It came out clear to everyone that Google was just a U.S pawn.As the stories travel around the world,people became skeptical that Google was just being used by US Gov on his fight with China about freedom and democracy.
Google,on its own, may not have taken the stance without the backing of U.S government.it’s CEO is a member of Obama’s Tech Advisory Board.
France and Germany ban Google from showing Nazi propaganda so what is special about that?Double standard and U.S is starting its long ambition of starting a trade war with China.

I certainly wouldn’t put it past a company like Google to be audacious about anything it does, afterall just look at Google’s action in the past?

There will be a chinese solution to this that will likely be face saving to both parties in their own way, as isolated a market China may seem to be, almost all of its major listed internet related companies are either listed in the US or HK and rely very much on overseas capital. I’d be very surprised if Google got the straight boot, what will happen to Google.cn is of course a very different matter.

That said, if Google really was considering an eventual return, they could have been quieter in their exit.

They really took as strong a stance as I ever seen for a company pulling out of a market.