---
title: My Duty is to Defend my Country poster (Khmer, Cambodia)
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/my-duty-is-to-defend-my-country-poster-khmer-cambodia/
description: A Khmer-language poster showing a beret-wearing soldier with a rifle slung over his shoulder, framed by a temple roof.
section: Collection
---

1. [Home](https://propagandaarchive.org/)
2. [Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/)
3. My Duty is to Defend my Country poster (Khmer, Cambodia)

[![My Duty is to Defend my Country poster, 1955 US poster: A Khmer-language poster showing a beret-wearing soldier with a rifle](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/my-duty-is-to-defend-my-country-poster-khmer-cambodia.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/my-duty-is-to-defend-my-country-poster-khmer-cambodia.jpg)

# My Duty is to Defend my Country poster (Khmer, Cambodia)

A Khmer-language poster showing a beret-wearing soldier with a rifle slung over his shoulder, framed by a temple roof, a palm and villagers with oxen working the fields. The headline, per NARA's title, says the duty is to defend the country, and the foot line names the nation, religion and king. The tell is glittering generalities (nation, religion, king) joined to plain-folks imagery of a countryman-soldier among farmers.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Glittering generalities](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/glittering-generalities/) [Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/)

## Text on the object

Original (Khmer) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
កាតព្វកិច្ចរបស់ខ្ញុំ !

គឺ ការពារ ដីដែន ស្រុកសុខ
ឲ្យ ជាតិ.សាសនា.ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ

ផ្សាយចេញពីការិយាល័យ ទី ៥ នៃអគ្គសេនាធិការយោធពលខេមរភូមិន្ទ
```

English translation (machine translation by Claude, not verified by a fluent reader)

```
My duty! Is to defend the peaceful land for the nation, religion and king. Issued from Office No. 5 of the General Staff of the Khmer Royal Army.
```

Best-effort reading of decorative Khmer lettering; the headline and some words are uncertain.

[← Kenya Government Surrender Pass for Mau Mau Fighters (1955)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/kenya-mau-mau-surrender-pass-1955/) [Bỏ phiếu cho nhà cách mạng Ngô-Đình-Diệm (Vote for the Revolutionary Ngo Dinh Diem) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/vote-for-diem-revolutionary-1955/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Gypsum alabaster slab inscribed in cuneiform, from Nimrud (Kalhu), reign of Ashurnasirpal II](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/nimrud-slab-ashurnasirpal-ii-inscription-883bce/) (Neo Assyrian Empire · 0000 · Transfer, Glittering generalities)
- [Colour lithograph of the Latin text of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti on the wall of the temple of Roma and Augustus at Ancyra, with the heading in large letters (Perrot, Guillaume and Delbet, 1872)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/lithograph-res-gestae-ancyra-heading-0014/) (Roman Empire · 0014 · Card stacking, Glittering generalities)
- [Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103/) (Roman Empire · 0103 · Testimonial, Glittering generalities)
- [Gold solidus of Constantine I, reverse RESTITVTORI LIBERTATIS](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/solidus-constantine-i-restitutori-libertatis-0313/) (Roman Empire · 0313 · Glittering generalities)
- [Gold solidus of Justinian I, reverse VICTORIA AVGGG with Victory holding a Christogram staff](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/solidus-justinian-i-victoria-avggg-0538/) (Byzantine Empire · 0538 · Transfer, Glittering generalities)
- [The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I (Royal Museums Greenwich version), oil on panel](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/armada-portrait-elizabeth-i-greenwich-1588/) (England · 1588 · Transfer, Glittering generalities)
- [Medal of Elizabeth I: portrait in a ruff, reverse an ark on stormy waves with SAEVAS TRANQVILLA PER VNDAS (18th-century aftercast of a 1588 model)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/elizabeth-i-ark-medal-aftercast-1588/) (England · 1588 · Transfer, Glittering generalities)
- [Frontispiece to Eikon Basilike, The Pourtraicture of His Sacred Majestie in his Solitudes and Sufferings (Hollar, 1649)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eikon-basilike-frontispiece-hollar-1649/) (Dutch Republic · 1649 · Transfer, Glittering generalities)