Tiananmen Massacre Research Paper

To what extent was the Chinese government responsible for the massacre at the Tiananmen
Protest of 1989?
By Ivan Khokhlov candidate number: xxxxxx
Ashcroft Technology Academy centre number: 6145
HL History

Word Count: xxxx Date submitted: xx.xx.xxxx

A: Plan of Investigation This investigation will establish whether Chinese government is to blame for violence in
Tiananmen protest under martial law in June 1989. The investigation will be conducted through the use of primary and secondary sources, and two sources to be evaluated include Day in
Martial Law compiled by Lu Zengchao
and
This book has an almost unique perspective on the events. It contradicts both Western Media portrayal of the incident, which sides with the protestors and often refers to them as rioters, says that their provocations have directly lead to casualties and if the protest was conducted more peacefully the bloodshed could be avoided. At the same time actions of the government are condemned as it is acknowledged that rush in which the square was ordered to be cleared could have potentially provoked the students to violence on military that has kick started the shooting. Ultimately Zengchao sides with the military, they are portrayed as heroes who did their best in a compromising position – stuck between violence of the protestors that they couldn 't back down from due to orders from above. What it ultimately means it is one of very few sources that gives accurate account on actions of the protestors
( ' 'what impressed me quite a bit is that this book correctly portrays the image of Beijingers and
1
students '
Many protestors turned into rioters.
Over 400 army vehicles were burnt, many with soldiers inside. Soldiers were killed with extreme violence, dead bodies displayed on overpasses and busses.

E. Conclusion: up to 200 words Chinese government was aiming at a peaceful clearing of the square, when all the other methods have failed to make the protestors disperse. There was no dissatisfaction with the aims protestors were setting and many of them were in process of being satisfied. The army showed rd unshakable order in their lines, enduring insults and often physical attacks on 3 of June – the day before they were sent in. Protestors have dared to set barricades ad act as they did only in complete confidence that army will be acting peacefully. However an additional factor came in due to confusion, officers prioritised meeting deadlines over acting slowly and non­violently. The fire has been open in order to reach targets in time and later has been opened repeatedly to

speed up the dispersion of the masses. The violence in the Tiananmen Square was largely