Deadly Decision in Beijing
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Yang Su
overview
Three decades after 1989, historical materials are now available for understanding the Tiananmen protests in a new light. In a play-by-play account of the elite politics that led to the military crackdown, Yang Su addresses the repression of the protest in the context of political leadership succession. He challenges conventional views that see the military intervention as a necessary measure against a revolutionary mobilization. Beneath the political drama, Deadly Decision in Beijing explores the authoritarian regime's perpetual crisis of leadership transition and its impact on popular movements.
contents
1 Introduction: A Decision to Kill / 1
Part I Party-State Leadership in the Deng Era
2 The Coming of the Deng Era (1976-1987) / 29
3 The Fate of Two Successors (1980-April 15, 1989) / 47
Part II Elite Politics and the Making of the Tiananmen Protest
4 Early Response and the Growth of the Protest (April 1 5-April 26, 1989) / 75
5 Where Was Deng Xiaoping? (April 15-May 11, 1989) / 95
6 How a Moderate Approach Failed (April J26-May 17, 1989) / 114
Part III The Decision for Military Intervention
7 Was It a Revolution? (April 15-June 3, 1989) / 143
8 The Martial Law Decision (May 13-May 19, 1989) / 166
9 Military Operation as Symbolic Display of Power (June 3-June 4, 1989) / 187
Part IV The Political Impact
10 Deng’s Long Game (1989-1992) / 223
11 Conclusion: Tiananmen and China’s Communist Authoritarianism / 245
Notes / 262
Index / 308