People's Liberation Army at the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre

Martial Law in Beijing
Part of Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989
File:Tank Man Long Shot by Stuart Franklin.jpg A lone protester blocks a column of PLA tanks east of Tiananmen Square on Chang'an Avenue on June 5, 1989.
Date May 21 - June 9, 1989 Location Beijing, China Result End of student-led demonstrations. Territorial changes PLA retake Tiananmen Square and the streets of Beijing.
Belligerents
China	China
Commanders and leaders
Deng Xiaoping Yang Shangkun Chi Haotian Liu Huaqing Xu Qinxian	university students and Beijing residents
Strength
180,000-250,000 men
Casualties and losses
15 killed (7 KIA) 6,000 wounded 1,000 military vehicles 60+ armored personnel vehicles 30+ police cars 120 other vehicles	202 - thousands killed thousands wounded

During the 1989 student demonstrations in Beijing, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) played a decisive role in enforcing martial law, suppressing the demonstrations by force and upholding the authority of the Chinese Communist Party. The scale of military's mobilization and degree of bloodshed inflicted against civilians were unprecedented both in the history of the People's Republic and the history of Beijing, a city with a tradition of popular protests against ruling authorities dating back to the May Fourth Movement of 1919. The topic of the Tianamen protests in general and the military's role in the crackdown remain forbidden from public discussion in China. The killings in Beijing continue to taint the legacies of the party elders, led by Deng Xiaoping, and weighs on the generation of leaders whose careers advanced because their more moderate colleagues were purged or sidelined at the time. Within China, the role of the military in 1989 remains a subject of private discussion within the ranks of the party leadership and PLA. Only outside of China is the subject part of the public discourse.

Declaration of Martial Law

With the Sino-Soviet Summit approaching and with the help of the local worker's unions, the Beijing protesters reached one million supporters by 18 May 1989. The protests caused deep divisions within the senior party leadership as well as the ranks of the PLA. On 17 May 1989, over 1,000 men from the People's Liberation Army's General Logistics Department showed their support for the movement by appearing on Chang'an Avenue and marching toward Tiananmen Square, all the while receiving enthusiastic applause from onlookers.

The senior communist party leadership coalesced around a hardline position set forth by paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and supported by Li Peng and Yang Shangkun to end the protests swifly without giving into the students' shifting demands. They decided to mobilize the People's Liberation Army. The decision to impose martial law was initially resisted by Defense Minister Qin Jiwei. On May 17, Qin, also a politburo member, attended a meeting at the home of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, and was directed to impose martial law on the demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. Qin declined to do so immediately, citing the need to receive party approval. Deng was the chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, but Zhao Ziyang, as general party secretary, was nominally head of the party. After the meeting, Qin called Zhao's office, hoping that Zhao would call off the martial law order. He waited four hours until early morning on May 18, for Zhao's reply, which never came. Zhao had lost in a power struggle and was purged from the leadership. Qin later publicly supported the military crackdown but his authority dinimished thereafter.

Martial law was declared on 20 May 1989. On the same day, eight retired generals, Wang Ping, Ye Fei, Zhang Aiping, Xiao Ke, Yang Dezhi, Chen Zaidao, Song Shilun and Li Jukui signed a one-sentence letter to Deng Xiaoping and the Central Military Commission, "request[ing] that troops not enter the city and that martial law not be carried out in Beijing." In response, Deng and Yang dispatched military aides to dissuade the signatories from voicing opposition to the crackdown.

Mobilization

On May 19, the Central Military Commission began mobilizing PLA units in anticipation of the announcement of martial law order. In addition to the Beijing and Tianjin Garrisons, at least 30 divisions were sent to Beijing from five of the country's seven military regions. At least 14 of PLA's 24 army corps sent troops. Reliable estimates place the number of troops mobilized in the range of 180,000 to 250,000. The scale of the mobilization exceeded that of China's border wars with Vietnam, India and the Soviet Union.

The extraordinary scale of the mobilization may have been motivated by concerns of insubordination. Xu Qinxian, the commander of the 38th Army, the best-equipped army corps of the Beijing Military Region, refused to enforce the martial law order. This may have prompted the airlift of the 12th Army, the only army corps mobilized from the Nanjing Military Region. Deng Xiaoping personally led the 12th Army during the Chinese Civil War.

PLA soldiers underwent re-education training prior to June 1989, in order to instill and reinforce the belief that a turmoil in the capital needed to suppressed. On top of being thrown into a situation that the soldiers did not fully understand, the military units from other regions spoke a different northern dialect than the Beijing citizens, adding to the confusion. This language barrier would limit curious soldiers in finding information on the student movement other than what they have been told by their chain of command.

===Units mobilized===

Beijing Military Region

• Beijing Garrison: 1st and 3rd Safeguard Divisions.

• Tianjin Garrison (Headquartered in Ji County, Tianjin): 1st Armored Division. Motorized transport from Ji County.

• 14th Artillery Division (Headquartered in Huailai, Hebei): Five artillery battalions. Rail transport from Shacheng, Hebei.

• 24th Army (headquartered in Chengde, Hebei): 70th Infantry Division, 72nd Infantry Division, 7th Reserved Brigade. Motorized transport from Luanping and Luan County.

• 27th Army (headquartered in Shijiazhuang, Hebei): 79th and 80th Infantry Divisions, Artillery Brigade. Motorized transport from Xingtai, Huolu and Handan.

• 28th Army (headquartered in Taiyuan, Shanxi): 82nd and 83rd Infantry Divisions, Motorized transport from Hongdong, and Jining, Inner Mongolia.

• 38th Army (headquartered in Baoding, Hebei): 112th and 113rd Infantry Divisions, 6th Armored Division, Artillery Brigade, Engineering Battalion, Communications Battalion. Motorized transport from Baoding, Mancheng, and Xincheng County, Hebei.

• 63rd Army (headquartered in Taiyuan, Shanxi): 187th and 188th Infantry Divisions. Motorized transport from Yuci and Yizhou.

• 65th Army (headquartered in Zhangjiakou, Hebei): 193rd and 194th Infantry Divisions, 3rd Reserved Division. Motorized transport from Xuanhua.

Jinan Military Region

• 20th Army (headquartered in Kaifeng, Henan): 58th and 128th Infantry Dvisions. Motorized transport from Xuchang and Dengfeng.

• 26th Army (headquartered in Laiyang, Shandong): 138th Infantry Division. Airlifted from Jiao County

• 54th Army (headquartered in Xinxiang, Henan): 127th and 162 Infantry Divisions. Motorized transport from Luoyang and Anyang.

• 67th Army (headquartered in Zibo, Shandong): 199th Infantry Division. Motorized transport from Zouping.

Shenyang Military Region

• 39th Army (headquartered in Yingkou, Liaoning): 115th and 116th Infantry Divisions, Communications Battalion. Rail and motorized transport from Gai County and Xincheng County.

• 40th Army (headquartered in Jinzhou, Liaoning): 118th Infantry Division, Artillery Brigade. Motorized transport from Yi County, Liaoning and Jinzhou.

• 64th Army (headquartered in Dalian, Liaoning): 190th Infantry Division. Motorized transport from Dalian.

Nanjing Military Region

• 12th Army （headquartered in Xuzhou, Jiangsu)： 34th, 36th and 110th Infantry Divisions， Artillery Brigade, Anti-Aircraft Battalion. Airlifted from Xuzhou and Nanjing.

Guangzhou Military Region

• 15th Airborne Corps (headquartered in Xiaogan, Hubei): 43rd and 44th Paratrooper Brigades. Airlifted from Kaifeng and Guangshui.

Attempt to enforce martial law on May 20-23

On May 20, the 38th Army entered Beijing to maintain order. However, due to the number of protesters blocking the entrance into the city, the soldiers were held in a standstill surrounded by protesters. During this ordeal, troops and protesters sang traditional Maoist songs together. Many students had also served in the unit before attending university and some students trained with the 38th in the summers as members of the army reserve. After four days, the PLA troops withdrew from Beijing on 24 May 1989.

The failed attempt to control the growing protesters in Beijing forced the party leaders to call in additional PLA units from other military regions.

Enforcement of martial law on June 3-4

On June 2, Deng Xiaoping and several party elders including Li Xiannian, Peng Zhen, Yang Shangkun, Bo Yibo and Wang Zhen, met with the three remaining politburo standing committee members, Li Peng, Qiao Shi and Yao Yilin. They agreed to clear the Square so "the riot can be halted and order be restored to the Capital." At 4:30pm on June 3, the three politburo members met with Central Military Commission members Qin Jiwei, [[Hong Xuezhi], Liu Huaqing, Chi Haotian, Yang Baibing, Zhao Nanqi, Beijing Party Secretary Li Ximing, mayor Chen Xitong, State Council secretariat Luo Gan, Beijing Military Region commander Zhou Yibing and political commissar Liu Zhenhua to discuss the final steps for enforcing martial law:

1. The operation to quell the counterrevolutionary riot would begin at 9:00 pm
2. Military units should converge on the Square by 1:00 am on June 4 and the Square must be cleared by 6:00 am.
3. No delays will be tolerated.
4. No person may impede the advance of the troops enforcing martial law. The troops may act in self-defense and use any manner to clear impediments.
5. State media will broadcast warnings to citizens.

That evening, the leaders monitored the progres of the troops from headquarters in the Great Hall of the People and Zhongnanhai. Security at Zhongnahai compound was reinforced by troops from the 1st and 3rd Safeguard Divisions of the Beijing Garrison, units of the 65th Army. Later, the 27th Army also sent units.

Troop movements

Predeployed troops

On June 2, the 27th and 65th Armies moved by underground tunnel into the Great Hall of the People on the west side of the Square and the 24th Army assembed in the Ministry of Public Security compound east of the Square.

From the West

On June 3, at 8:00pm, the 38th Army, led by interim commander Zhang Meiyuan, began to advance from military office compounds in Shijingshan and Fentai District in western Beijing along the western extension of Chang'an Avenue toward the Square to the East. This army, with 15,099 soldiers included tank and artillery units, encountered civilian protesters along Chang'an Avenue at Wukesong, Gongzhufen, Muxidi, Fuxingmen, Xidan, Liubukou and the Square itself. At about 10:00 pm, soldiers of the 38th opened fire on protesters at Muxidi, and inflicted the first fatalities of the operation. According to Wu Renhua's study, the 38th Army killed more civilian demonstrators than any other unit, despite its reputation at the time of being friendly to city residents.

At 10:30pm, the 63rd Army advanced from the western suburbs, following the path cleared by the 38th Army, and reached the Great Hall of the People on the east side of the Square. The 28th Army, which left Yanqing County in the far northwest on June 3, tried to follow this path along western Chang'an Avenue but its progress stalled at Muxidi early on the morning of June 4.

From the South

The 15th Airborne Corps and 26th Army left the Beijing Nanyuan Airport in the southern suburbs at 5:00pm and advanced north along Nanyuan Road to Muxiyuan, Yongdingmen, Zhushikou, Qianmen toward the south edge of Tiananmen Square. Paratroopers of the 15th Airborne Corps also used lethal fire along the way and, according to Wu Renhua, is probably responsible for the second most civilian casualties, after the 38th Army.

The 54th Army left Fengtai District in the southwest suburbs at 9:50 pm. The 127th Division moved northeast through Liuliqiao, Guanganmen, Caishikou, Hufangqiao, Hepingmen, to the southern edge of Tiananmen Square. The 162nd Division moved west to Muxiyuan and then north to Majiapu, Taiping Street, Tianqiao and then Tiananmen Square.

The 20th Army under future defense minister Liang Guanglie, advanced north from Daxing County, and proceeded to the south of Tiananmen Square through Dahongmen, Yongdingmen and Zhengyangmen.

The 12th Army was airlifted to the Nanyuan Airport on June 4 and was not deployed on the city.

From the East

At 8:00pm, the 39th Army left the Sanjianfang Military Airport in Tong County and advanced eastward toward the Square through Chaoyang and Dongcheng Districts. The 67th Army also left Tong County and moved from Dingfuzhuang, Dabeiyao, Hujialou, Jianguomen, East Chang'an Avenue to Tiananmen Square.

From the North

The 40th Army departed the Beijing Capital Airport at 3:35 pm and advanced on the city from the northeast via the Airport Highway, Taiyanggong, Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen.

The 64th Army left its assembly point at the Shahe Military Airport in Changping County north of the city and moved south along Madian, Qinghe, Xueyuan Road, Hepingli, to Deshengmen.

Convergence on the Square

At about 1:30 am, the 38th Army and the 15th Airborne Corps arrived at the north and south ends of the Square respectively. The 27th and 65th Armies spilled out of the Great Hall of the People on the west side of the Square. The 63rd Army held the east side of the Square. The 24th, 39th, 54th Armies and the 14th Artillery Division controlled the perimeter of the Square, and by 2 am, the encirclement was complete. The troops knocked down barriers and the Goddess of Democracy statue and then waited as students within the Square debated whether to withdrawal. At the time, several thousand students remained huddled around the Monument to the People's Heroes.

At 4:00 am, the lights on the Square abruptly shut, signalling the end of the armies' patience. At 4:30 am, the lights relit as the soliders moved into action. Under the leadership of brigadier commander Wu Yunping of the 44th Airborne Brigade, troops advanced on the Monument and at about 4:40 am, shot out the students' loud speakers. By then, the majority of the students had been persuaded by Liu Xiaobo, Hou Dejian to leave the Square. The students left the Square to the southeast. Some were beaten by soldiers along the way. Army vehicles then ran over the tent city. By 5:30 am the Square was cleared. Debris was lifted out by helicopter.

At least three students were killed by lethal gunfire in and around the Square.

After the Square was cleared on June 4, clashes between residents and soldiers continued for several more days. The military, especially the intelligence units, undertook to make massive arrests of "violent thugs." Some units engaged in torture.

Insubordination

During the Tiananmen repression an estimated 3,500 PLA officers disobeyed orders, resulting in scores of army officers being executed and several generals facing court martial, including 38th Army General Xu Qinxian. As a result of this mass mutiny, the military leadership reshuffled commanders throughout all seven military regions in 1990 down to the division level to ensure loyalty. There has not been a display of blatant insubordination since the Tiananmen Protests in 1989.

After the Square was cleared on June 4, clashes between residents and soldiers continued for several more days. The military, especially the intelligence units, undertook to make massive arrests of "violent thugs." Some units engaged in torture.

28th Army

The 28th Army was notable for its passive enforcement of the martial law order. The unit, led by commander He Yanran and political commissar Zhang Mingchun and based in Datong, Shanxi Province, received the mobilization order on May 19. They proceeded to lead the mechanized units to Yanqing County northwest of Beijing's city centre. When ordered to enter the city on June 3, the 28th encountered protesting residents along route but did not open fire and missed the deadline to reach Tiananmen Square by 5:30 am on June 4. At 7:00am, the 28th Army ran into a throng of angry residents at Muxidi on West Chang'an Avenue west of the ASquare. The residents told the soldiers of the killings from earlier in the morning and showed blood stained shirts of victims. At noon, Liu Huaqing, the commander of the martial law enforcement action, and Wang Hai, head of the PLA Air Force, flew over Muxidi in a helicopter and by loud speaker ordered the 28th Army to counterattack. But on the ground, the commanders of the 28th refused to comply. Instead the troops abandoned their positions en masse. By 5pm, many had retreated into the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution nearby. Of all units involved in the crackdown, the 28th Army lost by far the most equipment, as 74 vehicles including 31 armored personnel and two communications vehicles were burned. The unit was later removed and ordered to undergo six months of reorganization. Afterwards, all commanding officers were demoted and reassigned to other units.

Aftermath

Rumors

In the days after June 4, rumors spread among Beijing residents that the 27th Army, led by a nephew of hardliner Yang Shangkun, committed the most brutal atrocities while the 38th Army, fed by news of Xu Qinxian's insubordination, was friendly to the people. The 27th Army was believed to be led by Yang Shangkun's nephew and believed to be fanatically loyal to Yang. Its soldiers were described by residents as "illiterate 'primitives' who know only how to kill." Some soldiers were believed to have been drugged and been issued altered ammunition to increase injuries. There were reports of unprovoked shootings of unarmed civilians in the back without warning. and even reports of the 27th coercing other army troops to kill student protesters. Western media reported that the "27th Army [was] widely hated in Beijing." The

There were also reports of standoffs between army units, especially the 27th. The 16th Army was said to be tasked with relieving the 38th, but wanted to do so with minimal force. The 27th, ignoring the 16th's plea, continued on violently towards Tiananmen Square. On June 6, 1989, United States officials confirmed reports involving shootings between the 16th and the 27th armies on the outskirts of Beijing. On June 7, the 38th Army was reportedly in a stand-off with the 27th and the 15th Airborne.

Another unit that rallied against the 27th was the 40th, which established good relations with the civilians along their cordoned area around the airport road. The civilians exchanged food and supplies and offered moral support to the 40th. Although many opposed the undisciplined 27th Army, none was as prominent as the 38th. Initially reluctant to obey orders to enter the city, the 38th was replaced by the 27th. However, after June 6 the 38th was sent back into Beijing to relieve the 27th from their occupied posts. Some residents of Beijing welcomed back their beloved troops and regard "The 38th Army [as] the people's army!"

The rumors inspired residents in Shijiazhuang to protest outside the headquarters of the 27th Army. Officers and family members of the 27th were subject to scorn and ridicule in their home city.

End of martial law

Martial law was lifted on January 11, 1990.