The Making of Modern China

1989: Massacre in Tiananmen Square
The People's Liberation Army cracks down on peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators in June, killing hundreds. In the months before, up to a million student protesters had gathered in the heart of Beijing to demand greater freedom of speech and the resignation of Deng Xiaoping, who declared martial law on May 19, sparking a standoff that ended in the tragedy witnessed worldwide.

• China: The Road to Prosperity