The Third and Fourth of June (part 2)

(Excerpt from TIANANMEN MOON by Philip J Cunningham)

JUNE 3-4

Eve of Destruction

The groan of an engine caused a collective shudder. The armored invaders were back, clawing across the thickly peopled pavement, heading our way. The ominous rumble and thunder brought an instant and unceremonious end to John Simpson’s hasty on-camera introduction to Tiananmen Square. We scrambled to the side of the road for safety—sticks, camera, lights, and all. Due to the sudden upsurge of danger on all sides, the “according-to-instructions- from-London” argument was permanently abandoned.

An armored personnel carrier careened in from the east, hurtling down the Boulevard of Eternal Peace with the abandon of a drunk driver. The square’s lampposts provided as much shadow as light, making accurate estimates of trajectory and distance difficult. Like its reckless predecessor, which had buzzed the crowd along the central concrete divider, this metallic vehicle was weaving back and forth, veering off unpredictably to the side at times, oblivious to or scornful o…