1959 Tibetan uprising

Many years ago, people in Tibet were worried. They feared for their leader, the Dalai Lama. They thought he might be taken away.

Thousands of people gathered in the city.

They wanted to keep their land free. Many women also joined the crowds to protest.

Fighting broke out in the streets. This was a very sad and hard time. The Dalai Lama had to leave his home to stay safe. He traveled to a new land called India.

It was a big change for the people of Tibet.

In 1959, a big protest began in Lhasa. Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet.

People were worried about their leader. His name is the Dalai Lama. Many thought the Chinese government might arrest him. To keep him safe, thousands of people gathered near his palace.

Protesters wanted Tibet to be independent. They did not want Chinese rule. Soon, the protests turned into fighting. The Chinese military used tanks and guns.

Fighting lasted for several days. Many people were killed during this time. The Dalai Lama had to leave his home to stay safe. He escaped to the country of India.

Before this, there was also fighting in other parts of Tibet. This started in 1956 in the Kham and Amdo areas. Some groups fought against the Chinese army for many years. The CIA also gave help to the Tibetan fighters.

In 1959, a major uprising began in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. This event was a series of large protests by the Tibetan people. Many people were very worried about their leader, the 14th Dalai Lama. They feared the government of the People's Republic of China planned to arrest him.

Because of these fears, thousands of people gathered near the Dalai Lama's summer palace. They wanted to make sure he stayed safe and free.

The protests changed quickly over ten days. At first, people just wanted to show support for the Dalai Lama. Soon, they began demanding that Tibet be an independent country. They also wanted to reverse the 1951 annexation of Tibet by China. As the crowds grew, the situation became much more tense. The people used slogans to show they did not want Chinese rule.

Fighting broke out as the protests turned into a conflict. The Chinese People's Liberation Army used tanks and artillery. They shelled the area around the Dalai Lama's palace, known as the Norbulingka. During the three days of heavy fighting, the Dalai Lama had to escape. He fled to the country of India to find safety. Many thousands of Tibetans were killed during this uprising, though the exact number is not known.

This conflict did not start only in Lhasa. In 1956, fighting had already begun in the Kham and Amdo regions. These areas were undergoing socialist reforms like land redistribution.

Tibetan guerrilla fighters fought against the Chinese military in these places for years. The CIA provided support to these fighters through training and supplies. This resistance in the eastern regions lasted all the way through 1962.

Today, the history of this time is remembered in different ways. Many exiled Tibetans observe March 10 as Tibetan Uprising Day. Some also call it Women's Uprising Day to honor those who protested. In 2009, the government in the Tibet Autonomous Region chose a different date for a national anniversary. They named March 28 as Serfs Emancipation Day. These different dates show how people still view these historical events today.

The 1959 Tibetan uprising was a major period of conflict and protest. It began on March 10, 1959, in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. The uprising was driven by deep fears among the Tibetan people. They worried the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) intended to arrest the 14th Dalai Lama. This leader is the spiritual and political head of Tibet. The uprising changed the course of Tibetan history and led to a long period of exile for its leader.

Before the events in Lhasa, resistance had already begun in other regions. In 1956, armed conflict broke out in Kham and Amdo. These areas were undergoing socialist reforms, such as the redistribution of land. In these eastern regions, the Chinese government treated the land more like other Chinese provinces. This was different from Tibet proper, where such reforms had been delayed. The Khampa people and nomads of Amdo traditionally owned their own land. Because of these changes, Tibetan guerrillas began fighting the People's Liberation Army (PLA). This guerrilla warfare spread across various areas and lasted until 1962.

The conflict in the east involved complex political shifts. Some Khampa leaders initially worked with the Chinese. For example, Pandatsang Rapga offered fighters to the governor of Chamdo in exchange for independence for Kham. However, the governor, Ngabo Ngawang Jigme, refused this offer. After the Tibetan Army was defeated in Chamdo, the PLA successfully took control. By 1957, the Kham region was in a state of chaos. Resistance groups like the Chushi Gangdruk fought the PLA. In response, the Chinese government carried out punitive strikes against Tibetan villages and monasteries.

In Lhasa, tensions rose as the Chinese presence grew. The CIA provided covert support to the Tibetan rebels. This included training for fighters and logistical assistance through camps in Nepal. The CIA also organized aerial supply missions to help the resistance. In February 1959, Chinese reports noted that revolts were developing into a full-scale rebellion. Chinese leaders saw these rebellions as a reason to carry out comprehensive reforms. The PLA also used Hui soldiers to help crush the revolt in Amdo. This created an extremely unstable atmosphere in the capital city.

The specific spark for the Lhasa uprising involved a planned cultural performance. A Chinese General, Zhang Jingwu, had invited the Dalai Lama to see a dance troupe. The performance was suggested to take place at the Chinese military headquarters. This plan was kept very secret, and even the Dalai Lama's advisors were not fully informed. On March 9, Chinese officials requested that the Dalai Lama attend without his armed bodyguards. This caused great alarm among Tibetan officials. Many feared the Chinese intended to kidnap or abduct the Dalai Lama during the event.

On March 10, the situation turned into a massive demonstration. Between 30,000 and 300,000 Tibetans surrounded the Dalai Lama's palace to protect him. The protesters pleaded with him not to attend the meeting with Chinese officials. The demonstrations quickly evolved from support for the Dalai Lama to demands for Tibetan independence. Protesters also demanded the reversal of the 1951 Chinese annexation of Tibet. Violence broke out in the streets of Lhasa. Protesters used anti-Chinese slogans, and barricades were built throughout the city.

The Chinese military responded with significant force. The PLA deployed tanks and used artillery to shell the area. They targeted the Norbulingka, which was the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. During three days of intense fighting, the Dalai Lama was forced to flee. He escaped to India to find safety. Thousands of Tibetans were killed during the uprising, though the exact number remains disputed. The event left a lasting impact on how Tibetans and the Chinese government view this history. Today, exiled Tibetans observe March 10 as Tibetan Uprising Day.