Tiananmen Square Protests

By: Tyler Zachek and Hilary Hamilton

Background Info

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

The students gathered at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China to take part in pro- democracy demonstrations.

Then there was a large military crackdown because Deng Xiaoping didn’t want the communist government to be threatened or influenced by democratic ideals.

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.

Casualties

There were many different ranges of tolls200- 300 (Chinese Government)400- 800 (The New York Times)2,000- 3,000 (Chinese student associations and The Red Cross)No exact statistics for death tolls were given

There can be different biases seen here.

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.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

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Sources

BBC NewsVideo.google.comTraditions and Encounters- Bentley