting friendship between the two nations.