Associated Press Wire Photograph – Cambodian Refugee Child Sheltering Beneath Relief Truck -April 1975

Description

An original Associated Press wire photograph dating from April 1975, depicting a Cambodian refugee child resting beneath a large relief vehicle during the final months of the Cambodian Civil War.

The printed news caption identifies the scene as occurring near Phnom Penh on 12 April 1975, where a young refugee shelters beneath a truck wheel while awaiting the distribution of relief supplies. The image was transmitted by Associated Press as international concern mounted over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Cambodia during the final advance of Khmer Rouge forces towards the capital.

The photograph is particularly striking for its powerful visual contrast. The immense military-style vehicle dominates the composition while the vulnerable child occupies a small area beneath it, creating a poignant record of civilian suffering amidst the collapse of governmental authority. Such images formed an important part of international news coverage during the final weeks before the fall of Phnom Penh on 17 April 1975.

Original wire photographs from this period were produced for rapid newspaper transmission and publication, making them important artefacts of twentieth-century journalism as well as primary historical documents. This example survives with its period newsroom handling characteristics and provenance from the photographic archive of the Shields Gazette.

An evocative and historically important press photograph documenting the human consequences of conflict in Southeast Asia during one of the defining humanitarian crises of the Cold War era.

Condition

Very good condition. Minor edge wear and light creasing consistent with newspaper archive handling. Original Associated Press wire photograph. Shields Gazette archive stamp to the reverse.

Agency: Associated Press (AP)
Date: April 1975
Size: 27.9 x 19.0 cm
Medium: Original wire photograph
Photographer: Not named
Provenance: Shields Gazette photographic archive
Subject: Cambodia, Phnom Penh, refugees, humanitarian crisis, war photography, Cold War history

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