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Hu Yaobang dies in hospital, his last wishes to be buried in his hometown
At 73 years old, Hu Yaobang, leader of the People's Republic of China who also served as both Chairman and Party General Secretary of China, died in hospital after suffering a heart attack a week before -
Crowds mourn the death of Hu Yaobang
Tens of thousands of university students begin gathering in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, the nation's city square, to mourn the death of Hu Yoabang, Hu had been a symbol to them of anti-corruption and political reform. In his name, the students all called for press freedom and other reforms. -
Demonstrations spread
Demonstrations escalate in Beijing and spread to other cities and universities. Workers and officials join in with complaints about salaries and housing. Party leaders fear the demonstrations might lead to chaos and rebellion. When Li Peng, second-ranking in the Party hierarchy belives the protests should be "Nipped in the bud", Party General Secretary Zhao Ziyang convinces them to wait, his argument: "Our main task right now is to be sure the memorial service for Comrade Yaobang goes off smoo -
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Demonstraions spread
Demonstrations escalate in Beijing and spread to other cities and universities. Workers and officials join in with complaints about salaries and housing. Party leaders fear the demonstrations might lead to chaos and rebellion. When Li Peng, second-ranking in the Party hierarchy belives the protests should be "Nipped in the bud", Party Secretary Zhao Ziyang convinces them to wait, his argument: "Our main task right now is to be sure the memorial service for Comrade Yaobang goes off smoothly. -
Hu Yaobangs memorial service
More than 100,000 university students assemble outside the Great Hall of the People, where Hu's memorial service is being held. Students carry a petition of demands up the steps of the Great Hall and insist on meeting Li Peng; he does not respond. Over the next days, the students boycott classes and organize into unofficial student unions -- an illegal act in China. -
A decision is made
Whilst Zhao Ziyang was on a state visit to North Korea, Li Peng calls a meeting dominated by Party members all antagonistic to the students. They convince Party elder Deng Xiaoping that the students aim to overthrow him and the Communist Party. Deng decides the Party has been "tolerant and restrained," but the time has come for action. "We must explain to the whole Party and nation that we are facing a most serious political struggle. We've got to be explicit and clear in opposing this turmoil" -
Editorial Denounces the Students
"The Necessity for a Clear Stand Against Turmoil," (read the full translation) appears in the state-run newspaper, the People's Daily. This editorial closely follows the opinions expressed by Deng at the meeting the day before. "This is a well-planned plot … to confuse the people and throw the country into turmoil," it reads. "… Its real aim is to reject the Chinese Communist Party and the socialist system at the most fundamental level." -
The world is watching
Party leaders are aware of the growing foreign press coverage of the demonstrations, but remain split over how to stop the protests and get the students to return to classes. -
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The world is watching
Party leaders are aware of the growing foreign press coverage of the demonstrations, but remain split over how to stop the protests and get the students to return to classes. -
May Fourth Protests
Tens of thousands of students march into Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1919 "May Fourth Movement," which also took place in the square. They pledge to return to classes the next day but intend to keep pressing for reforms. -
Tensions escalate
Many students return to classes, and the movement lacks clear leadership. Certain groups plan more demonstrations and a hunger strike. Tensions within the Party escalate as they prepare for Soviet Party Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev's visit to Beijing. Deng Xiaoping wants to settle things peacefully, but insists the students must be out of the square before Gorbachev arrives. Zhao, unable to convince the students to call off the demonstrations, begins to lose favor with senior Party members. -
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Tensions escalate
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Hunger Strike
Awaiting Mikhail Gorbachev's visit, about 160 students begin a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, citing the government's failure to respond to their requests for meetings.
Their hunger strike draws public support; many important individuals pledge their help. "There's such a feeling in China about food because of the thousands of years of famines that they've had… So when the students went on their hunger strike, it really moved people to tears." -
Interrupted meetings
Mikhail Gorbachev arrives in Beijing for the first Sino-Soviet summit since 1959, but the hunger strike forces the government to cancel plans to welcome him in Tiananmen Square. His escort is blocked by protestors on nearly every street in Beijing.
"For the Chinese government, this was a big loss of face, very scary, The Party leaders were very frightened in China." -
Meetings
Over 3,000 people are now participating in the hunger strike. The protests during Gorbachev's visit destory the important meeting. During an emergency meeting between party members , Zhao states that the way to end the strike is for the government to retract its April 26 editorial and accept the students' demand for dialogue. -
Meetings
Zhao and Li have another argument regarding the protests- Zhao does not agree with the methods of the protesters, but commends their efforts, Li insists the protesters want nothing more than to take over the government. -
Martial Law
When the case is put to Deng Xiaoping, he decides against Zhao's recommendations and proposes martial law to end the hunger strike. "The aim will be to suppress the turmoil once and for all and to return things quickly to normal," he is reported to have said. "This is the duty of the Party and the government." Zhao expresses his problems with this position but concedes: "I will submit to Party discipline; the minority does yield to the majority." -
Zhao tries his hardest to stop the protesters
Zhao Ziyang visits hospitalized hunger strikers and tries to convince them to call off their fast. That evening a meeting of Party elders and Politburo members, including Deng Xiaoping and Li Peng, approves the declaration of martial law. Zhao Ziyang does not attend. -
Martial Law Declared
Students learn of the plan to declare martial law and call off the hunger strike. Instead, they plan a mass sit-in in Tiananmen Square that draws about 1.2 million supporters, including members of the police, military and industrial workers. Zhao Ziyang appears in Tiananmen Square in a final, unsuccessful effort to appeal for compromise. He is soon removed from office and replaced by Jiang Zemin. -
Martial Law Declared
That evening, Li Peng appears on state television to declare martial law. "We must adopt firm and resolute measures to end the turmoil swiftly, to maintain the leadership of the party as well as the socialist system." -
The Army are sent into Bejing
For the first time in 40 years of Communist rule, the PLA troops attempt to occupy Beijing. A huge number of civilian protestors block their convoys on the streets. Beijingers begin a dialogue with the soldiers, trying to explain to them why they shouldn't be there.
"You have these sort of doe-eyed, puzzled soldiers, who were mostly country people, weren't experienced with big city life, just wondering what was going on here. And not wanting to hurt anybody." -
The Army Withdrawls
After almost three days, the troops finally are able to leave, but the government views the whole episode as another humiliation and challenge to its power. "They needed to make a stand, and a bloody stand, to show their population, and in effect, to cow their population, back into submission." -
The new plan
The demonstrations continue, and Beijing operates with no real police force and with a virtually free press. In Tiananmen Square, the atmosphere is euphoric, but at government headquarters, Deng Xiaoping is devising a new plan to end the protests. Armed troops will be sent in from every military district in the country, the second time around they brought in troops from far away who didn't have connections to Beijing, whose kids weren't in the square. They decided that would cause no obstacles. -
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The new plan
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Approved.
The Party elders approve the decision to put down the "counterrevolutionary riot" and clear the square with military force. Most hope it can be done without casualties -
The Assault Begins
Word spreads that hundreds of thousands of troops are approaching from all four corners of the city, Beijingers flood the streets to block them, as they had done two weeks earlier. People set up barricades at every major interstion. At about 10:30 p.m., the citizens become aggressive as the army tries to break through their barricades. They yell at the soldiers and some throw rocks in defence The soldiers start firing on the unarmed civilians with AK-47s loaded with battlefield ammunition. -
The Massacre
At about 1:00 a.m., the Army finally reaches Tiananmen Square and waits for orders from the government. The soldiers have been told not to open fire, but they have also been told that they must clear the square by 6:00 a.m- no exceptions or delays. They make a final offer of forgiveness if the few thousand remaining students will leave. -
The Massacre
At about 4:00 a.m., student leaders put the matter to a vote: Leave the square, or stay and face the consequences. It was clear that they stay votes were much, much stronger, but then Feng Congde, who was a student leader at the time, said, 'The go's have it.' The students vacate the square under the gaze of thousands of soldiers. -
The Massacre
Later that morning, some people try to re-enter Tiananmen Square. The soldiers order them to leave, and when they don't, they open fire, taking down dozens of people at a time. According to eyewitness accounts, the citizens seem not to believe the army is firing on them with real ammunition. -
The Massacre
"After a little while, like 40 minutes, people would gather up their nerve again and would crawl back to the corner and start screaming at the soldiers, and then the commander would eventually give another signal and they'd just shoot more in the backs" This went on more than half a dozen times in the day. When rescue workers try to approach the street to remove the wounded, they, too, are shot. -
"Tank Man"
About midday, as a line of tanks slowly move along a road toward Tiananmen Square, a young man carrying shopping bags suddenly steps out in front of the tanks. The first tank tries to go around him, but he steps in front of it. They repeat this several times before the tank stops and turns off its motor. The young man climbs on to the tank and speaks to the driver before jumping back down again. Soon, the man is moved to the side of the road by a group of people and disappears -
