known as the gate of heavenly peace Tiananmen Square became the center of
Tiananmen Square became the center of
Tiananmen Square became the center of turmoil as tension mounted between
turmoil as tension mounted between
turmoil as tension mounted between demonstrators and the Chinese government
demonstrators and the Chinese government
demonstrators and the Chinese government in 1989 welcome to watchmojo.com it will
in 1989 welcome to watchmojo.com it will
in 1989 welcome to watchmojo.com it will be giving you five fascinating facts
be giving you five fascinating facts
be giving you five fascinating facts about a famous historic event the
about a famous historic event the
about a famous historic event the Tiananmen Square protests that took
Tiananmen Square protests that took
Tiananmen Square protests that took place in the spring of 1989 number 5 the
place in the spring of 1989 number 5 the
place in the spring of 1989 number 5 the protests started as a memorial in the
protests started as a memorial in the
protests started as a memorial in the history of communist China there has
history of communist China there has
history of communist China there has never been anything like this known for
never been anything like this known for
never been anything like this known for his liberal opinions and for being
his liberal opinions and for being
his liberal opinions and for being reform minded we al bang was once the
reform minded we al bang was once the
reform minded we al bang was once the general secretary of the Chinese
general secretary of the Chinese
general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party he was forced to resign
Communist Party he was forced to resign
Communist Party he was forced to resign by military officials in 1987 but
by military officials in 1987 but
by military officials in 1987 but remained a member of the Politburo until
remained a member of the Politburo until
remained a member of the Politburo until his death in April 1989 whose ideas of
his death in April 1989 whose ideas of
his death in April 1989 whose ideas of modernisation resonated with young
modernisation resonated with young
modernisation resonated with young people and the day following his death
people and the day following his death
people and the day following his death thousands of University of students
thousands of University of students
thousands of University of students assembled at Siena Minh Square in
assembled at Siena Minh Square in
assembled at Siena Minh Square in Beijing to demand democratic reform in
Beijing to demand democratic reform in
Beijing to demand democratic reform in his memory
his memory
his memory week after week thousands more joined
week after week thousands more joined
week after week thousands more joined the march on Tiananmen Square until the
the march on Tiananmen Square until the
the march on Tiananmen Square until the crowds grew to more than 1 million
crowds grew to more than 1 million
crowds grew to more than 1 million people number 4 Mikhail Gorbachev’s
people number 4 Mikhail Gorbachev’s
people number 4 Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit complicated the situation
visit complicated the situation
visit complicated the situation unfortunately for the Chinese government
unfortunately for the Chinese government
unfortunately for the Chinese government the protest coincided with the important
the protest coincided with the important
the protest coincided with the important visit from Soviet leader Mikhail
visit from Soviet leader Mikhail
visit from Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev who was there to improve
Gorbachev who was there to improve
Gorbachev who was there to improve relations with China while Mikhail
relations with China while Mikhail
relations with China while Mikhail Gorbachev was talking inside the Great
Gorbachev was talking inside the Great
Gorbachev was talking inside the Great Hall of the People a thin line of police
Hall of the People a thin line of police
Hall of the People a thin line of police kept guard outside it also happened to
kept guard outside it also happened to
kept guard outside it also happened to be the first time in 30 years that China
be the first time in 30 years that China
be the first time in 30 years that China would be receiving a visit from a leader
would be receiving a visit from a leader
would be receiving a visit from a leader of the Soviet Union when it came time to
of the Soviet Union when it came time to
of the Soviet Union when it came time to host the banquet in the Great Hall of
host the banquet in the Great Hall of
host the banquet in the Great Hall of the People Gorbachev had to enter
the People Gorbachev had to enter
the People Gorbachev had to enter through the back entrance because of the
through the back entrance because of the
through the back entrance because of the overwhelming protests resulting in
overwhelming protests resulting in
overwhelming protests resulting in embarrassment for Chinese government
embarrassment for Chinese government
embarrassment for Chinese government officials
officials
officials although the declaration of martial law
although the declaration of martial law
although the declaration of martial law on May 20th meant strict control over
on May 20th meant strict control over
on May 20th meant strict control over media coverage of the demonstrations as
media coverage of the demonstrations as
media coverage of the demonstrations as journalists from all around the world
journalists from all around the world
journalists from all around the world were already on location to cover the
were already on location to cover the
were already on location to cover the visit they ended up staying to report on
visit they ended up staying to report on
visit they ended up staying to report on what turned out to be the much bigger
what turned out to be the much bigger
what turned out to be the much bigger story one picture that I photographed of
story one picture that I photographed of
story one picture that I photographed of a woman being caught in the middle of
a woman being caught in the middle of
a woman being caught in the middle of many soldiers near the Great Hall of the
many soldiers near the Great Hall of the
many soldiers near the Great Hall of the People in my mind is where it started
People in my mind is where it started
People in my mind is where it started number three the exact death toll is
number three the exact death toll is
number three the exact death toll is unknown
unknown
unknown in China the protests referred to as the
in China the protests referred to as the
in China the protests referred to as the June fourth incident because on that day
June fourth incident because on that day
June fourth incident because on that day at least 10,000 troops were sent to
at least 10,000 troops were sent to
at least 10,000 troops were sent to clear the streets on tanks and open fire
clear the streets on tanks and open fire
clear the streets on tanks and open fire into the crowds killing demonstrators
into the crowds killing demonstrators
into the crowds killing demonstrators who have been occupying the square for
who have been occupying the square for
who have been occupying the square for close to seven weeks
close to seven weeks
close to seven weeks some protesters fought back throwing
some protesters fought back throwing
some protesters fought back throwing Molotov cocktails and in one reported
Molotov cocktails and in one reported
Molotov cocktails and in one reported case beating two soldiers to death and
case beating two soldiers to death and
case beating two soldiers to death and then out came a soldier to surrender he
then out came a soldier to surrender he
then out came a soldier to surrender he had his hands up in the air and I still
had his hands up in the air and I still
had his hands up in the air and I still remember that pristine look of his
remember that pristine look of his
remember that pristine look of his uniform how pressed it was of his
uniform how pressed it was of his
uniform how pressed it was of his clearest day in my mind I remembered so
clearest day in my mind I remembered so
clearest day in my mind I remembered so clearly and the mob looked at him for a
clearly and the mob looked at him for a
clearly and the mob looked at him for a second and then they slowly moved in
second and then they slowly moved in
second and then they slowly moved in after the crackdown as many as 10,000
after the crackdown as many as 10,000
after the crackdown as many as 10,000 demonstrators were arrested estimates on
demonstrators were arrested estimates on
demonstrators were arrested estimates on the death toll range from several
the death toll range from several
the death toll range from several hundred to several thousand but since no
hundred to several thousand but since no
hundred to several thousand but since no government record was ever officially
government record was ever officially
government record was ever officially released we don’t know the exact number
released we don’t know the exact number
released we don’t know the exact number of casualties number two no one knows
of casualties number two no one knows
of casualties number two no one knows who tank man really is the most iconic
who tank man really is the most iconic
who tank man really is the most iconic image to come out of the Tiananmen
image to come out of the Tiananmen
image to come out of the Tiananmen Square protests is the young man who
Square protests is the young man who
Square protests is the young man who blocked a row of Tanks and climbed on
blocked a row of Tanks and climbed on
blocked a row of Tanks and climbed on top of one AKA
top of one AKA
top of one AKA the tank man but whatever happened to
the tank man but whatever happened to
the tank man but whatever happened to him after the act of defiance is really
him after the act of defiance is really
him after the act of defiance is really anyone’s guess scroll dips I just came
anyone’s guess scroll dips I just came
anyone’s guess scroll dips I just came up a buy some fireworks some say who’s
up a buy some fireworks some say who’s
up a buy some fireworks some say who’s pulled back into the crowd of protesters
pulled back into the crowd of protesters
pulled back into the crowd of protesters and got away safely
and got away safely
and got away safely others claimed he was immediately
others claimed he was immediately
others claimed he was immediately arrested and later executed it’s
arrested and later executed it’s
arrested and later executed it’s shocking that after a quarter of a
shocking that after a quarter of a
shocking that after a quarter of a century not only we do not know where he
century not only we do not know where he
century not only we do not know where he is we don’t know where his relatives are
is we don’t know where his relatives are
is we don’t know where his relatives are you think a relative would come forward
you think a relative would come forward
you think a relative would come forward and what happened to the tank crew
and what happened to the tank crew
and what happened to the tank crew however when general Secretary’s yangji
however when general Secretary’s yangji
however when general Secretary’s yangji men who came to power just weeks after
men who came to power just weeks after
men who came to power just weeks after the pack down was asked about what
the pack down was asked about what
the pack down was asked about what became of tank men in an interview with
became of tank men in an interview with
became of tank men in an interview with Barbara Walters and years later with
Barbara Walters and years later with
Barbara Walters and years later with Mike Wallace he said that the
Mike Wallace he said that the
Mike Wallace he said that the unidentified man had not been executed
unidentified man had not been executed
unidentified man had not been executed although there’s been plenty of
although there’s been plenty of
although there’s been plenty of speculation regarding his identity
speculation regarding his identity
speculation regarding his identity there’s never been any confirmation nor
there’s never been any confirmation nor
there’s never been any confirmation nor do we know whether or not he’s still
do we know whether or not he’s still
do we know whether or not he’s still alive it’s like the twilight zone they
alive it’s like the twilight zone they
alive it’s like the twilight zone they just disappeared
just disappeared
just disappeared number one Chinese censors want people
number one Chinese censors want people
number one Chinese censors want people to forget this happened
to forget this happened
to forget this happened based on various reports and
based on various reports and
based on various reports and documentaries it seems that most of
documentaries it seems that most of
documentaries it seems that most of China’s younger generation has never
China’s younger generation has never
China’s younger generation has never seen images of tank man or at least they
seen images of tank man or at least they
seen images of tank man or at least they avoid admitting they have this is likely
avoid admitting they have this is likely
avoid admitting they have this is likely because the Chinese government goes to
because the Chinese government goes to
because the Chinese government goes to great lengths to not only make sure the
great lengths to not only make sure the
great lengths to not only make sure the citizens don’t
citizens don’t
citizens don’t that’s the nmn square protests but to
that’s the nmn square protests but to
that’s the nmn square protests but to ensure that people don’t actually know
ensure that people don’t actually know
ensure that people don’t actually know what happened since books TVs movies and
what happened since books TVs movies and
what happened since books TVs movies and the Internet are all under tight control
the Internet are all under tight control
the Internet are all under tight control as well as the fact that the events are
as well as the fact that the events are
as well as the fact that the events are banned from being publicly discussed the
banned from being publicly discussed the
banned from being publicly discussed the protests have essentially been erased
protests have essentially been erased
protests have essentially been erased from all forms of media in 2012 the
from all forms of media in 2012 the
from all forms of media in 2012 the China digital times found over 100
China digital times found over 100
China digital times found over 100 search terms that the country blocked
search terms that the country blocked
search terms that the country blocked around the anniversary of the Tiananmen
around the anniversary of the Tiananmen
around the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre including democracy
Square massacre including democracy
Square massacre including democracy memorial event and commemorate the list
memorial event and commemorate the list
memorial event and commemorate the list of banned words gets longer and longer
of banned words gets longer and longer
of banned words gets longer and longer so this year words that were banned
so this year words that were banned
so this year words that were banned included things like today this day
included things like today this day
included things like today this day sensitive day even the phrase when
sensitive day even the phrase when
sensitive day even the phrase when spring turns to summer no no you can’t
spring turns to summer no no you can’t
spring turns to summer no no you can’t ban when spring turns to summer ahead of
ban when spring turns to summer ahead of
ban when spring turns to summer ahead of the crackdowns 25th anniversary the
the crackdowns 25th anniversary the
the crackdowns 25th anniversary the government took even more extreme
government took even more extreme
government took even more extreme censorship measures by blocking Google
censorship measures by blocking Google
censorship measures by blocking Google services altogether so had you ever seen
services altogether so had you ever seen
services altogether so had you ever seen that footage of take man what did you
that footage of take man what did you
that footage of take man what did you find most surprising about this event
find most surprising about this event
find most surprising about this event for more historical top 10s and
for more historical top 10s and
for more historical top 10s and rebellious top fives published every day
rebellious top fives published every day
rebellious top fives published every day be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com but why they kill those guys they wanted
but why they kill those guys they wanted
but why they kill those guys they wanted free speech and government
free speech and government
free speech and government accountability
”
Be First to Comment