Tiananmen Square (15 Apr 1989 Jahr – 4 Jun 1989 Jahr)

Beschreibung:

Student-led demonstrations calling for democracy, free speech and a free press in China took place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Hu Yaobang, the CCP general secretary who had encouraged democratic reforms died in April. Hu became a martyr for the cause of political liberalisation. On 22 April, the day of his funeral, tens of thousands of students gathered in Tiananmen Square demanding democratic and other reforms. Over several weeks, crowds seeking political, social, and economic reforms gathered in the square. The government issued warnings but took no action since similar demonstrations were taking place in other Chinese cities. In May after a visit by Mikhail Gorbachev there were one million demonstrators in Tiananmen Square and it had been broadcast overseas. By June the Chinese government decided to act. On 4 June, tanks and heavily armed troops advanced toward Tiananmen Square, opening fire or crushing those who tried to block their way. The number of dead is not known, varying from 300 to 3000. The Chinese government stated that the protests needed to be dispersed in order not to harm the stability of the country. In the aftermath, the US instituted economic and diplomatic sanctions, and many other foreign governments criticized China’s handling of the protesters labelling the events a “massacre.” The Chinese government arrested thousands of suspected dissidents; many of them received prison sentences of varying lengths and a number were executed.

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