11. Tiananmen Square
Here is another iconic photo from the 80s, which takes place in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The man, who is unidentified, stands on Cangan Boulevard in an effort to block the military advancement. It was June 5, 1989, and thousands of people died the day before when Chinese soldiers fired on innocent civilians participating in a peaceful protest against the government. Students initiated the demonstrations as part of a democratic reform to end government corruption but only led to thousands of arrests and dozens of executions.
