When China seized Tibet's Lhasa in nine days in 1959

In March 1959, Chinese forces captured Lhasa within nine days after tensions erupted over fears for the Dalai Lama's safety. The assault crushed Tibetan resistance, leaving thousands dead and triggering mass arrests. The Dalai Lama fled to India. The takeover reshaped Tibet's political and cultural identity, with its impact still visible in ongoing tensions over autonomy and religious control.