Hours earlier, much of the world had seen the regime's violent suppresion of its citizens' call for democracy. I was interested to hear how that one-Party state would try to justify its actions. This was before the internet era, leaving one to rely on old school shortwave radio.

I used a radio with a shortwave band, hooked up to wire strung across the ceiling, to pick up Radio Beijing's nightly English language broadcast beamed to North America. I connected the radio's earphone output to a small magnetic tape cassette recorder. I had no idea I would capture a broadacast that turned out to become historically significant.

[Scroll down for further.]

Two weeks earlier, the regime had placed Beijing under martial law, after large crowds assembled, built a homegrown "Goddess of Democracy" and began quoting Thomas Jefferson instead of Mao Zedong. On the night of June 3 and lasting until dawn June 4, 1989, armed troops rolled into Tiananmen Square, tore down the Goddess of Democracy and some shot, wounded and killed those who resisted or got in their way.

Try to imagine what the Radio Beijing broadcaster must have thought as he delivered the words you'll hear below.

As you listen to the audio, remember that a shortwave radio signal bounces off the ionosphere and is refracted back to Earth on irregular paths that sometime cancel and cause phase distortion and signal drops. What you'll hear is exactly what we heard in the 25 meter shortwave band that night in a southern suburb near Los Angeles.

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.

Like the Tiananmen "Tankman," this man's identity and fate remain uncertain. We've seen multiple conflicting accounts as to who he is and what happened to him.

Thirty one years later, we urge journalists worldwide to remember him, to learn his name [reports differ], find out what happened to him [reports also differ] and if he is alive to speak with him and credit him for his principled action.

And yes, especially this year, when we have more reasons than usual to grasp the importance of our rights to speak out.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.