Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

June 4, 1989: Massacre in Tiananmen Square
BBC ^ | June 4 | BBC

Posted on 06/03/2009 10:24:52 AM PDT by Jess Kitting

Several hundred civilians have been shot dead by the Chinese army during a bloody military operation to crush a democratic protest in Peking's (Beijing) Tiananmen Square.

Tanks rumbled through the capital's streets late on 3 June as the army moved into the square from several directions, randomly firing on unarmed protesters.

The injured were rushed to hospital on bicycle rickshaws by frantic residents shocked by the army's sudden and extreme response to the peaceful mass protest.

Demonstrators, mainly students, had occupied the square for seven weeks, refusing to move until their demands for democratic reform were met.

The protests began with a march by students in memory of former party leader Hu Yaobang, who had died a week before.

But as the days passed, millions of people from all walks of life joined in, angered by widespread corruption and calling for democracy.

Tonight's military offensive came after several failed attempts to persuade the protesters to leave.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: anniversary; antifreespeech; china; communism; communisttyranny; massacre; redchina; tiananmen; tiananmensquare; tyranny
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-29 next last
Twenty years ago today.

Never forget!

1 posted on 06/03/2009 10:24:52 AM PDT by Jess Kitting
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting

May God bless the Chinese patriots who paid the ultimate price in standing up to communist tyranny!


2 posted on 06/03/2009 10:26:56 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (When you put Democrats in charge, stupid things happen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting

3 posted on 06/03/2009 10:27:11 AM PDT by icwhatudo (For every clinic bombed or burned, 17 to 18 churches are burned down. MSM? MSM?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting

Thanks to zer0, next time those seeking freedom will be run down by Hummers.


4 posted on 06/03/2009 10:29:51 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (Baraq Hussein 0bama - Enemy of America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reagan_fanatic
May God bless the Chinese patriots who paid the ultimate price in standing up to communist tyranny!

And God help us build and maintain COURAGE if history should repeat itself in some other square: Times Square, frinstance.

5 posted on 06/03/2009 10:31:16 AM PDT by C210N (A patriot for a Conservative Renaissance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: reagan_fanatic
May God bless the Chinese patriots who paid the ultimate price in standing up to communist tyranny!

Amen

6 posted on 06/03/2009 10:34:09 AM PDT by Jess Kitting
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: icwhatudo
Thanks for posting the picture.

Brings back memories.

7 posted on 06/03/2009 10:36:00 AM PDT by Jess Kitting
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting
military operation to crush a democratic protest

Keep this in mind when planning a march on Washington, folks. Remember the Bonus Army incident while you're at it.

8 posted on 06/03/2009 10:41:10 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (John Galt was exiled.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting

When was Tomothy Geithner over there studying Chinese?


9 posted on 06/03/2009 10:42:34 AM PDT by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: icwhatudo

That photo still gets me every time.


10 posted on 06/03/2009 10:44:06 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting
We were in Beijing Feb, 2008. Had a tour guide for two days. Must have been 25-30 years old. She took us through the square.

In the square, there was a statue of a student who spoke out against the government. The punch line is it was 70-80 years ago.

I asked her about any markers or signs about the demonstrations in 89. She said she never heard of it.

11 posted on 06/03/2009 10:52:42 AM PDT by nufsed (Release the birth certificate, school and passport records.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting
Little by little, Obama and his cronies have been taking control of everything in the U.S. (financial institutions, the automobile industry, health care, the list keeps growing.) They already control the unions, the media, public education, all our tax dollars . . .)

I shudder to see how quickly the transition to Socialism is taking place, and how most of the American people seem oblivious to it. We are on the road to tyranny, with an extreme Marxist in the driver's seat.

Our freedoms are being eroded away with almost every new law and executive order signed by "the King." How much longer must this power grab go on unchecked?

If Obama gets his way, the U.S. will be a "police state" before the year is over.

12 posted on 06/03/2009 11:14:06 AM PDT by Jess Kitting
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: antiRepublicrat

I actually was tuning into Radio Beijing’s shortwave English language broadcast when the announcer started out broadcasting that the crackdown was starting. An hour later Radio Beijing came back on, only this time they were back to reporting the Party Line.

I always wondered what was the fate of that brave announcer.


13 posted on 06/03/2009 11:18:02 AM PDT by dfwgator (USM is Gator Bait! (Congrats to U-Dub!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: nufsed

14 posted on 06/03/2009 11:19:13 AM PDT by dfwgator (USM is Gator Bait! (Congrats to U-Dub!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Jess Kitting

I’ll never forget watching that on tv at age 12 and not being able to understand why these people were being massacred for wanting to be free.


15 posted on 06/03/2009 12:27:42 PM PDT by chae (I am karmic retribution)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

nufsed


16 posted on 06/03/2009 12:30:22 PM PDT by nufsed (Release the birth certificate, school and passport records.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Markos33; GSP.FAN; Salamander
And those who do not learn from history.....

(The key phrase in this article, IMNSHO, is unarmed protestors.)
17 posted on 06/03/2009 12:35:28 PM PDT by shibumi (" ..... then we will fight in the shade.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: icwhatudo

almost 2 years ago i stood in tianamen square thinking about that guy and the inevitable massacre, and i was moved to tears by the knowledge of what had happened in the place where i was standing.


18 posted on 06/03/2009 1:57:53 PM PDT by madamemayhem (there are only two places in the world: over here and over there.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: icwhatudo

Of course, in the Baltic States, the vehicles didn’t stop...they just crushed people.


19 posted on 06/04/2009 4:23:57 PM PDT by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: fishtank
When was Tomothy Geithner over there studying Chinese?

About as likely as a Bush being there doing business with the Chicoms. Neither the DEMs not the GOP have a good record on dealing with China. Both are more concerned about lining theirs or their family and friends pockets than dealing seriously with China. Bush Sr should have ended all ties with the Chicoms that day. Our nation would be much better off now had he only done so.

20 posted on 06/04/2009 4:32:15 PM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-29 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson