Tiananmen Square

What were the Tiananmen Square Protests?

Tiananmen Square, or the Tiananmen Square Protests, were student-led protests against the government demanding more freedom for the people of China.

When did the Tiananmen Square Protests happen?

The protests started on the 15th April, 1989, and were crushed on 4th June, 1989.

Where did the Tiananmen Square Protests happen?

The protests took place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Why did the Tiananmen Square Protests happen?

There were 4 important reasons for the Tiananmen Square Protests:

• ❖ Issues raised by the Democracy Movement had not disappeared. However, they came back to the forefront following the death of Hu Yaobang.
• ❖ Hu Yaobang was sacked as general secretary of the CCP after expressing sympathy for the students. He died in April 1989.
• ❖ Following Hu Yaobang's death, students gathered in Tiananmen Square to mourn. They offered a petition to ask for greater freedoms in honour of Yaobang's death.
• ❖ The petition was rejected by Premier Li Peng. This inspired more students to travel to Tiananmen Square to protest. Students were also gathering support from other avenues of society, with transport officials allowing them free journeys.

What were the key events of the Tiananmen Square Protests?

There were 6 key events in the Tiananmen Square Protests:

• ❖ Following Yaobang's death, students began to gather on Tiananmen Square on 15th April, 1989. They petitioned Premier Li Peng to offer greater freedoms.
• ❖ Protests grew into sit-ins, fights with police forces, and hunger strikes. By May 1989, it is estimated 300 students were on hunger strike.
• ❖ Deng did not act and avoided the protests, as Gorbachev was visiting from the Soviet Union. On 19th May, once Gorbachev left, Deng declared martial law.
• ❖ However, the wider population of Beijing joined the protests, blocking roads and preventing military forces from accessing Tiananmen Square.
• ❖ The government deployed 350,000 PLA troops on 2nd June, 1989. On 3rd June, they announced they would clear the square 24 hours later.
• ❖ As announced, the PLA proceded to clear the square with soldiers and armoured vehicles. The protesters resisted and the PLA opened fire on them, causing heavy casualties. The square was eventually cleared.

What were the outcomes of the Tiananmen Square Protests?

There were 6 key outcomes from the Tiananmen Square Protests:

• ❖ Thousands of protestors were killed and wounded resisting the PLA.
• ❖ After the protest was crushed, anyone suspected of involvement was arrested and imprisoned. Any CCP member who had shown sympathy to the protests was removed.
• ❖ Deng demonstrated his determination and willingness to defend the political status-quo. It was a powerful message to anyone who thought about rebelling against the CCP.
• ❖ International reactions to the event was one of anger. The USA placed economic sanctions on China and the Soviet Union condemned the attacks.
• ❖ China continues to claim that the Tiananmen Square massacre was a legitimate attack by the government against revolutionaries.
• ❖ Tight censorship and control has continued even to this day.