Remembering Tiananmen Square

Thousands of students swarmed in the square
Peter Turnley / Corbis

The Preamble
A month before the crackdown, momentum was already gathering as thousands of students swarmed in the square on May 4, 1989 to call for greater freedom of speech and democracy.

Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.