One of the most strong and iconic images from 20 years ago (and one of the most important news photo of all time) is the photograph of a man standing in front of a row of tanks advancing on the Changan Avenue (the most important boulevard in Beijing with a completely contrasting name which ironically means, The Avenue of Everlasting Tranquility).The anonymous pedestrian dubbed "the Tank Man" ,blocked a row of tanks, producing one of the iconic images of that event.
Few images are more recognizable or more evocative. Known simply as “tank man,” it is one of the most famous photographs in recent history.
Twenty years ago, on June 5, 1989, following weeks of massive protests in Beijing and a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, a lone man stepped in front of a column of tanks rumbling past Tiananmen Square. The moment instantly became a symbol of the protests as well as a symbol against oppression worldwide — an anonymous act of defiance seared into our collective consciousnesses.
Few images are more recognizable or more evocative. Known simply as “tank man,” it is one of the most famous photographs in recent history.
Twenty years ago, on June 5, 1989, following weeks of massive protests in Beijing and a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, a lone man stepped in front of a column of tanks rumbling past Tiananmen Square. The moment instantly became a symbol of the protests as well as a symbol against oppression worldwide — an anonymous act of defiance seared into our collective consciousnesses.
Recently on the Lens Blog on the New York Times site there is a sort of a research on the origins and different versions of the image. It is VERY interesting!
There was not just one “tank man” photo. At least four photographers captured the encounter that day from the Beijing Hotel, overlooking Changan Avenue (the Avenue of Eternal Peace), their lives forever linked by a single moment in time. They shared their recollections with The Times through e-mail.
Here are two links to related posts:
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/behind-the-scenes-tank-man-of-tiananmen/
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/behind-the-scenes-a-new-angle-on-history/
I found these links following a post at the China Blog at the Time.com site. It's a blog that is blocked in China since at least 2 months. Here is the link to the corresponding post:
A New Perspective on Tank Man
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=Oi8vY2hpbmEuYmxvZ3MudGltZS5jb20vMjAwOS8wNi8wOC9hLW5ldy1wZXJzcGVjdGl2ZS1vbi10YW5rLW1hbi8%3D&b=5
Also check out this photo essay on the Tank Man on Time.com:
http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2009/tiananmen_20_franklin/
Also, Tiananmen anniversary connected an article and a post. The article is by John Pomfret in the Washington Post. The post is on Room For Debate blog on the New York Times.com site.
John Pomfret is one of the accused "anti-China" journalists who has a firsthand experience of the events in Beijing from 20 years ago since at that time he was a correspondent for the Associated Press. His article discusses a topic that also interests me very much, i.e. how has the CCP managed to stay in power and even make its position even more secure after such a breach of public confidence as the events in Beijing 20 years ago showed.
After Tiananmen, China Wedded Force With Freedom
John Pomfret
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060501970.html
China’s New Rebels (on the Room for Debate Blog on the New York Times site)
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/chinas-new-rebels/
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