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Tiananmen Square Document 19: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 6, 1989, China: Descent into Chaos, 1989
June 6, 1989
This Department of State morning summary describes clashes among different PLA units, with sources claiming that in many cases the soldiers were sympathetic with the demonstrators and often complicit in the destruction of their own military vehicles.
Tiananmen Square Document 17: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 5, 1989, China: After the Bloodbath, 1989
June 5, 1989
By the morning of June 5 (Eastern Standard Time) the "severity of the assault" had become clear to U.S. officials.
Tiananmen Square Document 18: Cable, SITREP No. 35: June 6, 0500 Hours, 1989
June 5, 1989
This report from the U.S. Embassy stated that a western military attaché had told the U.S. military representative that one PLA unit, the 27th Army, "was responsible for most of the death and destruction at Tiananmen Square on June 3." (June 5, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 14: Cable, SITREP No. 32: The Morning of June 4, 1989
June 4, 1989
This SITREP is the Embassy's initial effort to provide some detail on the final PLA assault on the approximately 3,000 demonstrators who had not yet left the square. (June 4, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 13: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 4, 1989, China: Troops Open Fire, 1989
June 4, 1989
The document describes how civilians turned out in massive numbers and fought for seven hours to prevent the troops from advancing on the square.
Tiananmen Square Document 16: Cable, China Task Force Situation Report No. 3 - Situation as of 1700 EDT, 6/4/89, 1989
June 4, 1989
The State Department's China task force was busy updating other diplomatic and consular posts around the world on the situation in Beijing. (June 4, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 15: Cable, SITREP No. 33, 1989
June 4, 1989
The document forwards some early casualty estimates, and also reports on the release of ten foreigners who had been detained by Chinese public security, including several journalists. (June 4, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 12: Cable, SITREP 1, 1989
June 3, 1989
This document, the first in this series of SITREPs, updates U.S. embassy and consular personnel around the world on the first violent clashes with demonstrators. (June 3, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 11: Cable, SITREP No. 28: Ten to Fifteen Thousand Armed Troops Stopped at City Perimeter by Human and Bus Barricades, 1989
June 3, 1989
The document describes the movement of these troops toward the vicinity of Tiananmen Square from several different directions. (June 3, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 10: Cable, SITREP No. 27: Martial Law with Chinese Characteristics, 1989
June 3, 1989
This cable provides fascinating eyewitness accounts of the disorganized and confused retreat of PLA soldiers from the center of Beijing after their advance on Tiananmen Square was halted by crowds of demonstrators on the morning of June 3. (June 3, 1989)
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January 4, 2024
We note the passing of many prominent individuals who played some role in U.S.-China affairs, whether in politics, economics or in helping people in one place understand the other.
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Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - 4:00pm
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