X. Tiananmen Square Incident

In 1989 Hu Yaobang, the veteran of the Long March and Deng Xiao Ping's handpicked Secretary-general of the CCP who had been made the scapegoat for the 1986-1987 student demonstrations died. The students used this as a means to pressure the government to move more vigorously with economic and democratic reforms. Thousands of students joined in demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. The government presented a tough line and the students reacted with anger. On May Fourth, 100,00 marchers observed the anniversary peacefully. The government appeared paralyzed. Mikhail Gorbachev came to Beijing in mid-May for a meeting with Deng Xiao Ping. This summit held hope that it would end the rift between the Soviet Union and China that had lasted for 33 years, ever since Khrushchev had shocked Mao with his speech attacking Stalin. The government could not act while Gorbachev remained in town. By May 17, the demonstrators had grown to 1,000,000 people. Secretary-general Zhou and Li Peng spoke to the students but made no promises.

The government declared martial law and ordered the PLA to clear the square. The demonstrators block the way and the soldiers seemed embarrassed and hesitant. Late at night the 27 Route Army struck. These soldiers had been brought in from Mongolia and did not speak a dialect the students could converse with them. Backed by scores of tanks and armored personnel carriers they smashed through the barriers and began to fire with automatic weapons into the crowds. Many died, many more injured. China would never more be the same. The power structure dismissed Zhoa Ziyang for being too soft on the students. Deng and Li Peng praised the PLA for their courage. The Party secretary of Shanghai, Jiang Zemin, took over Zhoa's old job. The government blamed the event on counterrevolutionaries and "hooligans," and mounted an effort to find and punish the leaders and their supporters. Some fled the country with the help of friends.