The triumph and tragedy of 1989: Why Tiananmen still matters

TheHill ^ | 06/04/2021 | BY MIKE POMPEO AND MILES YU, OPINION CONTRIBUTORS

[ChicagoConservative27]

America stood triumphant 32 years ago. The Berlin Wall came crashing down in 1989, and the Cold War soon ended. But 32 years ago today also marks a tragedy, as the People’s Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party then under the direction of the paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, moved tanks into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and massacred hundreds, possibly thousands, of pro-democracy Chinese demonstrators.

That year, one communist empire proved too weak to survive, while another proved too brutal to allow itself to be tossed into the ash-heap of history.

[ChicagoConservative27]

If I recall correctly, didn't George HW Bush sit on his hands when this happened and did nothing?

[Old Teufel Hunden]

To me, this is still the bravest thing ever caught on tape and sadly we will never know this man's name. He will forever just be tank man.....

[Lurkinanloomin]

Should have cut China off from civilized nations, but GHW Bush had other ideas.

[PghBaldy]

Iran took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, and Reagan did nothing.

[bankwalker]

I think you spelled Carter wrong.

[EBH]

Carter did nothing

[Farmerbob]

When this happened I was in Air Force tec. School. I took a T-shirt and burned some “bullet holes” in it with a cigarette. Then I dribbled/splattered red model paint all over it and painted “Spring Break ’89 Beijing China- Tiananmen Square Tour “ on the back in Asian style lettering. I got some pretty shocked looks wearing it!

[freespirit2012]

Great documentary about the Tank Man, if you haven’t seen it. https://www.pbs.org/video/frontline-the-tank-man/

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Iran took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, and Reagan did nothing.

That was during the Carter presidency. They were released shortly after Reagan took office.

[PIF]

Shortly after the photo was taken, plain clothes security people chased him off the road and beat “the tank man” to death.

Later at least 10,000 people were murdered and the burned mush remains disposed of down the sewers.

[JerseyDvl]

They were released on the day Reagan was sworn in because he projected strength, unlike the wimpy peanut farmer.

[USS Alaska]

Iran took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, and Reagan did nothing.

Please, don't claim you are from my town, because you have a worse memory than plugs.

I know you knew it was carter but you were trying to make some kind of a point, that when Reagan got into office, he didn't nuke iran {like you wanted}.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Yes I have watched that. Very interesting and thanks for sharing it. I was 24 in 1989 so the leaders of this movement were all around my age. I guess its why I have a special affinity for them. While I was only training to fight the ruskies at the time, these young Chinese were on the front lines really fighting communism. I’ve also met Russian immigrants who were young college dissidents against the Soviet government in the 80’s and they have told me what that was like.

I feel those of my age were the last of the cold war warriors. Sadly since it’s been 30 years since the USSR fell I’m not sure younger people today really understand the threat worldwide communism posed and are more willing to embrace socialism/communism.

[Vermont Lt]

What? Are you in a different universe?

[IgnorerOfLiberals]

This is the all-time stupidest comment that I have seen on Freerepublic.

[PIF]

Better:
Archive: Chinese troops fire on protesters in Tiananmen Square - BBC News 0.03.34 hr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMKvxJ-Js3A

Best:
[Documentary] Tiananmen Square Massacre 1989 in China 1.18.40hr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeoMn1DeUek

[dfwgator]

I heard it live on shortwave on Radio Beijing at the time, there was a brave reporter who said that the troops were killing people, he was quickly replaced.

[dfwgator]

Never has such a huge story gone down the memory hole quicker than Tiananmen Square.

GHWB had a lot to do with that.

[PIF]

Never has such a huge story gone down the memory hole quicker than Tiananmen Square. GHWB had a lot to do with that.

—
What ever Bush had to do with quashing the story, the media were far more complicit and, even to this day, will not tell nor show the full horror of what Deng’s Mountain Troops did.

The BBC video link I posted gives some notion of the events then is cut short. The long version goes into detail of who what why and the horrible results which, BTW, are a large part of the reason the Chinese people keep their heads down: lesson learned.

FWIW: Looking at images of the long dead tank guy is a nice tidy symbol, but does not even come close to depicting the magnitude of the event, nor the piles of bodies of students, passers by, onlookers, bus riders, reporters, apartment dwellers, medical workers, local troops, etc.

If you want to understand just what a totalitarian government can do, you must watch the long version. I will guarantee after watching it, if you have any sympathies for socialism or communism, you will have lost them all when your eyes stop weeping and you flush your vomit down the toilet.

Buckle up kids because this is where the Traitor Joe Administration is heading sooner or later.

[PIF]

I heard it live on shortwave on Radio Beijing at the time, there was a brave reporter who said that the troops were killing people, he was quickly replaced shot. Watch the long version and get the rest of the story.