25 Years Ago Today: The Tiananmen Square Massacre
June 4, 2014 - Culture
It’s the image that resonates years later. “Tank Man,” stood in front of a line of oncoming tanks headed toward Tiananmen Square on June 5th, 1989.
With the man in their way, the tanks stood still; uncertain how to proceed. As the tank moved to go around the protester, the rebel would place himself in the path of the tank over and over.
The identity of the man in the above raw video is still unknown.
I think it bears mentioning that any photographs or video taken were from a rooftop quite a distance away, so out of sight that the protester had no idea that he was being filmed or photographed. His act was entirely altruistic; placing his life on the line in a 100% act of courage.
Check out this Frontline documentary on the “Tankman” to learn more about that day.