A Chinese man stands alone to block a line of tanks heading east on Beijing's Cangan Blvd. in Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989. The man, calling for an end to the recent violence and bloodshed against pro-democracy demonstrators, was pulled away by bystanders, and the tanks continued on their way. The Chinese government crushed a student-led demonstration for democratic reform and against government corruption, killing hundreds, or perhaps thousands of demonstrators in the strongest anti-government protest since the 1949 revolution. Ironically, the name Tiananmen means "Gate of Heavenly Peace". (AP Photo/Jeff Widener)
AP Wirephotos 90th anniversary – the 1980s
A decade marked by technological advancement, political change, and cultural evolution, the 1980s, was vividly captured for audiences worldwide via AP’s Wirephotos. Photographers documented historic events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of global movements for democracy, from Eastern Europe to South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle while bringing global attention to humanitarian crises, such as the Ethiopian famine, with haunting images that spurred international action. The world watched on as Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, the first-ever Live Aid concert took place in London and Pac-Man graced the world stage of arcade games.
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