June 1989Reputable sourceWell documented
Tiananmen Square
On the timeline · around June 1989 · Modern China
What happened
In the spring of 1989, student-led protesters occupied Tiananmen Square in Beijing, calling for political reform and against corruption; at their height the demonstrations drew about a million people. On the night of 3–4 June the government sent in the army, killing an uncertain number of protesters and bystanders.
Why it matters
The crackdown ended hopes of political liberalization alongside China's economic opening, drew international condemnation, and remains one of the most heavily censored subjects in China.
Sources
- Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Tiananmen Square, 1989 · Reputable source