Lessons From The Brave Tank Man In Tiananmen Square

BusinessPolicyLessons From The Brave Tank Man In Tiananmen SquareByOlivia Enos,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about international human rights and national security.Follow AuthorJun 04, 2026, 02:01pm EDTA Beijing demonstrator blocks the path of a tank convoy along the Avenue of Eternal Peace near Tiananmen Square. For weeks, people have been protesting for freedom of speech and of press from the Chinese government.Getty ImagesToday marks 37 years since the Tiananmen Square massacre.That day, in that square, will never be forgotten. It was a moment when the scales fell from the world’s eyes and the true nature of the CCP was further revealed.The image of one man against many tanks stands as a vivid reminder of the cost of bravery, but also of the necessity and power of moral courage.One reason why the tank man stands out is because he represents a modern-day David versus Goliath moment where one man sought to take on a whole system. And while the tank man’s bravery didn’t result in the defeat of the Party, it did inspire generations of individuals in their quest for freedom across China.I think of Ziba Murat whose mother Gulshan Abbas has been detained by the CCP for nearly eight years simply because she is Uyghur. Ziba’s tireless advocacy on behalf of her mother is an inspiration and a critical reminder of the costs the CCP imposes on American citizens by detaining their family members across China.I remember Chow Hang-tung, a political prisoner in Hong Kong currently standing trial. Instead of hosting an annual candlelight vigil in remembrance of Tiananmen Square in Victoria Park, she is behind bars for supporting the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. She bravely used her closing statement to reflect on how and why the CCP will never be the final arbiter in determining right from wrong.I think of Grace Jin Drexel whose father, a Chinese Christian pastor, Ezra Jin Mingri, has been detained by the CCP alon...