On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao stood in front of a crowd in Tiananmen Square and declared, “Ours will no longer be a nation subject to insult and humiliation. We have stood up.” From that moment in time onward, China has evolved and transformed into modern day global super-power. However, the transformation has been met with enormous growing pains, with each anniversary symbolizing an important development in Chinese modern history.
The focal point of the 1959 celebrations was Mao’s economic policy of the “Great Leap Forward.” The 1989 40th anniversary was overshadowed by the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. However, the recent 60th anniversary represented a great achievement for the people in China, as 60 is traditionally viewed as a monumental milestone. The military displayed its massive array of high-tech weapon technology, and 200,000 paraded down the streets in Tiananmen Square.
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