On September 3rd, Tiananmen Square will host a military parade Beijing calls a celebration of victory. But behind the flags and missiles lies a storm of fear, purges, and political intrigue. For Xi Jinping, it could be the most dangerous event of his life. The parade marshal still hasn’t been named. Ammunition and troops are stationed just a kilometer from Zhongnanhai. Forty-four generals have fallen in three years. Xi’s once-loyal aides have vanished or been demoted. Will this parade show strength—or expose Xi’s weakness? The world is watching, because anything could happen on that day.
