Activities of the People’s Liberation Army During Tiananmen Protests of 1989
Encyclopedia
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. Over 1000 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. Under pressure to quickly end the protests and unwilling to give in to students’ shifting demands, CCP leaders decided to mobilize the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Martial law
was declared on 20 May 1989, and troops of the 38th Army
were scheduled to enter 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. After four days, the PLA troops withdrew from Beijing on 24 May 1989.
The Beijing military region includes Hebei Province, and includes Beijing
, and Tianjin
. Four Army Units form the Beijing military region: 28th, 38th
, 63rd, and the 65th. The 38th Army
is stationed near Beijing and therefore has a closer connection to the people of Beijing. 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
. During the initial days when martial law
was declared, the 38th Army, under General Xu Qinxian, openly refused to use force against student protestors.
Armies were brought in from the Shenyang region
and the 12th was transferred in from Nanjing. PLA soldiers underwent re-education training prior to June 1989, in order to instill and reinforce the CCP’s views and beliefs that “[The student protest] is turmoil; martial law is necessary.” 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
.
, under the command of President Yang Shangkun
’s nephew, Yang Jianhua, was tasked with relieving the 38th unit in taking Beijing and securing Tiananmen Square
. According to Beijing citizens, the 27th were deemed to be the most brutal during the Tiananmen repression of June 4. The troops of the 27th Army were heavily equipped and seen by citizens as “illiterate ‘primitives’ who know only how to kill” because most of the troops came from the northern Shaanxi Province. Often seen as having direct control over the 27th Army, President Yang Shangkun reinforced the belief that it was up to the 27th to suppress the “counterrevolution” in Beijing. Some soldiers had also allegedly been drugged with stimulants and been issued altered ammunition to increase injuries. There were reports of violent shootings of unarmed civilians in the back “without warning” and even reports of the 27th coercing other army troops to kill student protesters. The Washington Post wrote how “The 27th Army [was] widely hated in Beijing.”
was also tasked to relieve the 38th and repress the protesters, however, it 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. 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 6th the 38th was sent back into Beijing to relieve the 27th from their occupied posts. The hatred between the two units never resulted in more than the reported occasional exchange of fire. Because the 38th never killed any civilians, some residents of Beijing welcomed back their beloved troops and regard “The 38th Army [as] the people’s army!”
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
.
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
reached one million supporters by 18 May 1989. Over 1000 men from the People’s Liberation Army’s General Logistics Department showed their support for the movement by appearing on Chang'an Avenue
Chang'an Avenue
Chang'an Avenue , literally "Eternal Peace Street", is a major thoroughfare in Beijing, China.Chang'an is the old name for Xi'an which was the capital of China during the Tang Dynasty and other periods....
and marching toward Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
, all the while receiving enthusiastic applause from onlookers. Under pressure to quickly end the protests and unwilling to give in to students’ shifting demands, CCP leaders decided to mobilize the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
was declared on 20 May 1989, and troops of the 38th Army
38th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 38th Mechanized Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region...
were scheduled to enter 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
Revolutionary song
Revolutionary songs are political songs that advocate or praise revolutions. They are used to boost morale, as well as for political propaganda or agitation. Amongst the most well-known revolutionary songs are "La Marseillaise" and "The Internationale". Many protest songs can be considered...
together. After four days, the PLA troops withdrew from Beijing on 24 May 1989.
The Beijing military region includes Hebei Province, and includes Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
. Four Army Units form the Beijing military region: 28th, 38th
38th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 38th Mechanized Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region...
, 63rd, and the 65th. The 38th Army
38th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 38th Mechanized Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region...
is stationed near Beijing and therefore has a closer connection to the people of Beijing. 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
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
. During the initial days when martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
was declared, the 38th Army, under General Xu Qinxian, openly refused to use force against student protestors.
Foreign Troops Brought into Beijing
The failed attempt to control the growing protesters in Beijing forced Chinese officials to call in additional PLA units from other military regions. An estimate of 100,000 to 150,000 troops were deployed in and around Beijing by early June. The 16th, 64th, 39th, and 27th27th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 27th Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region. It is based in Shijiazhuang, Hebei and is composed of one armored brigade, two motorized infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, and an...
Armies were brought in from the Shenyang region
Shenyang Military Region
The Shenyang Military Region |16th Group Army]], with three divisions, including an armoured division, in Jilin, the 23rd Group Army headquartered at Harbin, and the 39th Group Army in Liaoning.-Current Officers:* Zhang Youxia , since October 2007...
and the 12th was transferred in from Nanjing. PLA soldiers underwent re-education training prior to June 1989, in order to instill and reinforce the CCP’s views and beliefs that “[The student protest] is turmoil; martial law is necessary.” 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
Command hierarchy
A command hierarchy is a group of people committed to carrying out orders "from the top", that is, of authority. It is part of a power structure: usually seen as the most vulnerable and also the most powerful part of it.-Sociology:...
.
The 27th Army
The 27th Army27th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 27th Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region. It is based in Shijiazhuang, Hebei and is composed of one armored brigade, two motorized infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, and an...
, under the command of President Yang Shangkun
Yang Shangkun
Yang Shangkun was President of the People's Republic of China from 1988 to 1993, and was permanent Vice-chair of the Central Military Commission...
’s nephew, Yang Jianhua, was tasked with relieving the 38th unit in taking Beijing and securing Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
. According to Beijing citizens, the 27th were deemed to be the most brutal during the Tiananmen repression of June 4. The troops of the 27th Army were heavily equipped and seen by citizens as “illiterate ‘primitives’ who know only how to kill” because most of the troops came from the northern Shaanxi Province. Often seen as having direct control over the 27th Army, President Yang Shangkun reinforced the belief that it was up to the 27th to suppress the “counterrevolution” in Beijing. Some soldiers had also allegedly been drugged with stimulants and been issued altered ammunition to increase injuries. There were reports of violent shootings of unarmed civilians in the back “without warning” and even reports of the 27th coercing other army troops to kill student protesters. The Washington Post wrote how “The 27th Army [was] widely hated in Beijing.”
Aftermath
Following the June 4 “crackdown” there were many reports of standoffs between army units. For instance, the 16th Army16th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 16th Army was a military formation of the People's Liberation Army Chinese Communist Forces ).-Organization :It was composed of the 69th, 46th, 48th, and 4th Armored Divisions, the 68th brigade and an artillery brigade. The formation is still active as the 16th Group Army in the Shenyang...
was also tasked to relieve the 38th and repress the protesters, however, it wanted to do so with minimal force. The 27th
27th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 27th Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region. It is based in Shijiazhuang, Hebei and is composed of one armored brigade, two motorized infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, and an...
, 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. Another unit that rallied against the 27th was the 40th
40th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 40th Army was a military formation of the People's Volunteer Army during the Korean War. It was composed of the 118th, 119th, and 120th Divisions.-History:In the morning of Oct...
, 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
38th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 38th Mechanized Group Army is a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Beijing Military Region...
. Initially reluctant to obey orders to enter the city, the 38th was replaced by the 27th. However, after June 6th the 38th was sent back into Beijing to relieve the 27th from their occupied posts. The hatred between the two units never resulted in more than the reported occasional exchange of fire. Because the 38th never killed any civilians, some residents of Beijing welcomed back their beloved troops and regard “The 38th Army [as] the people’s army!”
During the Tiananmen repression an estimated 3,500 PLA
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
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
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
, the military leadership reshuffled commanders throughout all seven military regions
PLA Military Region
The People's Liberation Army uses a system of military regions, of which there used to be eleven, but are now seven:* Shenyang Military Region* Beijing Military Region* Lanzhou Military Region* Jinan Military Region* Nanjing Military Region...
in 1990 down to the division level to ensure loyalty. There has not been a display of blatant insubordination
Insubordination
Insubordination is the act of willfully disobeying an authority. Refusing to perform an action that is unethical or illegal is not insubordination; neither is refusing to perform an action that is not within the scope of authority of the person issuing the order.Insubordination is typically a...
since the Tiananmen Protests in 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
.