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How it feels to scroll Lemmy as an Eastern European (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/tankiejerk@piefed.social
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[–] 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (6 children)

As I understand it: left leaning (usually extreme left) users who idolise the Chinese government. Tankie is a reference to the Tienanmen Square protests and massacre, and specifically to the “tank man”. I’m not sure how that got associated with pro-CPR users though, as the protests were very much against that government.

Edit: check out the replies to my reply for a different and likely more correct explanation.

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  • [–] 17 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

    No, tankie is a reference to Soviets using tanks to quell uprisings in Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968).

    Tankies are not leftists, they're authoritarian simps that hate the United States and love China/Russia. If you think Russia is leftist you're insane, doubly so for China.

    Edit: I also find it funny that the person I'm responding to has had this explanation given to them already.

    Edit 2: Ok that may have been an honest mistake, I'm sorry I'm just like a raw nerve when it comes to this topic.

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  • [–] 8 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

    It was actually the Hungarian student rebellion. Young Hungarians wanted to vote out their Soviet puppet leaders and elect new leadership. It's important to point out the leaders they wanted were still communists. The Soviets sent in tanks to crush the movement.

    British communists were disgusted by some of their fellow communists that were cheering on this violent oppression and started calling them tankies.

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