Tiananmen Square

Background Info China operates under a “Communist” government: meaning that people have limited rights and freedoms. The government controls all information, including: books, radio, media, news, television, etc. The government also controls people’s jobs and how much they are paid.

Causes Deng’s Four Modernizations which called for progress in agriculture, industry, defense, and science and technology Deng’s economic reforms increased food production, gave more freedom to industry managers, increased incomes, increased consumption, and opened doors for Western technology and style

Causes of the Protest However, the gap between the rich and poor widened Chinese officials began accepting bribes and enjoying privileges others did not have The new policies also opened doors for Western political ideas Chinese students began studying the West and began questioning China’s lack of political freedom

Causes of Protest Deng Xiaoping, China’s ruler sent many Chinese students to foreign universities to improve China’s economy and to gain capitalist values. Instead of gaining a sense of capitalist values, the students picked up democracy ideals and other western ideologies.

The Protest Begins For seven weeks in the spring and early June 1989, Chinese students and citizens took over Tiananmen Square in Beijing, calling for reforms and greater freedom. It seemed for a while that revolution was coming to China.

The Protest Begins Workers and other Chinese join the protest with the students.

Chinese Government’s Initial Responses to Protest Zhao Ziyang addressed the demonstrators offering concessions. Li Peng and Deng Xiaoping both feared anarchy, so they insisted on forcibly suppressing the protests. Martial law was declared in Beijing, and army troops started going around the city. Beijing citizens flooded the streets to block the soldiers. The protesters remained in large numbers in Tiananmen Square.

This file photo taken on June 3, 1989 shows a dissident student asking soldiers to go back home as crowds flood into central Beijing

Student Leaders Are Arrested Tiananmen Square, 1989 Student Leaders Are Arrested

The Military Beating The Protestors

The Army Looks for Dissidents Tiananmen Square, 1989 The Army Looks for Dissidents

In this file photo from May 30, 1989, a student from an art institute plasters the neck of a replica of New York's Statue of Liberty dubbed the Goddess of Democracy in front of the Great Hall of the People (right) and the monument to the People's Heroes (center) to promote the pro-democracy protests against the Chinese government at Tiananmen Square in Beijing

Students Respond By: On May 30, demonstrators erected the Goddess of Democracy in the square, made in 4 days out of plaster. It was inspired in part by the Statue of Liberty. On June 1 the government cut off access to foreign journalists. On June 2, 6 convoys of tanks and soldiers moved toward central Beijing. All were stopped by citizens, often physically blocking the path of the tanks.

Government’s Actions Prior To Massacre June 3-4: The Chinese government arrested thousands of suspected dissidents. Many received prison sentences of different lengths of time, and many were executed.

The Massacre It happened on June 4, 1989. There was a large number of military soldiers, vehicles, and tanks that were brought in to stop the protests.

The Government Clamps Down Tiananmen Square, 1989 The Government Clamps Down

An armoured personnel carrier crushes one of the tents set up on Tiananmen Square by pro-democracy protestors early Sunday morning in this June 4, 1989 file photo

This file photo taken on June 4, 1989 shows an armoured personnel carrier in flames as students set it on fire near Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

The Massacre Begins Tanks and armored personnel carriers moved toward the square. Demonstrators were attacked with tear gas, rubber bullets and electric truncheons. Soldiers opened fire on those attempting to block their progress. By midnight the tanks had reached the square.

This June 4, 1989 photograph shows a girl, wounded during the clash between the army and students near Tiananmen Square in Beijing being carried out by a cart.

This file photo taken on June 4, 1989 shows Beijing residents inspecting some of over 20 armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles burnt by demonstrators to prevent the troops from moving into Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

This file photo taken on June 4, 1989 shows Beijing residents inspecting the interior of one of the armoured personnel carriers burnt by demonstrators to prevent the troops from moving into Tiananmen Square in Beijing

On June 4, troops opened fire on the crowd On June 4, troops opened fire on the crowd. 2,600 were estimated dead and 10,000 injured. 500 tanks and 300,000 soldiers occupied Beijing.

Tank Man His identity is unknown. He stood in front of a line of tanks to stop them from moving forward. The convoy tried, to move around him, but the Tank Man kept moving in front of them. It was said that he climbed up on the leading tank and talked to the driver. He was believed to have asked why the tanks were there, and that they were harming the city.

The Famous Picture….. An Undisclosed man whom many assume to be Wang Weilin, stands infront of PLA tanks in protest.

Tiananmen Square, 1989 One Lone Man’s Protest

The Symbolism of “Tank Man” He was a normal & brave man He fought for what he believed in Tank Man shows that anyone can stand up to injustice Incredibly bold No one knows what happened to him

The Massacre and Aftermath Wang Dan in 1989 Tiananmen Square was followed by a period of repression marked by mass arrests and executions. Thousands were jailed, harassed and threatened. Some were executed, shot in the back of the neck, and photographs of the bodies were posted all over the country as warnings. One girl leapt from a 12th story window because she was "depressed in the atmosphere of recrimination."

Aftermath of Massacre Deng ordered 250,000 thousand troops to surround Beijing On June 4, 1989 the standoff ended with thousands of armed soldiers and tanks storming Tiananmen Square The assault killed hundreds and wounded thousands Tiananmen Square began a campaign to detain protesters Police arrested about 10,000 people and used media to cover up the assault in Tiananmen Square Campaign left Deng firmly in control of China, however in 1997 Deng died and Jiang Zemin became the Communist Party leader After the massacre, a student leader said, "The government has won the battle here today. But they have lost the people's hearts."

Hiding The Truth In China, discussion of the event is considered inappropriate The government blocks all information on the internet such as Google or Wikipedia There are no news reports on the subject

Memorial in Warsaw, Poland