Wikileaks: no bloodshed inside Tiananmen Square, cables claim

Wikileaks: no bloodshed inside Tiananmen Square, cables claim

www.telegraph.co.uk...

Secret cables from the United States embassy in Beijing have shown there was no bloodshed inside Tiananmen Square when China put down student pro-democracy demonstrations 22 years ago.

(visit the link for the full news article)

EDIT: the link keeps screwing up for some reason. Hopefully it works now.

More from article:

""He watched the military enter the square and did not observe any mass firing of weapons into the crowds, although sporadic gunfire was heard. He said that most of the troops which entered the square were actually armed only with anti-riot gear – truncheons and wooden clubs; they were backed up by armed soldiers," a cable from July 1989 said.

The diplomat, who was positioned next to a Red Cross station inside Tiananmen Square, said a line of troops surrounded him and "panicked" medical staff into fleeing. However, he said that there was "no mass firing into the crowd of students at the monument". "

So it turns out that the Tiananmen massacre was another Western fabrication. It was even standard education to be taught this when I was in highschool.

The article goes on to say that troops did open fire on protestors elsewhere around Beijing (just to be clear). However, it appears that troops were not raining bullets on protestors at Tiananmen Square. In fact, it appears that the Chinese government gave the protesters the opportunity to disperse before moving in.

It's hard to trust anything about modern history...

[url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8555142/Wikileaks-no-bloodshed-inside-Tiananmen-Square-cables-claim.html]www.telegraph.co.uk[ /url]
(visit the link for the full news article)

Link isn't working.

IF this is true, thats appauling on MSM part

Hmmm makes me wonder why they tried to sell it as a bloody massacre in the first place. Not sure if I'm buying it, but definitely going to look into it more.

Instead, try to wonder why they're selling the opposite. I don't trust this at all, his 9/11 blew his credibility wide open. In any case, this in itself is very likely not true.

I would say the jury is still out on this, where is the citizens accounts of this?

We are taking the word of diplomats and other government agents now? OR could it be that wikileaks is a government tool used to confuse the public?


I still do not fully trust WL this causes me even more wonder at their true dealings.


Raist

Personally, I have no idea what the true story is but I must point out the irony in believing a cable from TPTB's account of the incident versus the people on site at the time, especially here on ATS where it's usually the opposite.
Either way it was a tragedy either of human life proportions or liberty in the form of truth proportions, but at least that tank driver had a conscience.

WTH!

Is anything we learned in school worth a damn? I mean english and math yes. Gotta know how to add and write.. and science..

But the rest.. social studies? Is a total joke. It makes me think that the those higher ups are pumping those sheep out

whatever

i trust wikileaks about as much as i trust the chinese version of the events in question.

i watched this live on tv

to say the news lied about it i am calling bs.

if you want the truth go ask a chinese citizen who lived through it and saw it their own eyes.


wikileaks still trying to remain relevant when anyone can see that they are pushing their agenda with "so called facts"

I've heard that Chinese hackers are doing some minor damage around the web right now. Could this be a plant to see how useful wikileaks can be as a disinfo delivery tool?

On one hand, the US propagandizes China and China is actually (obviously) a much more peaceful nation than the US. So I would not be surprised if this were true.


On the other hand, that doesn't mean the Chinese government is a saint.



Also, remember that the US has opened fire on students at colleges before (Kent State) and all kinds of disgusting ridiculousness. So let's put this all into perspective anyway. Not call kettles black.

This may be the reason why when you ask Chinese immigrants about Tienanmen Square and the brave student who stood in front of a moving tank they give you a blank look. Very interesting.

That's because most of the bloodshed happened as the People's Liberation Army made their way to Tiananmen Square, by the time they got there most of the demonstrators had fled. But when the army got there it was night time so nobody really knows what really happened. Zhao Ziyang, who was instrumental in reforming China's economy, pled with the leader before him, who was effectively retired, not to send in the army but he was overruled and shot down. He then went to Tiananmen Square to warn the protestors, but it was too late. He then served out the rest of his life under house arrest.

*Edit* Saw it on CNBC yesterday.

At least 200 people were killed, but that number could be as high as 3000.

The guy that blocked the convoy of tanks eventually climbed up onto the first tank and talked to the driver. When he got down he was taken away and nobody ever saw him again. They couldn't run him over because it was day time and the media cameras were watching the army leave the Square.

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
The article goes on to say that troops did open fire on protestors elsewhere around Beijing (just to be clear). However, it appears that troops were not raining bullets on protestors at Tiananmen Square.

Could very well be true. A quick look at various other web sites say much the same - that the killing took place in streets nearby, but not in the actual square itself.
Wikipedia (yeah, not the best source I know) says this too, so it seems to be generally accepted.
The protests of 1989 resulted in the massacre of Chinese protesters in the streets to the west of the square and adjacent areas.

So more than likely, perhaps the MSM just use "the Tiananmen square massacre" as a shorthand way of referring to the events, perhaps not realising themselves that the bloodshed wasnt actually in the square itself.
Its a sexier term than "the streets to the west of Tiananmen square and adjacent areas massacre.".

Edit - here's a BBC report from 2009, from a reporter who was in the square at the time...
We got the story generally right, but on one
detail I and others conveyed the wrong impression.
There was no massacre on Tiananmen Square.
...
Protesters who were still in the square when the army reached it were allowed to leave
...
credible reports of several citizens being shot dead during the night on
the outer perimeter of the square, but in places which strictly
speaking could be said to be outside the square itself.

But we are far less certain of killings on Tiananmen proper.
There were probably few, if any.
BBC

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

So it turns out that the Tiananmen massacre was another Western fabrication. It was even standard education to be taught this when I was in highschool.

All western Mainstream News Massacres are fabricated, i am not surprised by these leaks, you can be sure even the Balkan Massacre is fabricated since dont forget all western governments were betting on the money for the south stream oil pipeline project.


S & F Dimitri

reply to post by neo96

i watched this live on tv to say the news lied about it i am calling bs. if you want the truth go ask a chinese citizen who lived through it and saw it their own eyes. wikileaks still trying to remain relevant when anyone can see that they are pushing their agenda with "so called facts"

The western mainstream news were showing you lies, dont forget Neo96 the western mainstream news have there own reasons for lying about past nonsexist massacres, a protest did happen but not the killings, the mainstream news outlets make news to looked as if they are real events, just like with the Saving Private Lynch and the current manufactured revolutions in the mid east.


This isnt BS.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


ah man say it aint so!

they lied to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how dare they!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and aww man you foed me how rude!

i dont consider you a foe man.

I've been to Tianenmen Square, within a year of the uprising, and have seen the bullet holes in the walls.

To deny that there was a crackdown is a complete re write of the actual history of a terrible event.

Then show me tank man. Seriously if they want us to swallow this tripe, produce us the tank man.

I just love revisionist history.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


Well thats interesting because the shortwave radio broadcasts that I listened to and the amateur radio operators that my dad spoke with that were operating ilegally under chinese law, all reported the massacre that took place during it and in the following days. Most of these HAM radio operators were mobile and on the move so not to get caught by the government. It should also be noted that during that crisis long range Chinese Military radio communications were listened to by many people and organizations around the globe as the Military in that country massacred their own people. It was at the time one of the ways what was taking place in the square was verified.

Still to this day multiple "pirate" shortwave radio broadcasts can be heard on a regular basis reporting on that governemnts continuous human rights violations. "Radio Free China" is one that comes to mind, but there are many others that risk life and limb doing so.

I remember watching what took place on the NEWS when I was about 12 years old, the horrific pictures and video were completely disturbing and I remeber asking my dad why knowbody was helping them...