Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to have your own government to fire tanks on your own people? It was on the 4th of May 1989 Tiananmen square, china where the students protested for their rights, democracy and the resignation of Chinese communists leaders who were deemed as too repressive , the protest lasted for two months. This was also known as one of the largest non-violent protest until the People’s Liberation Army stormed into clear out the square. The movement ended with the government’s crackdown and the Beijing massacre of June 4.
So, what was the cause to the events in Tiananmen Square in June 1989? The event of Tiananmen square were caused by 3 main events, the death of an former General Secretary of the communist party, Government corruption and rise in prices, unemployment and future job prospects. Hu Yao ban was a reformer who was forced to resign his post as General Secretary; he supported pragmatic economic and social policies, including increased freedom of speech and more local autonomy for China's diverse regions and conditions. Hu's death was the initial trigger that led students and Beijing residents to mourn in Tiananmen Square on 22nd of April 1989, as well as rekindle calls among ordinary citizens to end government corruption.
On the 19th of April students march to Zhongnanhai, where the government leaders live, to have a sit-in demonstration. On the 22nd a memorial service took place for Hu and the government feared that the protestors may use this event to agitate the government. On the 26th of April the demonstration still continued, but the official Chinese newspaper announced that the students protest are just “an organised conspiracy achieve chaos as a result. When students got news of this incident they were infuriated, frustrated and angry, they break though police forces and return to tinmen square. The government had refused to receive the petition put forth by the protestors, the protests got wilder and wilder and slogans strayed further away from approved texts. The protestors could no longer leave in fear that they could be prosecuted. The protestors could no longer back down but neither could Deng Xiaoping, who risked his reputation if he backed down now. On May 13th Frustrated by the lack of official response to their demands, more than 1,000 students launch a hunger strike. On the same day martial law was declared.
Soviet Premier and reformer, Mikhail Gorbachev arrived in China on May 16th. This led to an international outcry leading to even more pressure on the Chinese Party’s leadership. May 30th a sculpture set up resembling the statue of liberty, called the ‘Goddess of Democracy’.
On June 3rd 1989 Den Xiaoping responded with this incident by sending in the People’s liberation Army but it backfired and the occupants of vehicles or soldiers were being hitting by rocks are Molotov which sometimes even burnt the driver alive in their vehicles.