On June 5, 1989, on the morning after the Chinese military had used force to crack down on the Tiananmen Square protests, a lone man who would become known as “Tank Man” created one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century. The man stood in front of a row of military tanks, one person defying a mighty army in Beijing, China.
In today’s Internet world, we seem to think everything can be caught on camera, telling us everything about everybody. But surprisingly, the world still knows little about the man who stood in front of the tanks, even decades later. Although some reports had named him as 19-year-old student Wang Weilin, others reports disputed that claim. As for what happened to him, there are various theories ranging from him being executed to living a quiet life somewhere.
In the extended video, at the end, a couple of men take Tank Man away from the tanks. But even that remains in dispute, as some see it as him being arrested while others believe the men were protecting him. Whatever happened to Tank Man, we thank him for the reminder of what one person can do.
What do you think happened to Tank Man? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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