hungarian uprising

• Hungarian Uprising


  1956
• Khrushchev's 'Secret Speech'


  1. Denounced Stalin's policies

  2. Urged peaceful co-existence with non-communist nations
• De-Stalinisation


  • Began policy to end Stalin's influence over USSR
  • Warsaw Pact formed in May 1955
• Students took to streets for reforms

  23rd Oct 1956
• Imre Nagy


  (Moderate communist) appointed leader on 24th Oct 1956
• 1 Nov 1956


  Nagy announced free elections and withdrawal from Warsaw Pact
• 6000 Soviet tanks crossed border

  4th Nov 1956
• Pleas made for West and UN to intervene
• Cominform ordered to be broken up
• Secret speech listened to by Hungarians who hoped for better standard of living, but changes didn't happen immediately resulting in protests
• Main causes


  • Bitterness from Yugoslavia
  • Nationalism
  • Oppression
  • West's promises
  • Catholic Church
  • Poverty
• 30,000 died in the uprising
• 1.5 million Hungarians left the country as a consequence
• Nagy replaced by Kadar, a hardline communist
• West decided it was too risky to intervene and support the uprising