The Story Behind the Iconic ‘Tank Man’ Photo | Developing News

Legendary Magnum photographer Stuart Franklin talks to us about his famous ‘Tank Man’ image of a single man standing in front of a line of tanks, symbolising the uprising that happened at Tiananmen Square in 1989. It’s become an ubiquitous image in the West of the pro-democracy protests, but in China it’s like it’s been airbrushed out of history. Even getting the roll out of China was tricky, it was smuggled out in a box of tea by a French student heading for Paris. Stuart Franklin talks us through the events leading up to the photo and how it went on to be considered one of the greatest images of the 20th Century.
When you are on the front line, picking up a camera can often result in an image that immortalises a moment in time. From pictures captured during armed conflict to anti-facist protests, global pandemics to the start of a revolution - iconic photos reveal exactly what happened there and then. In this Developing News series, VICE interviews photographers whose photos have become synonymous with important world events. The photographers relive the story behind the photos, telling their tales from the front line of battlefields and hospitals, and reflecting on their journey to becoming a photographer. We hear how they sought out to document the truth, even risking their lives, to provide proof of events that stay long after the memories fade.
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[@ThomasinaJefferson-ke7xs]

I wish Vice would find more of these photographers and document their stories before they’re all gone.

[@user-cn3ee2xs6p]

Wikileaks: no bloodshed inside Tiananmen Square, cables claim www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8555142/Wikileaks-no-bloodshed-inside-Tiananmen-Square-cables-claim.html

[@MetalMatrix92]

VICE SUCK’S MEN , BIG DEAL

[@aniqshardin]

have you seen city of god? the movie is based on legendary photographer name Wilson Rodrigues...hes a childhood friend of the leader of one of the most notorious brazilian drug cartel.hes the only person who able to photograph these gang member up close.the movie itself is unbelievable, i not expecting it to be a real story and historically so accurate

[@SP-ft4ir]

@@user-cn3ee2xs6p wumao reporting for duty 👍

[@lancetti4843]

@@SP-ft4ir Citing a western published article is grounds for being called a wumao now? Western people just can't fathom that the narrative fed to them all these years might not actually be completely true.

[@mangosaurusrex3416]

There’s something beautiful about his anonymity. It’s like he’s not just a single person, he’s all of us.

[@jeffram68]

No. He's not "All of us".... He's what all of us wish we were.

[@lyndsay369]

omfg yes you're so right

[@lightningmchick8948]

That's ironic because "that's Communism"

[@blastard5539]

He was counter revolucionary.thats it.

[@blastard5539]

@@lightningmchick8948 atleast it far good than british colonialism. From 1886 to 1900 9 million indian killed by britishers.

[@fuzzycuffs]

While Tank Man is so iconic, I wish more people would see the after photos of the Tiananmen massacre -- the bloody bodies strewn about. That was the real horror of the Chinese government.

[@ivyyoung521]

I remember those. National Geographic? Where did I see those in 89? I was 10 years old.

[@hectoraldana7080]

Yeah they ran them over with the tanks into a “pie” and power washed the bodies into a drain

[@pepega7015]

I seen pictures of dead body all over tiamen square

[@lancetti4843]

@@pepega7015 Strange. Because I've looked for these and never seen them. Do you have a link?

[@lancetti4843]

@@hectoraldana7080 How do you know this?

[@CrimsonGuard1992]

Also known in China as: "Nothing Happened"

[@giuseppetiso531]

What does anything in this video have to do with China? All I saw was static

[@giuseppetiso531]

@@Robertcego yeah I know it's a lovely piazza in Beijing, what does that have to do with those Russian tanks?

[@SniperAngle12]

@@giuseppetiso531 Type 59, Chinese copy of T-54/55.

[@giuseppetiso531]

@@SniperAngle12 What where those doing in Russia?

[@jonathanwilson6043]

@@giuseppetiso531 Joesph TROLL

[@RileyTaugor]

Sucks that we will never know who was the guy.

[@nuehar]

hurr durr

[@ok-ys9vj]

and what happened to him afterwards 😶

[@meredithahern-tamilio4667]

I bet he wasn't alive much longer than when he was escorted off the streets out of the way ,it would be a miracle if he wasn't killed and tourtured first ,now look at our streets in America not to far from this !!!

[@nuehar]

boohoo

[@nuehar]

doodoo

[@Chadevereux]

Love that he admits how his picture 'softened' the issue, which was much bigger and much bloodier than depicted.

[@a6ftcowboy36]

China has scrubbed the internet of the Tank running this guy over. Crushed to death. This comment will get erased.

[@rassu_serru]

People refuses to make this man his own statue because they don't have enough materials to build his massive balls

[@Oh_Low]

pun intended?

[@Elghast]

All the world: Tank man stopped a tank from killing innocents as they protested the CCP. Tank man is a hero of humanity. China: fun bags man wants to congratulate at all costs the People’s Army Tank brigade for their efforts to protect China from the imperialists! The shy tank driver is reluctant at first but then stops to accept the compliments!

[@oldheadplayhou5e]

they ran him over. classic!

[@love-lj7rr]

Every country tends to hide information that they don't want people to know. While China hides information about Tiananmen massacre, UK hides what British Empire committed to the world, Japan hides what they committed to Nanking, Korea, Philippine and what's going on in Fukushima, US hides what war crimes that they committed to anti-America country.

[@love-lj7rr]

Because only telling what they want people to hear and never telling what they don't want people to know is common thing that every human on earth does.

[@Elghast]

lo ve actually Britain broadcasted a whole series called BBC Empire where they talked about the atrocities committed in India.

[@Elghast]

lo ve Americans have talked a lot about the suffering that the atomic bombs and agent orange did on Japanese and Vietnamese people. They also vastly changed their warmaking policies with the rules of engagement favouring the soldiers attacking US troops.

[@MrLyR-cc1rs]

Even if most of his own people dont remember or know him, WE shall always keep his actions of bravery in our hearts and continue the passing of his story. About when a meagre dude once stood in front of a column of 13 tanks, armed with only 2 grocery bags, determined to single handedly block them. Truly a moment not simply his, but for all he represents.

[@AntoineMalveaux]

This moment has resonated since I fist saw it in the 90s. Profound.

[@0852657luis]

The photo was taken in the 80s not the 90s

[@MultiBigdog99]

0852657luis can you read? The guy said when “he” first saw it in the 90’s not when it was taken. I swear people like you are mouth breathers.

[@user-cn3ee2xs6p]

The USA’s decades long war against China www.voltairenet.org/article177116.html (gory images)

[@AntoineMalveaux]

@@MultiBigdog99 Thank you

[@0852657luis]

@@MultiBigdog99 sorry dude I was having a real bad morning when I posted this comment and I really wasn't in the mood to deal with 90s kid bullshit that I thought this comment was. I sincerely apologize.

[@courtneyjefferson6788]

Never forget that man 💯

[@unclejeffthechad9459]

Chinese government : *WHO ???*

[@kevinchen5703]

He was protesting for BLM.

[@Will-xl7xp]

@@kevinchen5703 Nah this man is a real hero. BLM just causing unnecessary trouble

[@Marc-.]

Will Yu Hello CIA

[@Marc-.]

Will Yu Or should I call u Brian Kern?

[@cyberpokey]

Photojournalists who take iconic images always have a hint of regret in their voice when they talk about them.

[@lil_jong-un6668]

Especially when the picture revolves around tragedy and the worst of humanities.

[@smollfox4849]

Thank you @@lil_jong-un6668 .

[@logarhythmic6859]

He says only seeing this image softens the reality of what really happened, yet Vice chooses not to include the other, more brutal photos, perpetuating the softened imagery of this event.

[@user-mz4ju4tb7s]

i assume youtube would not allow such brutal imagery

[@schmorris]

@Dario No. KZbin would take it down. Look it up somewhere else.. its very brutal

[@Kryptnyt]

You can find them on your own with a quick search. I think it's better this way than to be suddenly confronted with gore in the middle of talking about the tank picture. Especially when you consider that this is an important thing for children to be able to understand early, even if they aren't ready to see the true horrors

[@beltranpons]

Cause KZbin restricts the video...

[@bigpoosock]

its mainly because the other pictures and videos are very horrific and KZbin would take them down

[@peoplesrepublicofliberland5606]

Why is the screen blank? Greetings from China

[@nuehar]

lol good one

[@cpmarianoibz]

kek

[@scottmclaughlin2329]

If you read this comment in a slightly stereotypical/debatably racist Chinese accent and pronouns blank as ‘brank’ it gets better.

[@pepega7015]

Tiananmen square massacre did not happen

[@scottmclaughlin2329]

King Delevingne comedy is subjective.

[@cryptobunny2506]

Tank man is one of most iconic pics ever. Talk about guts...

[@terryloi6975]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Kbq3mCfsunfc0 Guts to check out the Tank up close that is. 😂

[@maomaochi9228]

@@terryloi6975 they will be in denial and call it fake lol

[@terryloi6975]

@@maomaochi9228 Somebody told me that he got kill after that, but the West Media didn't say that at all. 😂

[@maomaochi9228]

@@terryloi6975 yeah everyone in west media believed that guy got ran over. tbh i am not shocked if they dont believe it, talking about the same people who still believe that earth is flat

[@christopherstein2024]

@@maomaochi9228 People who only know the picture and never looked into it think that. This videofor example includes the pictures of him being dragged away.

[@its_dionology]

This guy would be remembered forever

[@unclejeffthechad9459]

Not in Mainland China Because they deleted him from history

[@oldheadplayhou5e]

you obviously haven't read this thread...classic!

[@terryloi6975]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Kbq3mCfsunfc0 You may want to watch this, then tell me if you want to still

[@julioquancy7317]

He calls it a 'Crackdown'. Not once does he call it what it was 'A massacre'. Just a watered down version of history. Shame.

[@MOJOJONO]

Julio Quancy maybe both. It would be interesting to get a full picture of the event in a documentary. Everything from the background of why, the week or weeks of protests, to the night of and the clean up. Plus the documented information with ambassadors and reporters. It’s so long ago that nobody even really know what happened except for what people keep saying.

[@yhzh755]

This interview with a Tiananmen protester gives more background kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5mVmH-IiqhpnsU

[@thoughtfirst4916]

"And it managed to play itself over the top of all the pictures of dead bodies in the hospitals, and all the pictures in the morgues, and all the pictures of the wounded and dying in the streets." ... "So what it's done is it's softened the imagery of the Beijing Crackdown." You are correct. He does not call it a massacre. He does however lament that this photograph in particular, although iconic, does not show the depravity of the time. Call shame all you want. He is saying the same thing you are. He spent his career abroad, in hostile countries, trying to show truth. If you are in a truly hostile country, you tend to keep your mouth shut and opinions to yourself or those your trust lest you not make it out of that country. Calling it a crackdown rather than massacre was self preservation. He trained himself, or was trained by others, to use this type of phraseology to keep himself alive. It is only natural that in a continued professional setting of describing his work, that he would fall back on said training. Here's a little thought: Quit eating your own. Use critical thinking and understand when others are in agreement instead of attacking because they are not using the strongest words possible to emphasize YOUR point.

[@julioquancy7317]

@@thoughtfirst4916 This possibility actually had come to me. He chose watered down words to keep from being cancelled. And I say cancelled not killed. If the Chinese Communists wanted him dead for taking that picture, they would had done it long ago. He is no longer in China and a true warrior would speak the whole truth not a watered down version. He could be using his position to educate and bring meaning to iconic image of a true warrior. He is a coward and I'll say it again it's a SHAME.

[@thoughtfirst4916]

Ahhh. I see now. A 'True Warrior'. I can infer a few things by your use of that phrase. First and foremost on that list is the fact that you consider yourself a (ahem, insert deep booming voice) 'true warrior'. So you have studied the works of Sun Tzu? And of course a true warrior hones the mind as well as the body, so you are quite aware of logical fallacies as well. For example, "The no true Scotsman" fallacy is rather popular at the moment. I know pointing it out is rather cliche, however, you just defined it perfectly. "If the Chinese communists wanted him dead for taking that picture, they would have done it long ago." Uh, yeah, exactly the point I made. "Long ago" he was in country. He even explained how he smuggled that particular photo out, thereby showing at bare minimum the danger of the photographic evidence being "cancelled". What the heck do you think they would have done to a "true warrior" who did not take precautions. He should have loudly, proudly shown that photo (and more importantly the ones he took of all the bodies he mentioned) to the Chinese government at the time, wagging his finger, performing a haka, daring them to do anything about it? If you truly, honestly believe in the concept of a true warrior, you should readily acknowledge on does not have to be a soldier, carry a weapon, or even be physically intimidating to be one. It is a mindset, a way of best achieving a goal, a way of life. oh, that was a good one, a way of life. Something like a good photojournalist might have. A way of life like someone who has been credited with twelve books over 31 years. Oh, hey, another point. The second half of that word: journalist. A good journalist does not burn bridges because they know if they think there may be the slightest chance of further truth to come. Getting rather long winded here, my apologies. The entire point, once again, is if you feel such a need to pick a fight with someone that agrees with you, drive a fence post in your back yard to argue with. Just as productive and much less damaging to others that just don't seem to meet up with YOUR expectations.

[@robertarisz8464]

I am 52 and this still stands out as the single most brave act I have seen in my lifetime - staring down a column of tanks with nothing but shopping bags and conviction in what you believe. When people criticize China, I hope that they remember they are reflective on the Chinese government and not the people of China herself. While the government has a lot to answer for, I have come to know the Chinese people as lovely humans who share our desire to see China as a free and prosperous society.

[@HFrevive]

i feel you are genuine rather than just brainless anti ccp so ill say something. my parents both protested in tiananmen and were there when things went down, so i know quite a lot of first hand info. There were no aftermath to my parents, they are perfectly fine, made tons of money and sent me to US for higher education. None of the people they know were hurt, most dead are from stepping over each other. Are there people being shot, yes, but i'd say very few. According to my parents, the soldiers were firing to the sky to scare off students. one of my uncles went to grab lots of empty shells as souvenir, nothing happened to him. Also, there was no end goal of the protest, it was anti corruption at first, but it turned to be overthrowing the CCP in later stage, which in any country would result a crackdown. like how it was an "attack" on capitol hill January 6th, not a peaceful protest, even though they didn't kill any police. I by no means think ccp is a great option, but it is the best we got, it made tons of mistakes, but it may not be as oppressive and evil as media portraits and currently the people are content with it.

[@maomaochi9228]

@@HFrevive yeah i saw the vid where soldiers are shooting from the skies idk what happened after but soldiers got burnt and died too kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHWwiYlnqNKqiJI

[@HighValueMaxedOutGigaSigmaMale]

@@HFrevive You’re wrong about the Capitol Hill protesters not killing any Police. There were 6 officers who lost their lives that day at the hands of the mob. Some were even beat to death. You can even find videos and images of the Trump protesters beating Capitol Police with the blue lives matter blue stripe police flag….

[@ghostgetti4310]

1. Your parents were unlikely to be identified as "leaders", and probably not identified at all, so how would anyone even know? You think hundreds of thousands of people were arrested and then put on these blacklists to be monitored for decades? I think not. Easier to just shoot them and scare them off, arrest a bunch. Considering how quickly martial law ended, I would say that is what happened. 2. Do you think people just step over each other and kill each other over nothing? You even said they were firing into the sky to scare people, who do you think is more responsible for their deaths? I bet you would say themselves given your stance. It seems like you're down-playing the tragedies of these events because your own family didn't receive any casualties. Perhaps the bodies of those who were shot, were shot in self defense by the soldiers? You can really only speculate without camera footage or evidence, but I know for certain that declaring martial law is a whole different level of irresponsibility... and against civilians who are students or working class people. 3. There may not have been an end goal to the protest, but it's clear they were unhappy with their government and wanted change, change that they felt obviously felt would be impossible unless they took to more extreme measures: this protest. 4. Lastly, this is the most obvious point that baffles me you fail to see: what about the people who are not content with the CCP and are tired of being silenced due to corruption or skewed rules? TIANANMEN SQUARE. Why is there no reputable source of how many died in this protest besides the CCP themselves? Are we just supposed to trust the ones who killed to tell how many they killed? Idiotic.

[@HighValueMaxedOutGigaSigmaMale]

@@HFrevive Learn what your talking about before you run your mouth🤡

[@lukaszmalitowski3726]

One of the most significant photographs in contemporary history. The ordinary bloke who showed unbelievable courage and will remain both unknown and legendary.

[@RayMak]

He was holding his groceries

[@poolbath8281]

Ray Mak ikr so badass. He was probably just on his way home

[@tomlynch3602]

nah he was holding up his massive balls of steel

[@blackworld0462]

I sawed u before hmm

[@txm100]

You don't know this.

[@poolbath8281]

tm ^ There's always that one person

[@pauly260]

The most inspirational photo of all time.

[@HeadlessChickenTO]

As I understand, the slow response by the military was due to the first regimen who refused the order to shoot. So a second wave was ordered to march in to replace the first. The same people who were part of this massacre are still in power today and I find it fitting this was released a few weeks after EA was forced to edit out images from Tiananmen Square off the Call of Duty trailer.

[@Y_Spiky_T]

huh i didn't know EA published call of duty

[@SOFTWAREMASTER]

@@Y_Spiky_T EA owns Activision soo yes

[@Y_Spiky_T]

@@SOFTWAREMASTER wut

[@a6ftcowboy36]

China forces all corporations to erase the image of this man getting run over by the Tank. That's the REAL STORY of Tank Man .

[@user-gz1sd6cf8v]

Are you searching for "The Division"?

[@cat._.4226]

My mom told me about this story a few months ago,and my mom was still 14 at that time,she told me that on 1989 June 5,people(most were teenagers) were shot and it was horrifying,and she never told anyone about this story until I turned 13,and she told me about this.

[@user-rt8fb1bl9r]

you mean your mom from china?

[@anyagetman8596]

My coworker's nephew was there and she was in tears. It was just horrible for us at that moment. No one knew who died. It was hard to know anyone's fate for weeks as they hid ftom police and many had to be smuggled out of China.

[@spudly98]

I remember seeing this picture as a kid and thinking "wow, that man must really have something to share if he wants to stand in front of a tank!" Sad after 30 years they're still dealing with an oppressive government

[@user-ie7tx3vv8i]

Chinese have been ruled like livestocks for 2000 years and it shaped our culture in a bad way. We are the most obedience people. That’s why this guy is rare.

[@AndiDuck]

“Freedom lies in being bold.”- Robert Frost

[@oldheadplayhou5e]

or death...so freedom of a sort.

[@ok-ys9vj]

This man is a Legend. I was looking for this story ❤️

[@ok-ys9vj]

@@walterscott7052 I was thinking about this photograph but never knew the back story. Now I know 🙏🏻 I hope he made it out alive ❤️

[@ok-ys9vj]

@@walterscott7052 😂

[@tchang5577]

Don't know why 2nd half of this clip is always cut away, full clip: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Kbq3mCfsunfc0

[@tioalgar]

What are you talking about? Absolutely nothing happened in Tiananmen Square

[@Yuan-lo3zz]

Oh god you’re dumb

[@mk4nice918]

@@Yuan-lo3zz r/wooosh

[@bandito7253]

@@Yuan-lo3zz are you dumb lol

[@dingzhang112]

This guy work for ccp

[@LocalNativee]

He’s trolling you guys

[@nakibsayyed4999]

I've been seeing this photograph for a very long time and was really curious about the story behind it, thank you Vice for sharing it with us we hope you find more of such pieces of history that are left undescribed. This photograph is legendary.

[@SW-yt5zz]

it took me 29 years to know about the events that occurred Tiananmen square. I saw posts on reddit earlier this Summer about it, and I can't stop feeling anxiety about it. Godspeed democracy

[@ivyyoung521]

I've got to be kidding me!

[@Geoff900]

@@ivyyoung521 it's censored in China to the point where most don't know about it. Even if people know, it's twisted by the ccp the make the protesters look like the bad people. An interesting thing, The PLA (People's Liberation Army), had to be called from other towms and towns, and the Army within the City of Beijing declined to prevent the protesters.

[@aquariusthompson8212]

@@ivyyoung521 😂😂😂 yeah ppl often do kid themselves. It's ok it happens, at least he's not kidding you 😁

[@justin-pd7iu]

Leroy Jones you ever been to china?

[@merseer70]

Leroy Jones maybe you should visit China before you say things like that because China is nothing like what you’re saying

[@Jimmyknapp2]

Good job Vice. That's the style I remember. I didn't expect him to say that the picture functions as painting the party as restrained instead of ruthless.

[@joelc.1591]

Every high school history class has this photograph hanging

[@J-man1017]

What school u go to lol we for sure didn't have this in any schools I went to especially hanging in classrooms

[@ThomasinaJefferson-ke7xs]

Joel C. They sure af don’t, but should.

[@ok-ys9vj]

not in my school but they should

[@pepega7015]

Even my school has picture of tank man we even learn about tiamen square massacre

[@thehomie6059]

Back when journalists gave us pictures of those who really defy tyranny

[@Yareyouso]

Guys he was [REDACTED]

[@T0asty-]

So you're saying he's perfectly fine, nothing to see here, move along?

[@wehrmeister]

No doubt he was thrown down the memory hole, ala "1984".

[@illdrumatik391]

Ran over by a tank

[@ice9594]

ill Drumatik yes he was run over by tank I saw it.

[@crysis_pyscho9386]

[ This comment was removed by the Chinese government ]

[@liamdouglas93]

Stuart Franklin talks about this photo with regret saying it was used to water down what happened. I remember seeing this photo as a teenager and reading about the massacre when I was trying to find out what was behind it, so if it wasn't for his photo I wouldn't have learned about it. I feel like I wish I could tell him about this point as it may help alleviate that regret.

[@carissab397]

This picture has made so many people aware.

[@carissab397]

It wouldn’t have softened it if people have received proper education

[@FingeringThings]

Here before the CCP takes this down

[@MasterofPlay7]

the ccp does whatever it wants, and it will apologize to absolutely nobody xD

[@thephilosophicalone6737]

MasterofPlay7 you sound like a Chinese troll

[@liop39]

@@MasterofPlay7 yea cause they're cry babies

[@Yuan-lo3zz]

The Philosophical One more like facts that you just don’t want to admit

[@MasterofPlay7]

@@thephilosophicalone6737 that's the quote from the irish king conor mcgregor xD

[@barbaraives5751]

He deserves a medal. What an inspiration he is to ALL of us.

[@estherwilliams7005]

Tank Man is a legend. What an amazing photo.The first time I saw this photo I was blown away by this guy's balls. I couldn't believe it was real.

[@othatguy1433]

Born in 89 Always curious about this photo but never went digging myself thank you Vice that was awesome

[@MiniM69]

He likely died within hours of begin exscorted off the scene. A true legend.

[@dirkdiggler1242]

He was crushed underneath the tank!

[@dirkdiggler1242]

Him and his groceries

[@abrahamh6106]

@@dirkdiggler1242 no he wasn't. He was escorted off.

[@Zacknafin]

They don’t kill people.... this MoFo was erased from Chinese history. That guy had balls of steel.....

[@illdrumatik391]

He was ran over

[@luplewis9837]

One of the most iconic photos ever taken.it provokes so much emotion.

[@condorX2]

Found a nice article by a Chinese student. It's worth the read to give an overview of tiananmen square protest as it happens. I'll try highlight the area where western medias intentionally left out. And I quote "The turning point here was Gorbachev's visit to China, a landmark visit that the CPC wanted to hold in Tiananmen Square, while student leaders saw it as a good opportunity to put pressure on the CPC (as hindsight proved, there was foreign interference here). The moderate Zhao Ziyang and the hardliner Li Peng together held several heated negotiations with the student leaders, and here the students proposed that the CPC voluntarily give up its ruling position and start elections immediately or go on a hunger strike in protest, a condition that the CPC, which obviously holds the state apparatus, could not possibly agree to. Gorbachev' s welcoming ceremony at the airport ended and had an awkward meeting with senior communist party officials during the protests. As the protests escalated, Deng Xiaoping sensed danger, and he and several CPC patriarchs pressured and forced Zhao Ziyang to resign on the grounds that they could not handle the demonstrations, while Deng instructed Li Peng to use the army to disperse the crowds. Since Beijing had been unable to function properly for a long time, the army's entry into the city was welcomed by many people, who even brought flowers and food to the army and hoped that the army's entry would quickly restore order. The army's strategy was simple: form a perimeter, allowing only exit and no entry, and force the students to leave by restricting the means of subsistence. This is obviously also a reasonable strategy that can be easily thought of (I checked with veterans who had been involved in this operation, and they were not initially authorized to fire). At this point, just when you think the incident is about to be resolved peacefully, the foreign intelligence agencies upset the balance again by first planning a small number of masses attacks on the PLA and looting weapons, and when the masses were killed, then they encouraged the enraged students to confront the soldiers in a more militant way (a similar tactic was used in the recent Hong Kong democracy movement). The students then created a large number of Molotov cocktails (yes, Molotov cocktails, just like in the Hong Kong democracy movement) they attacked the PLA lines with these Molotov cocktails, the army had to retreat because they were not authorized to shoot, the formation fell into chaos, some soldiers who were left alone were surrounded by the students and beaten and robbed of their weapons, even a few soldiers were killed or burned, their bodies were hung and insulted by the students (photos may make people uncomfortable, I will not put, you can find online), some military trucks were burned... Mind you, these soldiers were about the same age as the students in the square, all just coming of age, and even though they were not authorized to do so, there were still soldiers shooting because they saw their comrades being abused, students were killed, students who grabbed weapons returned fire, and by this point, the situation was irreversible. Since some of the students had weapons at this time, even machine guns removed from military vehicles, an infantry standoff was no longer safe, so tanks began to move in, with the strategy being to break up the central crowd by marching the tanks, after which the infantry would divide and surround the small group and force the disarming. Some casualties were incurred at this point, mostly due to crowd stampede and a few due to firefight. Because journalists were dislodged at this point (in fact, a large part of the reason was the inability to guarantee their safety), there is very little video footage, but based on the recollections of those who lived through it, this is basically what happened, and it is an easily understood tactic. The situation was later described by the Western media as "a massacre of students by tanks and machine guns". Of course, we have no way of confirming the exact number of casualties, but we are inclined to believe that the number of casualties would have been much lower than Western media speculation, since the CPC's goal was never to kill students but to force them to leave. The clearest evidence of this is that several people who were student leaders were not killed, and if killing was the goal, they would have been the first to be dealt with by snipers as the most visible targets. And tanks are clearly not used here as offensive weapons but to use armor to defend against student attacks to reduce needless casualties because: If killing is the premise, the infantry on the scene is perfectly adequate, after all, they are regular troops and the students are completely defenseless. If you know enough about the power of tanks, Facing the enemy equipped with light weapons, the tanks are invincible, there is absolutely no need for as many as in the video material, and it is only to drive the crowd away that a large number of tanks are needed to divide the scene. Afterwards, as the crowd dispersed, the tanks began to withdraw, and it was clear that the “Tank Man” footage took place at this point. Since the main intersection was blocked, no one knew what was happening in the square, but people heard gunshots and people running out claimed that students in the square were being massacred. This "Tank Man" is supposedly an angry student or crowd member who expresses his protest against the tanks in his own way, which happened to be captured by Western journalists who were waiting around the square after the eviction and later became a symbol of Communist atrocities, however, if you have seen the full video, you will know that when he walks towards the tanks, the tank stoped and tried to get around him, he climbs onto the tank and tries to pull the tank soldier out, but him unable to open the hatch, after which he is pulled away by the passersby who then come and no one is killed. And the impression in the West that he was brutally run over by the tank... That's the power of editing. -Zayne Chu Tiananmen 1989 Student Leader: "We are hoping for bloodshed" | Western MSM will never show this kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJOooZmFhbWUr5o Busting the Myths Surrounding 1989 Tiananmen Square kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpSmYYR5rK6Mr7M 🐨

[@fromabove422]

Thanks

[@ZacTBH]

this image made me tear up, a single photo really does capture the essence of the human spirit to stand up for what's right. This photo needs to never disappear from history.

[@prescottmajette5290]

This is exactly the kind of content Americans need to be looking at right now.

[@user-op1tq9ur3t]

Let this be the motivation to all too stand up and fight for what is RIGHT no matter what!✌🌎

[@UncleAnaesthesia]

We may never know his name but he will live in the annals of history, for all civilians everywhere.

[@spencergwin9454]

Was 12 in '89. This event and the Berlin Wall toppling were kinda the first international events I can recall watching on TV. "Tank Man" more vividly.

[@wishpunk9188]

It also seems remarkable that the driver stopped. I imagine that soldier was disciplined later or suffered for his choice. If more soldiers were praised for refusing corrupt orders or whistleblowing then maybe the world would be a better place.

[@johnrohr6400]

I believe the driver was executed later the same day

[@coinlast8918]

The story was this guy get ran over right after, this is the first time I seem the whole set of pictures, thank VICE.

[@KevinPetrusNL]

Is that somewhere documented or stated? Horrible if true...

[@Hyden21]

@@KevinPetrusNL no. They didn't run over him.

[@scottmclaughlin2329]

There must be people who are subs of this channel that wait for a video to pop up just so they leave a dislike 😂 what a sad existence that is.

[@KatieRaeRae]

Seriously. How you could give a thumbs down to a video about this guy?

[@super-kami-guru]

All dislikes on this video are ccp

[@TommyLikeTom]

Thank you for these genius insights, now to use the lessons in aesthetics and storytelling to capture the protests that are happening right now

[@archdukefranzferdinand4429]

Photojournalism is so important. Some of these people put themselves right in the thick of it simply to get an image of the undeniable truth. It’s not like a written article or a video. It embodies the phrase “a pictures tells a thousand words”. No biased, no feelings or thoughts on the matter , no values or morals discussed. All you get is what you see in the context of the image , simply just the truth in an unwritten form, the truth in that what you see is what you get and everything else becomes semantics.

[@AFROPOLYMATH]

He didn't do it to be famous years later. It's funny how people want to know who he was like he cared about it. It's what he stood for that matters. What do you stand for? Can you do the same?

[@DanDanG1224]

People on China will come to this link and get redirected to winnie the poohs reeducation camp

[@terryloi6975]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Kbq3mCfsunfc0

[@DanDanG1224]

@@terryloi6975 you should type this as just a reply on the video instead of a reply to me. This is a good link

[@terryloi6975]

@@DanDanG1224 I did three month ago. They've deleted, so I repost it again

[@DanDanG1224]

@@terryloi6975 Ohh, ok

[@paod7515]

This is why we must always stand up for freedom!! no matter the cost. "moral courage"

[@ScaleModelIncLIVE]

I remember watching the entire thing as it happened, and this image still stands out as one of the most iconic images in history. I cant help but feel he was taken by the government and given a third eye for his courage.

[@2jsanc681]

Americans be like. Omg we are so oppressed by masks!

[@lyndsay369]

LMFAOOOO SWEAR

[@cameronkirkland2685]

Facts I hate Americans and I’m American

[@cameronkirkland2685]

@Joshua Payne well yea but I also hate other Americans, and ppl in general I dont discriminate, I equally hate everyone that isnt my family or friends

[@teresaburton4145]

Catastrophic oppression can begin so gradually as to seem benign. Masks were needed for a while, so I get your point, but we still must be alert and pay attention.

[@wog6523]

America bad

[@KN-gr7fc]

Why do I recall a different moment happening? I remember seeing the tank run over him?

[@wog6523]

The tanks swerved and avoided him though?

[@Stefanhaukur1998]

Mandela effect ?

[@ArtistryofDebauchery]

Students were reportedly crushed by tanks during the massacre on the previous day---those events have often been conflated with the tank man, who clearly survives his encounter.

[@funkworthrollin4959]

I remember this pic as a kid. It was always awesome.

[@officialtruemedia]

We don't even know if he is alive anymore. Respect for this man.

[@qk611]

I wish he had a chance to interview that guy about what he talked about with the driver in the tank cause I sure got nothing about what exactly happened that day from him in this video,

[@unclejeffthechad9459]

He probabIy died in a Chinese prison camp...

[@TheDreadedJuggernaut]

Went back to normal life or out of the country. I don't know why people assumed he was tortured or killed considering he wasn't a terrorist and had nothing to offer. Honestly if I were him, I would've never come out publicly. That would've been putting a target only head. He made his point.

[@prescottmajette5290]

@@TheDreadedJuggernaut Are you serious right now? I'd bet both my testicles he neither left the country nor returned to a normal life.

[@prescottmajette5290]

@@TheDreadedJuggernaut Do you have any idea what happened like right after this? www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tiananmen-square-massacre-takes-place

[@TheDreadedJuggernaut]

@@prescottmajette5290 Why? Because he stood in front of a tank for a few minutes? I don't think you understand what motivates people to torture and kill enemies. He wasn't a terrorist with intel. He wasn't violent so killing him would prove no point. Relatives would've started talking if he did disappear after making a public appearance like this. People are just stupid. There's a rhyme and reason for everything and not a single person has given me a motive besides "they were bad guys." We use illegal chemical warfare on our own citizens but that doesn't mean we execute every person who holds a protest. The cons of ruining this mans life at the time just outweigh the pros.

[@MacJokerDZ]

Long as the army of the whole nation is controlled by one group or party, situation won't change, no matter where it happens. 1980s used to be the most "open" times in modern China, but from that point on... 牢记六四

[@classicjay1880]

I remember being 6 years old and Seeing this in my history book crazy we didn’t learn about it but I liked looking on the subjects that we skipped

[@Nyxeme]

Classic Vice! Love it!!

[@PalCan]

Do one on the Palestinian kids with rocks vs tanks

[@blackworld0462]

Agree

[@PutinsMommyNeverHuggedHim]

_“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”_ *Nathan Hale*

[@gerrieherwijnen1088]

Seen that picture 1000 Times, and everytime i think what a bad ass Guy in front of the tank!!

[@GabyTeeMUA]

Long live tank man and his courageous soul. We will never forget that image.

[@rg-rz3kv]

3:00 framing is not just about aesthetics, it is about story telling

[@JS-oi5jt]

Why wasn't this posted back in June before the anniversary that China tried stopping the memorial of....

[@terryloi6975]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Kbq3mCfsunfc0

[@superjeffstanton]

In reality Tankman was flattened live on television. Millions of people remember it.

[@petergilkes7082]

Great! About time we got some really up to date news on KZbin!

[@emergencyexit3967]

I hope he made it out.

[@aus-li]

Most likely not.

[@emergencyexit3967]

VoidX that is why we must keep the picture alive.

[@aus-li]

Emergency Exit And keep communism/Marxism dead 🤙🏻

[@frostyhamster3116]

He got released after that.

[@aus-li]

FrostyHamster Lies. Where’s your evidence? Many students died during that time, and he was definitely captured by the government.

[@did_you_hear_that]

Sadly but this man of course been killed

[@xggnx625]

this is not what I wanted to look for when I searched tank man, I was talking about the new grounds guy

[@jadenpillows7616]

There’s another photo of people running away with bicycles lined up on the sidewalk you can see the road to the left and you can see the man before the iconic photo was taken that photo in particular the one I just described shocked me more because you never really think of the other angles of iconic moments in life such as this

[@Tenchinu]

Quick!! Upvote before the youtube ‘algorithm’ censors this.

[@franciscoarce2445]

“Tank Boy” Mandela Effect If You know you know!!

[@codyscottrose4739]

This guy definitely got ran over according to many.

[@ItsMeNanaD71]

I watched it live. This story is not what I remember nor many I ask what they remember. Definate ME

[@ErnieLA-]

I had an old faces of death video on VHS , it showed this guy getting ran over (tank plows right through him) along with other gore.The video had heavy metal playing in the background while showing different reality gore scenes on repeat and this was one of them.

[@lancetti4843]

@@ErnieLA- Bullshit dude. It didn't happen. I had all the faces of death videos. Didn't HAPPEN!

[@ErnieLA-]

@@lancetti4843 No Bro it was a knockoff type video Like Faces of death, it had Heavy metal music in background, kind of a trippy Vid, that was the only way I could describe It. The tank stopped then ran over him, creating instant pool of blood. The truth would cause chaos and division anyway, Grudges are a Mother ***** 😆

[@raw238]

That photographer is also a good man and legend too...imo

[@louisianapatriot5818]

I remember this vividly.

[@getgaijoobed6219]

Weird thing is that many of the students who were there that day now say they were too young and naive and have since changed to pro ccp somehow....idk that’s why I hate politics, you never find out the truth about anything. Gotta give props to that guy tho, must have had balls of steel knowing that he could’ve been run over any second. Wish we could find out his identity! All the best and stay safe :)🇨🇦🇨🇳🇹🇼🇭🇰

[@sharjeelahmed3857]

China has some serious human rights issues

[@locksmith3208]

It has always been an open secret.

[@pepega7015]

Almost same level as north korea

[@HBC423]

THICC or America

[@kookistar]

Nobody can find the tank man thereafter.

[@goldfeesh3611]

The fact that the tank cant turn faster than he can move is really funny

[@markbruno4700]

Hmmm 🤔 erasing and or changing history... sounds familiar, almost like something going on today... 🤔🧐🤔

[@pepega7015]

*(Anything bad happens in China)* China : Did the past really happen?

[@lancetti4843]

Do US schools teach the genocide of Native Americans?

[@kevinchen5703]

USA laws. one for whites and one for colors. Which law you in?

[@chriscoleman929]

Thank you, dude. Seriously, thank you

[@piperalpha5514]

I doubt very much at 3:39 that the protester was talking to the driver. At a guess I would say he was talking (or trying to talk) to the tank commander.

[@Boomer-jb2eb]

Finally real news

[@ShawntiaKnott]

Some people swear on everything they seen the tanks run this man over and never stopped.

[@katholeenloveit8923]

Mandela effect maybe?

[@overcraft1441]

The dude took a fat bullet off camera. Truly a lone wolf warrior.

[@veikkol178]

I have seen many photos similar to it, and I am disappointed that people have not learned any lessons from these precious documents.

[@blackness010]

China: lol wut, never happened

[@terryloi6975]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Kbq3mCfsunfc0 Pretty much

[@devashishgusain4886]

For Chinese peoples this incident never happened.

[@wilsonvoon2683]

Mainland Chinese people*

[@dustinrebbeck7735]

This image is more powerful than dead body's people don't respond well to being confronted directly with their own mortality and so this image is better in the way it brings out emotion and a sence of soladarity with that man and what he stands for rather than seeing a bunch of dead body's and not wanting to look because it scares you in some primal way

[@becomingdazhuniquefrance2615]

Yo! I’ve always loved the Tank Man photo since a kid!

[@Black-tf1ot]

The sad part is these type of incidents happens every day and Chinese govt. Suppress them 😔

[@dannifierli6363]

Not ture.

[@Marc-.]

You mean the US?

[@h4tsuh4ru]

neat.

[@poolbath8281]

Legendary. Even iconic

[@tinman9341]

WHAT?!?!? There was a time when journalists did their job without any political agendas?!?!?!?