The Hungarian Revolution and the response of the USSR

By the end of these lessons you will
• Understand why the Hungarians rose up against occupation by the USSR in 1956
• Describe the events of the revolution and the response of the USSR to it
• Evaluate the importance of the event in the History of the cold war

• After WW2 the USSR imposed Comm on
Hungary – banned other parties
• Treated her as a defeated enemy – took land and resources
• USSR occupied the country and controlled the government and the army
• COMINFORM – 5% in prison
• Dictator – Matyas Rakosi

• Led from 1949 to 1956
• Puppet leader – did as he was told by Moscow
• Hated by his own people – nickname “the bald butcher”
• Got rid of opposition using salami tactics – divide and rule
• Imprisoned 387 000
• Killed 2000

• Stalin died in 1953 – hated and oppressive
• His death offered a new start
• Replaced by Nikita Khrushchev – a more liberal Communist – condemned Stalin's actions
• In Hungary people rioted against the rule of the USSR and stoned Russian troops
• Huge demonstrations demanding reform

• Replaced Rakosi in 1956
• More Liberal – USSR agreed to accept him
• Hungary leave the Warsaw
Pact and become neutral
• Communism in Hungary should end – free elections
• Would ask the UN for protection from the USSR

• Khrushchev was angry – could not let
Hungary leave the Warsaw Pact – others might follow their lead
• November 1956 – 200 000 USSR troops sent to Hungary to crush the new govt
• Two weeks of fighting – 20 000 killed
• 200 000 escaped to Austria
• Nagys government was crushed

• Nagy asked for protection in the Yugoslav embassy and passage to Yugoslavia –
USSR agreed to this
• As soon as he left the embassy he was arrested by Russian troops
• Accused of treason and put on trial
• Hanged in June 1958
• Gave other leaders of eastern Europe a valuable lesson

• USA had supported the uprising but did not offer military support – worried about upsetting the USSR and risking war
• USA gave $20m and encouraged the revolution but did nothing more
• UN condemned the Ussr's action but did nothing more
• Discouraged democrats in Eastern Europe
– USA would not provide military help

• USSR appointed a new leader – Janos
Kadar – had no real power – USSR in control
• Published a 15 point programme
• Communist control in Hungary
• Remain in Warsaw Pact
• Withdrawal of USSR troops
• Hungarian people had no choice to accept this