Khmers rouges (French for "Red Khmers"; French pronunciation: [kmɛʁ ʁuʒ];Khmer: ខ្មែរក្រហម Khmer Kraham), more commonly known in English as '' (/kəˈmɛər ˈruːʒ/) (corruption of 'Khmers rouges'), was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea in Cambodia. It was formed in 1968 as an offshoot of the Vietnam People's Army from North Vietnam. It was the ruling party in Cambodia (then known as Democratic Kampuchea) from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, and Khieu Samphan. It allied with North Vietnam, the Viet Cong, and Pathet Laoduring the Vietnam War against the anti-communist forces.