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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China
How it happened that China where stealing woods was a crime, people began to amass huge wealth.
Why the widow of Moa was sentenced to death and what was the outcome of the China-Vietnam war?
How the bid for a new revolution in China failed?
And who was the person who holding a shopping bag, stood before the tanks like a rock?
I am Sadaqat Ali and in the History of Chine series, "from Opium to CPEC," I will show all this.
China had a leader who scared Moa also.Mao had expelled him from the Party and sent him away from the people during the Cultural Revolution.So that Mao could get rid of him.But the Chinese Prime Minister, Zhou-en-Lai supported him.Zhou-en-Lai called him back and made him the Deputy Prime Minister.He was Deng Xiaoping.The same person who laid the foundation of modern China after Mao.Two years after Deputy Prime Minister, he was also made the Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of...of the Party and the Commander in Chief of the Army.But Mao and his wife Jiang Qing did not like him at all.Three others of the Party were in cahoot with Moa's wife.These four persons were called the "gang of four."
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
On the pressure of this gang, Deng was removed as Deputy Prime Minister.On September 9, 1976, Mao died.He had been detached from political activity over long due to illness.Mao had held the last meeting with Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, in 1976.After that, he met no-one.When the death of Mao was announced on the radio, over 800million Chinese were in tears.Wrapped up in the Communism flag, the body of Mao was placed for 8 days for the public sight and mourning.
However, more important was preserving Mao's body than mourning.Mao had desired his body to be burnt but his widow wanted to preserve it like Russian Communist, Lenin.So Mao's body was preserved with chemicals.The body of Mao is preserved in Beijing to-date.The death of Mao created the same situation in China which is usual with the death of a great leader anywhere.That who would fill the void created by the death of the leader?
Means who would succeed the supremo.So the gang of four and Deng Xiaoping with his associates stood in two groups.Deng was lucky for enjoying the support of the person whom Mao had appointed Chairman of the Party He arrested "gang of four, and reappointed Deng as Deputy Premier restoring his party office also.Deng was the Deputy Premier but as Vice Chairman of the Party, he was exercising all powers.The President and the Prime Minister were appointed on their will.Hence after Mao, Deng Xiaoping became all in all.Soon after firming up the hold on the power, he started the trial of Mao's widow.Mao's widow was held accused of murdering her husband in order to lower her in the public mind.It was held that the doctors had advised Mao rest but she forced him to move around.So that Moa should die early.Besides attempts to overthrow the government and revolt, she also faced other charges that she had direct...or indirect link with the killing of 36000 people and torturing 700,000 others during the Cultural Revolution.Jiang Qing said whatever she did it was on the orders of Mao.The trial of Mao's widow was telecast throughout Chian.Starting in November 1980, the trial continued for three months.Mao's widow was awarded capital punishment in 1981.Jiang Qing cried out in the court that she had been meted out injustice.But she was dragged out of the Courtroom.Two years interval was held in the execution of the sentence that in the year 1983.But in 1983, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.By 1991, Jiang Qing had caught throat cancer.So she was set free on the medical ground.But 77-year Jiang Qing hanged herself to death in the bathroom on May 14,1991.It was apathy of the time that the first wife of Mao was murdered by his rivals.While his last wife after suffering badly at the hand of her own people committed suicide.When Deng took over in 1978, the Chinese Communist revolution had become dead.Mao had ruled China for 27 years.But China failed to achieve that progress during his period the Chinese had dreamt in 1949.The failure of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, and killings of the opponents...bad relations with the US, Russia and others, internal rifts in the Party had ruptured the revolution.And this fact had a historic reason.Whether it was French, Russian or the revolution of China, a problem stuck to it that after some time...the revolution either failed or assumed a new shape.The reason was very simple.That the leaders of the revolution did not think about dealing with the problems after the Revolution.So the problems emerging after the revolution either forced the revolutionists to shun their ideas or...the fresh revolutions took place.The same was happening in China.Mao's vision of Communists' Revolution or equality of all did not correspond with the needs of the modern era.Even Mao himself had acknowledged this fact before the death.
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
That was why he had sought friendship with America.I have shown you its account in the last Article.This all was not sufficient.Deng Xiaoping was totally opposed to Mao's economic policies.That was why on coming to power he changed all Mao's economic policies.Therefore to-date not Mao but Deng Xiaoping is regarded as the founder of modern China.It is otherwise that official recognition has not been given to it and Moa is still credited for modern China.Deng announced the open-door policy for the sake of changing Mao's policies.Which aimed at attracting foreign investments to China.People were also allowed to establish private property and profit-sharing schemes were announced.The foreign investment gave birth to a rich-middle class in society.The big investors began to amass huge wealth.So everything offensive in Mao's China was carried out during Deng's era.Deng also introduced the old child policy to arrest the growing population of China.Deng not only revamped the economy through open-door policy but also cemented ties with the US.China and America decided to establish diplomatic relations in December 1978.The US ally, Taiwan made great hue and cry over it.Thousands in Taiwan stormed the US Embassy and pelted stones on it.But America endeared its interest.It did not care for the protests and opened the US embassy in China.Side by side, the US also continued active military support to Taiwan.After diplomatic ties with the US, Deng also made China a member of the World Bank.Now the sky was the limit for China that got loans from the World Bank unlike the past hatred for it.Deng was also keeping China away from the wars that Mao had initiated during the Cold-War.He also tried to improve ties with India and Soviet Russia.But he was also forced to take part in a war without choice.
That too against Vietnam, the old ally of China.Yes, China had liberally helped Vietnam during its war with American.But Vietnam was now, becoming a threat to the Chinese interests in the region.After the war with America, Vietnam joined the Russian camp.And it also became a major power of the region.On the instance of Russia, Vietnam had also attacked Cambodia, the ally of China.In a way, it had also captured that territory.China did not at all, liked this move of Vietnam.The border disputes between China and Taiwan were also growing.Therefore, Deng decided to teach a lesson to Vietnam.Chinese army opened the war on the 600-km long border with Vietnam.The Chinese army also 400 tanks and 1500 guns.In Vietnam, no-one was there to face the Chinese.Because the elite forces of Vietnam were fighting in Cambodia.So, the local militia of But the Chinese army crushed the Vietnamese militia.
Vietnam fought the Chinese.Chinese army stayed in Vietnam for a month.During this time, much propaganda was unleashed with reference to the China-Vietnam war.China was beating the drums of its win while Vietnam claimed it was teaching a lesson to the Chinese.However, it was a fact that the Chinese army was occupying the rival areas and the Vietnam army...lacked the power to oust if from that territory.One month after, China suddenly stopped the war in Vietnam as it did against India 16 years ago.China recalled its forces from Vietnam and captured none of its areas.China and Vietnam both claimed their win in that war which factually was not a major encounter.The war did not go to the benefit of any country at the end of the day.China and Vietnam never declared their casualties in that war.However, the Western media counted the Chinese deaths at 28,000 and 10,000 Vietnam's.But China and Vietnam never confirmed the figures of the Western media.China had come out of the Vietnam war and now was making rapid progress under Deng's leadership.But the progress was creating new problems for China.That despite making progress, freedom of expression through media was still not available in China.Raising voice against the Communist Party was a crime.The Chinese youth in this background began to envy the civil liberties of the West.The youth, particularly, the students had the liking for the revolutions.So the Chinese youth also began to dream fresh revolution for democracy and civil rights.The world situation at that time was somewhat the same.Soviet Russia was facing defeat in Afghanistan and movements for democracy...were also gaining strength in the Communist states of Eastern Europe.In this scenario, the Chinse movement also naturally won the world sympathies.
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
Then an incident in April 1989, which brought the Chinese students to the road.The struggle for this revolution started with the demise of a former leader of the Communist Pary Ho Yaobang.This man was turned out of the Party for promoting the ideas of democracy.In May 1989 his death was followed by demonstrations by students in favour of democracy.A revolution traditionally revolves around the persons who uphold their ideologies suffering difficulties...and lay down their lives when the time would demand.Since Hu Yaobang was a victim of his difficulties therefore, he became a martyr among the students.The scope of demonstrations expanded to the point of an immense gathering...of the students at Tiananmen Square in the Centre of Beijing.The same Tiananmen Square where 40 years ago Moa before 300,000 people had...announced the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China.Four million people were gathered at the Tiananmen Square after 40 years.They were demanding to end the old revolution and initiating a democratic revolution.They were also demanding resignations of the leaders of the Communists Party.
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
They also called for action against the corrupt leaders of the Party.Despite warnings from the government, they continued to hold the sit-in at the Square.A white sculpture installed at the Tiananmen Square was named by the protesters the statue of democracy.They also began hunger-strike.It was a major test in the life of Deng Xiaoping and China also.Now it was time to decide whether China would take a U-turn on the Communism..or it would go to the civil war trampling over the public aspirations.Deng was agreed to a complete end of Communism and economic reforms but...he was not ready at all on ending the rule of the Communist Party and complete democracy.But the demonstrators were also not ready to budge down.The Chinese authorities attempted to talk to the protestors but they failed.The reason being, the youth mostly are not able to understand the political expediencies.As such they want instant change.That was why they remained stuck to their demands.The Chinese government faced another problem that was the impending visit to Russian President Gorbachev.Therefore, the world media was also present in China giving comprehensive coverage to the students' protest.And the Chinese government took it for the media campaign to malign it.Therefore the Chinese government decided to deal with the protesting students with iron hands.June 4, 1989, became another unforgettable day in the history of China.Democracy did not come to China but the tanks came on that day.200,000 Chinese soldiers of the 27th Group Army attacked the protestors.
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
A group of tanks came forward first of all.And a picture of these tanks became part of the most popular pictures of the human-history.Look at his picture wherein a person holding a polythene bag is standing before four tanks.The tanks changed course to skip this man but he would come in front of them every time.He stood resolute there until some people took him away from that place.
Who took him away?
And who was that person and where he was now?
Nobody knows.In many theories; he was presumed to have been killed, fled from China or still there, so on and so forth.But none of the theories could be endorsed.The Chinese government also never confirmed his arrest or his death.The Western world named him 'Tank Man.'The world might not have seen this picture had the Western journalists not been present at the nearby hotel.These journalists were present there to cover the visit of Gorbachev.The took pictures of the Tank Man and smuggled them out of China.Hence the Tank Man became an unforgettable character of Chinese history.But his bravery served no purpose.As the Tank Man removed, tanks rammed into the people present at the Tiananmen Square.Many students tried to stop advancement of the tanks by making the chain of human hands.But this time, the tanks did not stop and made their way ahead crushing them under.Then the Chinse soldiers started firing and moments after, snipers fired bullets from the buildings around.People began to be cut down and the dead and the injured rushed to hospitals on cycle rickshaws.But the balance did not totally tilt in favour of the soldiers in this clash.The protestors pelted stones on the soldiers and they also set 30 army vehicles on fire.Many soldiers were killed and injured but people ultimately became helpless before the army-guns.
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| Who stopped the Chinese tank? Deng Xiaoping, the man who Built Modern China millionwar |
Thousands of protestors died in that clash while the rest ran away.Thousands of students were arrested and jailed.The Western media also reported intra-fighting of the troops over firing on the students.But later, these reports turned out false.And the Chinese army was found completely loyal to the government.The attacking army removed the protestors and got Tiananmen Square vacated.The attempt to bring democracy to China had failed.The government claimed that around 300 protestors and the soldiers were killed in this clash.While the Western media claimed that the army took the life of over 10000 protestors.Anyway, the incident of firing on the students brought a storm all over the world.The US and the European states imposed strict sanctions on China.The $10billion Chinese loan was also frozen.But China continued action against the demonstrators.After Tiananmen Square crackdown at a large scale was also carried against the protestors in other cities.And thousands of champions of democracy were put behind the bars.Many pro-democracy leaders escaped to the US and Europe.And took political asylum.Deng Xiaoping saved the government of the Communist Party but now had awakened to the need of...making China a complete market economy for the sake of achieving progress.That corruption would be completely eradicated in China and more right given to the masses.And he also did the same.
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