To China Communist Party - The People Will Never Forget What You Had Done

Tiananmen Square 24th Anniversary: Remember The Failed 'Chinese Spring' With These Iconic Photos

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Today is the 24th Anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China which saw hundreds of thousands of students occupying Beijing's central square, and ultimately resulted in hundreds, perhaps thousands of deaths (the number is disputed).

On the 24rd anniversary of the crisis, we look back at some of the iconic photos the event produced.

The protests began on April 15th, after the death of ousted General Secretary Hu Yaobang.

Chinese police try in vain to contain a huge crowd of student marchers during a pro-reform demonstration in Beijing, China, May 4 1989. (AP Photo/S. Mikami)
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Hu had widely been seen as reformer and was supported by students, who wanted the Chinese government to continue his pro-market and pro-democracy policies.

A truck is almost buried in people as it makes its way through the crowd of thousands gathered in Tiananmen Square for a pro-democracy rally, Wednesday, May 17, 1989, Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami)
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Following Hu's official state funeral, some 100,000 students gathered in the Beijing's central square.

Beijing university students wave fists and flags as five Chinese military helicopters buss Tiananmen Square at down Sunday, May 21 1989. (AP Photo/stf)
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An anti-protest editorial in People's Daily on April 26 enraged the students further.

Unidentified Beijing University students, who have been on a five day hunger strike for democracy, take an early morning break in Tiananmen Square, Thursday, May 18, 1989, Beijing, China. The students have been joined by thousands of workers, soldiers and doctors in their demand for political reform. (AP Photo/Kathy Wilhelm)

By May 13, a hunger strike had begun and there were some 300,000 people in the square.

Unidentified Beijing University students catch a nap on cases of soft drinks in Tiananmen Square, Friday, May, 19, 1989, Beijing, China. They are in their sixth day of a hunger strike for political reform. (AP Photo/Kathy Wilhelm)
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Marshall Law was declared on May 20.

Beijing University students rally in Tiananmen Square where they have camped for a week to push for political reforms, Saturday, May 20, 1989, Beijing, China. The government declared martial law on Saturday in an effort to end the occupation. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami)
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The PLA marched on Beijing, only to withdraw a few days later. Protestors would lecture the soldiers, asking them to join their cause.

A Beijing University student reads list of goals in their occupation of Tiananmen Square to Peoples Liberation Army troops, Saturday, May 20, 1989, Beijing, China. The troops, enroute to the square, were turned back by the crowds. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
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The student protest became split around this time, with no clear leader.

A Chinese military helicopter passes over Tiananmen Square and demonstrating students following the declaration of martial law, Saturday, May 20, 1989, Beijing, China. Students have occupied the square for a week seeking political reform. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami)
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But the students and their supporters were clearly occupying Beijing's central square.

Beijing University students listen as a strike spokesman details plans for a rally in Tiananmen Square, which they have occupied for the last two weeks, Sunday, May 28, 1989, Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Jeff Widener)
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They even unloaded a 30-foot styrofoam statue, modeled on the Statue of Liberty, in the square.

A statue modelled after the Statiue of Liberty is ready for unveiling in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China, May 30, 1989. The 30-foot styrofoam statue was erected by striking university students. In the background is the Great hall. (AP photo/Shing)
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Protestors mocked government "bribes" for pro-government marches.

A masked protester from Beijing University leads chants making fun of the government's offer of money and a loaf of bread to people willing to march in a pro-government rally, Friday, June 2, 1989, Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
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Troops began clearing the square at the start of June.

A student pro-democracy protester flashes victory signs to the crowd as People's Liberation Army troops withdraw on the west side of the Great Hall of the People near Tiananmen Square on Saturday, June 3, 1989 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
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Violence erupted.

A student protester puts barricades in the path of an already burning armored personnel carrier that rammed through student lines during an army attack on anti-government demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, early June 4, 1989. A govenment soldier who escaped the armored vehicle was killed by demonstrators. Pro-democracy protesters occupied the square for seven weeks; hundreds died in the early hours of June 4, 1989 when troops shot their way through Beijing's streets to retake the square. (AP Photo/Jeff Widener)
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Officially, 241 people died.

The bodies of dead civilians lie among mangled bicycles near Beijing's Tiananmen Square in this June 4, 1989 file photo.

Other numbers, ranging into the thousands, have circulated, with none confirmed. Many of the deaths happened outside the square, with soldiers firing directly at unarmed protesters.

A ceremony of PIA troops march down Chanan Blvd. firing indiscriminately to clear the street of citizens as the army faction occupying the center of Beijing prepares for the rumored arrival of opposition troops converging on the city, June 5, 1989, Beijing, China. (AP Photo)

The iconic footage of a man standing up to a PLA tank occurred the next day.

A Chinese man stands alone to block a line of tanks heading east on Beijing's Cangan Blvd. in Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989. The man, calling for an end to the recent violence and bloodshed against pro-democracy demonstrators, was pulled away by bystanders, and the tanks continued on their way. The Chinese government crushed a student-led demonstration for democratic reform and against government corruption, killing hundreds, or perhaps thousands of demonstrators in the strongest anti-government protest since the 1949 revolution. Ironically, the name Tiananmen means "Gate of Heavenly Peace". (AP Photo/Jeff Widener)
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This shot shows the man from another angle. He was reportedly whisked aside by onlookers, but it was unclear what became of him or who he was.

In this photo taken on June 5, 1989 and made available for the first time by the AP on Thursday June 4, 2009, three unidentified men flee the scene, as a Chinese man, background left, stands alone to block a line of approaching tanks, background right, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The man in the background stood his ground and blocked the column of tanks when they came closer, an image captured on film by numerous other photographers and one that ultimately became a widely reproduced symbol of events there. The photograph was taken by then-AP reporter Terril Jones and came to light after online discussions of the incident coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. (AP Photo/Terril Jones)

Tens of thousands of people are arrested after the protests, an unknown number were likely executed.

Crowds of curious Beijing residents gather to look at the military hardware in Tiananmen Square Wednesday, June 7, 1989 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami)

Officially China still tries to ignore the legacy of the event, with searches on Weibo banned today.

A student is carried away from Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, June 8 1989 , following a clash with Chinese army troops. (AP photo/Liu Heung Shing)

The country has responded sternly to a statement from the US asking it to free prisoners still being held because of the protests.

Chinese soldiers clean up the debris from several days of rioting against material law in the streets, Friday, June 9, 1989, Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami)

Many still remember, however. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Hong Kong today to commemorate those who lost their lives.

Bicyclists peddle through the ruins of the last weeks battle between the Peoples Liberation Army and students demonstrating for democracy in Tiananmen Square, June 10, 1989, Beijing, China. This scene is located some three miles from the square. (AP Photo/Jeff Widener)

Some wonder if scandals involving Bo Xilai and Chen Guangcheng points towards another period of turmoil coming for China.

Beijing residents have something new to look at as they commute to work Monday, June 12, 1989 past a PLA tank near Tiananmen Square, Beijng. (AP Photo/Sakayuki Mikami)