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 demonstrations began in April 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square (and spread to other cities), initially sparked by the death of reformist official Hu Yaobang and growing to demand greater democracy, free speech, an end to corruption, and other reforms. They involved hundreds of thousands to over a million participants at their peak.[2]
Martial law was declared in mid-to-late May, and on the night of June 3–4, 1989, People’s Liberation Army troops advanced with tanks and live ammunition to clear the square and surrounding areas, resulting in a violent crackdown with hundreds (official figures) to possibly thousands of deaths, according to various estimates from governments, NGOs, and eyewitnesses.[3]
This is a well-documented historical event referred to in China as the “June Fourth Incident.”
Citations (3)
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Tiananmen-Square-incident
Backs: “Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and the subsequent military crackdown occurred in 1989.”
- https://www.history.com/articles/tiananmen-square
Backs: “They involved hundreds of thousands to over a million participants at their peak.”
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-27404764
Backs: “Martial law was declared in mid-to-late May, and on the night of June 3–4, 1989, People’s Liberation Army troops advanced with tanks and live ammunition to clear the square and surrounding areas, resulting in a violent crackdown with hundreds (official figures) to possibly thousands of deaths, according to various…”