Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

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

The protests began in April 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square (and spread to other cities), initially mourning the death of reformist leader Hu Yaobang and evolving into broader demands for political reform, free speech, and an end to corruption. They peaked in May with large-scale demonstrations, a hunger strike, and the erection of the Goddess of Democracy statue.

On the night of June 3–4, 1989, the Chinese government declared martial law and ordered the People’s Liberation Army to clear the square. Troops used lethal force against protesters and civilians, resulting in a significant number of deaths (estimates vary widely, from hundreds to thousands; exact figures remain disputed and are not officially acknowledged by the Chinese government). This event is commonly known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre or June Fourth Incident.

This is one of the most thoroughly documented events of the late 20th century, confirmed by contemporaneous reporting from international journalists present in Beijing, declassified documents, eyewitness accounts, academic histories, and records from multiple governments. The Chinese Communist Party continues to censor discussion of it inside China.