Tiananmen Moon

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The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this compelling book offers a vivid firsthand account of the 1989 student demonstrations and massacre in Tiananmen Square. As a Western observer drawn into the uprising through Chinese friends, Philip J. Cunningham provides a remarkable day-by-day narrative of Beijing students striving to secure political change amid escalating government repression. The text immerses readers in the protests while highlighting the response of an unprepared Western media. Cunningham shares rare vignettes of life in Tiananmen Square, including a near riot when a reporter is mistaken for Gorbachev, the emotional farewell of a leader dictating her last will, and the futile resistance against an unforgiving crackdown. He captures the complex interactions between naive student activists and seasoned foreign journalists, illustrating how, after a month of mutual interest, the savvy students begin to outmaneuver the confused journalists. During a hunger strike illuminated by a full moon, China reveals its conflicted soul, with a mournful cry for reform echoed by a million peaceful marchers. This testament to a transformative month in China’s history serves as a poignant witness to the rise and fall of an uprising, encapsulating the enduring beauty of a dream that continues to resonate today.