Youth day comes from May 4th movement, which was a patriotic students movement. At the time, China was a half colonial and feudal society. It was ruled by the North Army Government.
As we all know, in 1919 the first world war was over. Conventional alliance held “peace conference” in Paris. Because Germany was defeated, they decided to transfer all the Germans special rights to Japan, but China was one of the alliance. We should take back our territory which was occupied by Germany at that time. How can the other countries intervene Chinese own affairs, and give China’s territory to Japan?
However the coward North Army Government decided to the sign the Treaty. When the message spread to China, all classes of Chinese people got very angry. On May 4th about 3000 students from 10 different colleges protested in front of “Tiananmen Square”. They shout loudly “Defeat 21 Treaty”, “Return my Qin Dao” (one city of China occupied by Germans), and “Kill Betrayers”. The North Army Government use army to crack down the movement. A lot of the students were shot and arrested. In order to support the students, the workers in Shanghai began to strike, businessmen closed their shops. It became national patriotic movement.
Under the pressure of people all over China, the government had to release the students, and didn’t sign the betrayed treaty.
Actually, it is an anti-feudalism and invasion struggle. Students won finally. That’s why we call May 4th Youth Day. You would say “Oh you probably make mistake. It is not May 4th it must be June 4th”. I am right without doubt. Maybe they are too similar, making you puzzled. June 4th 1989. I was very young, didn’t know who was right, the government or the students, about that issue. I don’t want to comment on this subject.
One thing I know is we love our country
China!