Posted on 06/04/2007 1:37:45 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
1989 : Tiananmen Square Massacre Takes Place
Chinese troops storm through Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, killing and arresting thousands of pro-democracy protesters. The brutal Chinese government assault on the protesters shocked the West and brought denunciations and sanctions from the United States.
In May 1989, nearly a million Chinese, mostly young students, crowded into central Beijing to protest for greater democracy and call for the resignations of Chinese Communist Party leaders deemed too repressive. For nearly three weeks, the protesters kept up daily vigils, and marched and chanted. Western reporters captured much of the drama for television and newspaper audiences in the United States and Europe. On June 4, 1989, however, Chinese troops and security police stormed through Tiananmen Square, firing indiscriminately into the crowds of protesters. Turmoil ensued, as tens of thousands of the young students tried to escape the rampaging Chinese forces. Other protesters fought back, stoning the attacking troops and overturning and setting fire to military vehicles. Reporters and Western diplomats on the scene estimated that at least 300, and perhaps thousands, of the protesters had been killed and as many as 10,000 were arrested.
The savagery of the Chinese government's attack shocked both its allies and Cold War enemies. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declared that he was saddened by the events in China. He said he hoped that the government would adopt his own domestic reform program and begin to democratize the Chinese political system. In the United States, editorialists and members of Congress denounced the Tiananmen Square massacre and pressed for President George Bush to punish the Chinese government. A little more than three weeks later, the U.S. Congress voted to impose economic sanctions against the People's Republic of China in response to the brutal violation of human rights.
May God Bless the pro-democracy and pro-freedom students and demonstrators who died and suffered as a result of the ChiComs bloody crackdown on June 4, 1989
China is an Evil Empire.
A memorial depicting a destroyed bicycle and a tank-track - symbol of the Tiananmen Square protests - in the Polish city of Wrocławing
ping
That guy has always impressed me. But another thing I always think about is the soldier driving the tank. He was likely drafted and forced to go against his own people. That had to suck.
It does make you wonder.
Maybe the tank driver was a cousin or another relative of the lone protester.
It reminds you of how the U.S. Civil War split families apart with one brother fighting for the North and another brother fighting for the South.
sad and shameful moment for US Foreign Policy. We clearly chose the future of the Wal-Mart supply chain over the future of a nation.
I happened on a documentary about this subject and China’s road to economic freedoms, Three high school students were shown random pictures, troops, a tank etc, nothing to form a pattern of an event and asked if these pictures meant anything to them. They all drew an honest blank and said no. Log on the internet and type in Tiananmen square and you get tourists and travel info. So much for Democracy, the young have no knowledge of this event. Shanghia a modern city is a far cry from the retched poor who live in the inner provinces. Once when everyone was dirt poor now some are rich and the majority are still poor leaves an incredible divide that will eventually come to the surface again but this time it could get real ugly!
just for the record... once the tanks were in place, there were as many or MORE tubes pointed back the out from the square as there were pointing into it. they didn't know if they'd have to fight part of their own Army when word got out what was going on inside he square.
Never forget, this is how socialists handle “dissent”
Hillery! would sic the dogs on anyone who tried that kind of protest against her regime in a heart beat.
Many of those protestors are still in prison,
while murderers walk free.
Thanks for the link.
I had almost forgotten the plight of the Falun Gong.
Years ago my co-workers who came back from China -- this was mid 70's -- told me life was cheap there.
Blessed we are to be born where and when every life is dear.
Still -- look at the response to the thread so far -- dead as a penny falling onto a lead ingot.
I’ll help it along with a bump...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.