June Fourth: The Tiananmen Protests and Beijing Massacre of 1989

New Approaches to Asian History

by Jeremy Brown

The Tiananmen protests and Beijing massacre of 1989 were a major turning point in recent Chinese history. In this new analysis of 1989, Jeremy Brown tells the vivid stories of participants and victims, exploring the nationwide scope of the democracy movement and the brutal crackdown that crushed it. At each critical juncture in the spring of 1989, demonstrators and decision makers agonized over difficult choices and saw how events could have unfolded differently. The alternative paths that participants imagined confirm that bloodshed was neither inevitable nor necessary. Using a wide range of previously untapped sources and examining how ordinary citizens throughout China experienced the crackdown after the massacre, this ambitious social history sheds fresh light on events that continue to reverberate in China to this day.

Genres: China, History, Nonfiction, Politics

294 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2021

About the author

Jeremy Brown (Chinese: 周傑榮) works as a professor in the Department of History at Simon Fraser University on the unceded, ancestral, traditional territory of the Tsleil-Waututh, Kwikwetlem, Squamish, and Musqueam peoples. His research focuses on the social history of the People’s Republic of China. From 2014 through 2021, Brown was part of a team of editors of Cambridge Studies in the History of the People’s Republic of China, a book series published by Cambridge University Press. He served as a board member on the Esherick-Ye Family Foundation between 2016 and 2021, and Brown is a member of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Selection Panel, 2017–2022, 2024–. He is a member of the PRC History Group Advisory Board.

Brown loves to run and enjoys racing, especially in middle-distance (800/1500/mile) and cross-country races; He ran one marathon during each of his three years as department chair.

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another outstanding read.

I got this book as I didn't know too much about this history. It isn't something too widely mentioned - besides that of the infamous "tank man".

I honestly learned so much about Tiananmen.
More than I expected. Honestly, more than I knew about what really happened.

This book was a particularly important book, especially with what is currently going on in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and also Taiwan.

Would recommend, as learning more is the value of books. Learning truth and understanding things.

4.5/5

[Laura Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting history of one of the 20th century’s most important moments of political organizing. Crisply written by one of the world’s best living historians.

[Margot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, awful tragedy recounted.

[Ava Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book offers a detailed description of the events surrounding Tiananmen Square in 1989, focusing on the aftermath and the different ways it’s remembered. The book is well-researched and provides perspectives that go beyond the typical narratives, which I appreciated.

However, it felt overly academic at times, which made it harder to connect with emotionally. The writing is thorough but lacks the urgency and engagement you might expect given the subject matter. It’s an informative read, but it didn’t fully capture the human depth of the events for me. A good resource for history enthusiasts, but not as gripping as I’d hoped.

[Rabbit]

Part 4 and part 5 are especially interesting for people who are already familiar with the basics of the incident.

[Chyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

一部视角向下的六四简史，该书不光叙述了占据运动核心的学生领袖的成长经历、思想变动及六四前后的人生际遇，还将普通工人、市民、戒严士兵纳入考察范围，并注意到族群关系与城乡差异对运动的影响。这样的叙述模式超越了学生与政府的二元对立，提供了一幅更为丰富的图景，也为六四研究的继续开拓提供了可取的路径。