Tiananmen Square protests ------------------------- On the night of June 3, 1989, the Chinese Army rolled into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to brutally crush the largest political protest in communist China’s history, killing thousands of citizens* ------------------------- 2km Muxidi apartments Forbidden City Tiananmen Square BEIJIN ------------------------- Chairman Mao Memorial Hall GUANGCHANG WEST QIANMEN ST. CHANG’AN AV. PROTEST CAMP Great Hall of the People Monument to the People’s Heroes Tiananmen Gate National flag Goddess of Democracy statue National Museum of China N 200m ------------------------- POLITICAL UNREST ------------------------- Apr 17: Thousands of people gather in Tiananmen Square to mourn death of Hu Yaobang – leading reformist and symbol of anti-corruption ------------------------- Apr 18-21: Numbers swell into thousands – calling for greater freedom, democracy and end to “dictatorship” ------------------------- Apr 27: Up to 100,000 students march to Tiananmen Square, breaking through police lines ------------------------- May 15: Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev arrives on state visit. Protesting students force embarrassing cancellation of government welcome in Tiananmen Square ------------------------- May 19: Communist Party Secretary General Zhao Ziyang (above) defends student protests – pleads in vain against using force ------------------------- May 20: Paramount leader Deng Xiaoping imposes martial law. Tens of thousands of students set up barricades and stop advancing convoys of troops ------------------------- May 24: Humiliated authorities order army to withdraw ------------------------- May 29-30: Goddess of Democracy statue erected, facing portrait of Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Gate ------------------------- Jun 2: 10,000 troops move covertly into Great Hall of the People and buildings behind museum ------------------------- MILITARY ASSAULT ------------------------- 1 Jun 3, 8:00-10:30pm: 200,000-plus troops move into Beijing, killing 36 protesters near Muxidi apartments ------------------------- 2 Jun 4, 1:30am: Army units enter Tiananmen Square, crushing pockets of resistance en route ------------------------- 3 4:00am: Goddess of Democracy toppled by tank ------------------------- 4 4.30am: Students retreat – armoured personnel carriers open fire, run down and crush protesters ------------------------- 5 Daybreak: Soldiers fire on relatives of protesters trying to enter square. Gunfire heard throughout day ------------------------- 6 Jun 5, “Tank Man”: Lone figure defiantly steps in front of tanks on Chang’an Avenue. His fate remains unknown ------------------------- *Chinese Red Cross estimated 2,600 killed. Chinese government puts toll at 200-300 people dead and 7,000 injured ------------------------- Sources: CNN, George Washington University, Human Rights Watch, Foreign Policy Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS