The New York Times and Washington Post articles mentioned in my original post exist, but in archives. What I get when I do a search is a copy of the front page with the headlines but nothing readable. Maybe you can do better. So what I did next was search images since much mention is made of certain things. There I was able to find some things which lead me to believe that, as you say, the truth probably is somewhere in the middle. Who drew first blood? I don't know but the images show that, at least at first, the government used unarmed troops.
I know ppl who went through tiannmen square incident. here is what they said. initially it was peaceful protest, solider didn't bring out weapon, protestor was peaceful, some even share their food/water with soliders etc. but as days goes on things become more tense. at certain point CCP want the protester move out of tiannmen square after several unsuccessful negotiation between them. on 6/4 solider close in and want to move protester out, at this point it become a riot, protester did burn bus and other stuff and set up roadblock to prevent solider move into main camp and other place. the army decide use armored vehicle to push through various road block. many protester start throwing volatile cocktail and such at the armored vehicle. some armored vehicle got stuck and isolated, the solider inside was burn to death by angry protestor throwing firebomb at them. probably at this point it become full riot and solider decide to fire upon the protester, things went out of control from there. a lot ppl die when things could resolve peacefully. China back then was poor and don't have enough rubber bullet or tear gas or other non-lethal weapon to disperse the crowd. They learn the lesson by stockpile all type of riot gear/ammo afterwards. I don't think the government has intention to kill the protestor, but when order came in to move protestor out, it became out of control the Army also lack any riot gear, the only thing they have was tank/armored vehicle/Ak47 for war use.
Communists all have memory lapses about the their brutal, genocidal pasts. If the brainwashed kids today knew the history of Red China and the Soviet Union many of them would abandon their silly utopian dreams.
All cultures have their Wounded Knees. All have engaged in wars against other people, including Indian tribe against Indian tribe. Let's pretend though that only whitey commits atrocities.
