Remembering Tiananmen Square's Radio "Tankman"

Share this:

His shortwave radio broadcast, captured on tape by us as well as by others at the time, has become part of the history of the events it describes.

Like many Americans, this writer spent much of June 3-4, 1989 watching CNN's live coverage of events in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. That night, I wondered how Radio Beijing's English language shortwave radio broadcast (a one-hour program beamed nightly to North America) would describe those events.

At 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time in the 25 meter shortwave band, I recorded what you can hear below. Because the radio signals were on shortwave (bouncing off the ionosphere on sometimes slightly differing paths), you'll hear occasional fading and phase distortion. For reference, the text is transcribed below.

Try to imagine what it must have been like for this man to enter the Chinese government's broadcasting center that day. Tanks were in the streets. The city was under martial law. He knew what had just happened to his fellow citizens at Tiananmen Square.

Think of what must have gone through his mind as he wrote the script below, entered a studio, watched a clock tick-off the seconds to the top of the hour...and spoke words that he hoped the world would hear.

To launch audio, click here

This is Radio Beijing. Please remember June the third, 1989. The most tragic event happened in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

Thousands of people, most of them innocent civilians, were killed by fully armed soldiers when they forced their way into the city. Among the killed are our colleagues at Radio Beijing.

The soldiers were riding on armored vehicles and used machine guns against thousands of local residents and students who tried to block their way. When the army convoys made a breakthrough, soldiers continued to spray their bullets indiscriminately at crowds in the street.

Eyewitnesses say some armored vehicles even crushed footsoldiers who hesitated in front of the resisting civilians.

Radio Beijing [sic] English Department deeply mourns those [sic] died in the tragic incident and appeals to all its listeners to join our protest for the gross violation of human rights and the most barbarous suppression of the people.

Because of this abnormal situation here in Beijing, there is no other news we could bring you. We sincerely ask for your understanding and thank you for joining us at this most tragic moment.

In our opinion, this man is the radio counterpart to the visually iconic Tiananmen "Tankman."

Like the "Tankman," his fate is uncertain. There are conflicting accounts over who he is and what happened to him.

In our view, it remains for journalists worldwide to find out who he is and to use every opportunity to try and speak with him. If that contact isn't possible, all of us should insist on knowing what happened to him and on whose orders.