Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and the subsequent military crackdown occurred in 1989.[1]

Student-led pro-democracy demonstrations began in mid-April 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square (and spread to other cities), sparked by the death of reformist Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang. Protesters called for greater democracy, free speech, anti-corruption measures, and political reform. The gatherings grew to include hundreds of thousands (estimates reached over a million at peak), with occupations, marches, hunger strikes, and the erection of a “Goddess of Democracy” statue.[2]

After failed negotiations and internal Party divisions, the Chinese government declared martial law in late May. On the night of June 3–4, 1989, the People’s Liberation Army moved in with troops, tanks, and armored vehicles to clear the square and surrounding areas, using live ammunition against protesters and civilians who tried to block them. This is widely known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre or June Fourth Incident. Death toll estimates vary significantly (Chinese official figures are low, around a few hundred including soldiers; independent and eyewitness accounts range from hundreds to several thousand). Many more were injured or arrested.[3]

These events are extensively documented by contemporary journalism, diplomatic reports, eyewitness accounts, photographs/videos (including the iconic “Tank Man” image from June 5), and historical records from sources such as History.com, BBC, Reuters, AP, CNN, PBS, and academic summaries. The Chinese government heavily censors discussion of them domestically and refers to them in more limited terms (e.g., “political turmoil”), but the historical occurrence in 1989 is not in serious dispute among independent historians and international observers.