The Tiananmen Square Massacre

The History and Legacy of the Chinese Government's Crackdown on the 1989 Protests

By: Charles River Editors

Narrated by: Colin Fluxman

On June 5, 1989, a petrifying procession of Type 59 tanks with bright red stars emblazoned on the sides rolled down the eerily vacant streets of Chang'an Avenue, headed towards Tiananmen Square. Photographer Jeff Widener, along with the disorderly rabble of the media, public, and protesters, watched with bated breath, some from the sidelines, and some from the windows of buildings and nearby establishments.

Suddenly, the buzz of panic turned into a chorus of disbelieving gasps. A man by his lonesome, dressed in a white cotton blouse and a pair of black slacks, casually strolled into the street, two shopping bags swinging in hand. Some were bewildered by the thought of the man foolishly attempting to cross the road at the worst possible time, but when this man deliberately stopped in the path of the tanks, there was a beat of stunned silence. The man, perhaps unaware of the thousands of eyes fixated on him, coolly stared down the tanks as their treads slowly grinded to a halt, one at a time.

©2017 Charles River Editors (P)2017 Charles River Editors

Not bad

The reader did a good job, though he got all the Chinese pronounciations VERY wrongly. Even Chairman "Mao" s name. This was a bit annoying

Not comprehensive

There's very little here. Lots of background, which is important, but few insights into what occurred. Would have liked to have heard more anecdotes of the crackdown itself. Surely, there are a few people who are willing to tell their experiences, on both sides? Since then, I've come across more of the material that should be in the book, including accounts of the massacre being perpetuated by massed APCs that mowed down the bulk of the protesters

5. FACT. ON ARRIVAL AT TIANANMEN TROOPS FROM SMR HAD SEPARATED STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS. STUDENTS UNDERSTOOD THEY WERE GIVEN ONE HOUR TO LEAVE SQUARE BUT AFTER FIVE MINUTES APCS ATTACKED. STUDENTS LINKED ARMS BUT WERE MOWN DOWN INCLUDING SOLDIERS. APCS THEN RAN OVER BODIES TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO MAKE QUOTE PIE UNQUOTE AND REMAINS COLLECTED BY BULLDOZER. REMAINS INCINERATED AND THEN HOSED DOWN DRAINS.

Source is official diplomatic cable of UK government. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/UK_cable_on_Tiananmen_Square_Massacre