Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacres in Beijing, China. Though still a taboo subject in the Communist regime, the death toll is believed to be about 700 -- mostly unarmed residents of the city.

Dan Southerland, executive editor of Radio Free Asia, was the Beijing bureau chief for the Washington Post during the protests led by pro-Democracy students. He's penned a telling recount of the tragedy for the Post.

The repression continues today as China buckles down to prevent any recognition of the anniversary.

"Authorities have also blocked Twitter, Hotmail, You Tube, blogs, and the photo-sharing site Flickr, expanding an already tough firewall aimed at suppressing any online mention of the night June 3-4, 1989 when Chinese troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing hundreds and prompting an international outcry," according to a report on Radio Free Asia. "In Beijing, security forces blanketed the square and black police vans lurked alongside the nearby Forbidden City, as police and paramilitary forces patrolled through crowds of tourists."