Exploration 4

While researching Tiananmen Square the one event stood out to me the most was before the massacre. Before the massacre ever took place a convoy of soldiers was sent to the square to help break up the protest. Hundreds of Chinese civilians poured into the street and surrounded the trucks containing the soldiers. These civilians stayed out there for four consecutive days telling the soldiers that they are brothers and should not harm them. They also fed the soldiers during this time while they were in the trucks to show they meant them no harm. Eventually the Soldiers agreed to leave and explained they did not want to fight. They soldier retreated to a base several miles away from the city and no one was hurt. This stood out to me because this was a major example that showed the protestors meant no harm to the soldiers. They even fed them and cared for them while they blocked the convoy. They were trying to show the soldiers that they were just like them. They were all normal people. This event showed who the good guys were, and when the soldiers attacked them in Tiananmen Square this event helped set the contrast between the peaceful protestors and the evil government.

               Another moment that stood out to me is directly after the massacre. Soldiers lined up the morning after the massacre to block off the square. Parents of the students, who didn’t make it back walked unarmed towards the soldiers attempting to pass through to find their lost children. The soldiers refused to let them in and the captain stepped forward and gave them until the count of five. When he reached five they all fired. They shot people as they ran away down the street killing 20 or 30 people. This same process happened several times. One time an ambulance arrived on the scene only to also be mowed down. The government showed their true brutality with this event against harmless civilians. Both of these events showed the true colors of those involved. The protestors, who meant no harm and wanted to speak for what they believed in, and the government’s army, who were determined to shock and awe the public into submission by any means necessary. 
Source:The Tank Man. Dir. Anthony Thomas. PBS, 2006. DVD.

This is a picture of the convoy stop before the massacre. I felt like this picture helped to sell my point that the protestors meant no harm. This picture even has one of the protesters giving a peace sign to the camera. They fed the soldiers and wanted to stop them from entering the city without causing harm.  

Source: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles_slideshows/554819/20140605/tiananmen-square-massacre-timeline-how-chinese-army-killed-student-demonstration-slideshow_4.htm

This is the barricade set up the day after the massacre. The barricade was set up to stop civilians from returning to the square. The fire at the front I believe is the ambulance that was shot down, when it arrived on the scene. This picture shows the violence used on the civilians, who were searching for their lost children.

Source: http://okok1111111111.blogspot.hk/2014/05/june-fourth-incident-protests-in_30.html