Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
"Chinese emperors had claimed suzerainty over Tibet since the 13th century, and for the newly established People's Republic of China that was sufficient pretext to invade. . . . The Chinese built bridges, roads, and schools, but they also launched a determined campaign to undermine the Buddhist hierarchy's authority. . . . In 1959 resentment burst into revolt, which was brutally suppressed, forcing the Dalai Lama to flee." [Furtado: 1001 Days]