This Week in History

June 4, 1989, the Chinese government ordered its military to open fire on unarmed protesters in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The protesters had marched to mourn the death of Hu Yaobang, a pro-reform leader within the Chinese government. Pro-reform and pro-democracy demonstrations continued and grew in numbers across China. Martial law was enacted on May 20, 1989.

On June 4th, the People’s Army, fu...