The Tank Man

Tank Man (also known as the Unknown Protester or Unknown Rebel) is the nickname of an unidentified man who stood in front of a column of tanks on June 5, 1989, the morning after the Chinese military had suppressed the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 by force. As the lead tank maneuvered to pass by the man, he repeatedly shifted his position in order to obstruct the tank’s attempted path around him. The incident was filmed and seen worldwide. There were only a few sources who caught the incident on tape.

More than 28 years after the incident, there is no reliable information about the identity or fate of the man; the story of what happened to the tank crew is also unknown.[4] At least one witness has stated that “Tank Man” was not the only person who had opposed the tanks during the protest. Shao Jiang, who was a student leader, said: “I witnessed a lot of the people standing up, blocking the tanks.”[5] Tank Man is unique in that he is the only one who was photographed and videoed.

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