Add Your Piece of History… 4th June

• On this day in 1984.  Bruce Springsteen released his best selling album today ‘Born in the U.S.A.’

• On this day in 1629.  Dutch trading ship ‘The Batavia’ is shipwrecked off Australia’s western coast. The ship sailed from Texel for the Dutch East Indies to obtain spices.  During the voyage 2 of the crew, Jacobsz and Cornelisz, planned to hijack the ship, with the aim of starting a new life somewhere using the supply of trade gold and silver on board.  Jacobsz deliberately steered the ship off course away from the rest of the fleet, planning to organise a mutiny against the captain.  On the 4th of June the ship struck a reef off the Western Australian coast.  A rescue attempt was made but is was discovered that a mutiny had taken place.  Cornelisz had planned to hijack any rescue ships, and organised the murder of 125 men, women and children.  The rescue party overcame the mutineers, executing the major leaders including Cornelisz.  Some of the items, including human remains, are now on display in the Western Australian Maritime Museum in Fremantle, Australia.

• On this day in 1989.  Thousands of students are massacred at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.  In May 1989 a million Chinese students and others held mass protests calling for greater democracy and an end to corruption, this took place at Tiananmen Square in the centre of Beijing.  On the 4th of June Chinese troops with tanks and armoured cars stormed Tiananmen Square killing hundreds of protesters when firing into the crowd indiscriminately.  Many protesters were arrested and
  executed in the months following.

Please feel free to add your piece of history (something personal or general history).

Tiananmen Square – 1989

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