The 1989 prodemocracy movement in the People's Republic of China and the subsequent crackdown were marked by many dramatic reversals. Supported at first by several thousand Beijing University students, the movement quickly attracted millions of followers and developed into a nationwide mass movement. The jubilant mood during the short-lived freedom in Tiananmen Square turned into despair over the unnecessary bloodshed. The event raised many deeply disturbing questions: Was the massacre necessary and justified? What is the historical significance of this movement? Which path will the PRC follow in the decade ahead? Although no one had anticipated the tragic outcome, the popular unrest was not totally unexpected. When I read the news of 200,000 Beijing students and residents, in open defiance of the government's order, staging a largescale demonstration on Apri120, I knew a confrontation between the people and the government was inevitable.
List of Tables and Illustrations Preface -- 1 Introduction (The
Social, Political, and Economic Ferment, 2 Different Interpretations of the
Events, 5 Setting the Record Straight, 7 Notes, 11) -- 2 From Economic Reform
to Social Unrest (The Reform Program, 13 The Open Door Policy, 18 The Social
and Economic Consequences, 22 The Basic Contradiction, 25 The Mounting
Crisis, 29 The Popular Demand for Change, 33 Notes, 35) -- 3 Ideological
Schism and Power Struggle (The Power Structure, 38 Ideological Tenets and the
Party Une, 43 The Unique Role of Deng Xiaoping, 47 The Ideological
Confrontation, 52 The Struggle for Succession, 56 The Final Showdown of the
Contenders, 60 Notes, 63) -- 4 Intellectual Challenge and Student Movements
(The Role of Intellectuals, 68 The May Fourth Movement and Its Legacy, 71
Intellectuals Under Communism, 77 The Relaxation and Repression Cycles, 82
Challenges from the Intellectuals, 86 The New Student Movement, 91 Notes, 93)
-- 5 Military and Politics (The Command Structure, 97 The Changing Role of
the Army, 102 Decline in the Status of the Military, 106 Military Resistance
to Reform, 110 Involvement in Factional Struggle, 114 The Military at the
Crossroads, 117 Notes, 120) --6 The Making of the Massacre(Origins of the
Student Protest, 122 From Student Demonstration to People's Movement, 126 The
Behind-the-Scenes Power Struggle, 130 Preparation for the Crackdown, 133 The
Great Massacre, 136 The Aftermath and Cover-up, 140 Notes, 144) -- 7 The
Impact of the Bloodshed (The International Sanctions, 147 Overseas Chinese
Responses, 151 Effects on the Domestic Economy, 155 Impact on Education and
Culture, 159 Effects on the Relationship with Hong Kong, 163 Impact on the
Relationship with Taiwan, 168 Notes, 172) -- 8 The Road from Tiananmen (The
Causes of the Unrest, 175 The Far-reaching Effects of the Massacre, 177
Factors Determining the PRC's Future, 181 Alternative Scenarios, 191 Notes,
198) -- Appendix 1: Chronology (April 1S-July 15, 1989) -- Appendix 2:
Profiles of Fifty Major Figures -- Appendix 3: Documents (lt Is Necessary to
Take a Clear Stand Against the Disturbances," 222 A Student's Eyewitness
Account of the Tiananmen Massacre, 224 Deng's Talk on Quelling Rebellion in
Beijing, 226 "Checking the Turmoil and Quelling the Counter- Revolutionary
Rebellion," 231) -- Index
