Nanjing

In 1421, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital of China from Nanjing to Beijing. Earlier, Nanjing was established as the first capital of the Ming Dynasty after the overthrow of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty by the Hongwu Emperor in 1368. This transition marked a major shift in the administrative and cultural focus of the empire.

The Treaty of Nanking was signed on August 29, 1842, marking the end of the First Opium War between the United Kingdom and the Qing dynasty of China. The treaty resulted in the cession of Hong Kong to the British, the opening of five Chinese ports to British trade, and the payment of a large indemnity by China to Britain. The treaty is considered an unequal treaty by many historians.

On March 19, 1853, during the Taiping Rebellion, the Taiping Army captured the city of Nanjing and it was declared the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The rebellion lasted for about 14 years, causing massive casualties and upheaval in China, and is considered one of the most brutal civil wars in history with over 20 million casualties.

The Republic of China was officially established on January 1, 1912, following the abdication of the Qing Emperor Puyi. Sun Yat-sen, a Chinese revolutionary and political leader, became the provisional president. Nanjing was declared the provisional capital of the newly founded republic, marking the end of over two thousand years of imperial rule in China.

The Marco Polo Bridge Incident on July 7, 1937, marked the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War. This conflict, which saw significant battles such as the invasion of Nanjing, was characterized by widespread atrocities, including the Nanjing Massacre. The war merged into World War II and lasted until September 9, 1945, with Japan's surrender.

The Nanjing Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanjing, was a mass murder and mass rape committed by Imperial Japanese troops against the residents of Nanjing, then the capital of the Republic of China, during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It began on December 13, 1937, and lasted for six weeks, during which hundreds of thousands of civilians were murdered, and tens of thousands of women were raped.

The capture of Nanjing by the People's Liberation Army on April 23, 1949, marked a significant turning point in the Chinese Civil War, leading to the eventual establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. This event resulted in the relocation of the Republic of China government to Taiwan.

The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge opened on August 12, 1978. It is a double-decked road-rail truss bridge and was the longest of its kind in China. The bridge was a major engineering feat of its time, symbolizing the modernization drive of the country and facilitating further economic integration and development in the region.

The Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics was officially opened on September 13, 1980. It has since grown to become a leading research university, particularly in the fields of engineering and aerospace technology, contributing significantly to China's advancements in these areas through education and innovation.

While the Tiananmen Square Protests culminated in Beijing, they stirred significant political activity in cities across China, including Nanjing. Students and citizens in Nanjing participated in widespread protests demanding political reform and democratic freedoms. The government's response was a tragic and violent crackdown, reflecting the broader national impact of the events.