The Hungarian Uprising

• key players of the events

  Nikita Khruschev- leader of USSR from 1955. less hardline than Stalin. Matyas Rakosi- hardline Stalinist- Hungarian PM. Imre Nagy- communist but less hardline. replaced Rakosi as PM. Dwight Eisenhower- replaced Truman, who he thought was too soft on communism
• the 4 causes of the Hungarian Uprising

  Soviet Control of Hungary post-WWII, the Rule of Matyas Rakosi, De-Stalinisation, Events in Poland
• examples of soviet control of Hungary after ww2.

  Soviets made them pay $300 mill in reparations (part of Axis Alliance). campaign of rape. communist party won only 17% of vote in election but leaders of the Smallholder's Party were arrested or fled. Soviet troops became permanently stationed there. economy + industry run for the benefit of the USSR. cut off from the west (no marshall aid)
• why did this cause resentment to the soviets/stalin?

  Hungary's resources & workers were exploited. isolated from the west. presence of the Red Army unwanted- politically hostile. purpose becomes to serve the USSR
• examples of the rule of Matyas Rakosi

  200,000+ political opponents imprisoned or deported to USSR. secret police = AVH. attacks on religion. focused the economy on heavy industry and steel production- food was rationed & wages dropped
• why did this cause resentment to their own government?

  terrible living and working conditions. tyrannical dictatorship. no focus on consumer goods, only supply for USSR. political + religious oppression
• what was the trigger for de-stalinisation


  the Secret Speech made by Khruschchev in 1956- expressed his regret for Stalin's reign of terror + announced the policy of de-stalinisation
• how did de-stalinisation raise hopes in Hungary for changes to their government?

  Hungarians believe they will have Soviet support to change to a more moderate gov + leave tyrannical dictatorships like Stalin's and Rakosi's behind. feel encouraged/empowered to act.
• what were the events in Poland that caused Hungarians to feel further hope for change?

  1956- workers in Poland protested about working conditions. the Polish Army killed & detained many workers but the USSR ordered the oppression to stop. got the Polish gov to increase wages + choose a new moderate leader
• how did the uprising begin?

  peaceful political demonstration in Budapest- tore down Stalin's statue. became a general strike, rebels then armed by Hungarian army
• what did Krushchev do because of the uprising?

  replace Rakosi with Imre Nagy- moderate communist who would continue de-Stalinisation in Hungary. does this as a compromise- rebels = happy, Soviets = still in control
• how do the soviets respond to the uprising

  violently. many people killed + over 100 wounded as tanks rolled in to Bundapest. but 2 soviet divisions defeated by rebels
• what demand did Imre Nagy immediately make, was he successful?

  asked Soviet troops to leave Hungary- did leave Budapest but withdrew only to the countryside out of sight
• what were Nagy's proposed reforms for Hungary


  free elections, press + speech, trade links with West, end to the one party system, politically neutral, withdrawal from Warsaw Pact
• what action does Krushchev take on November 4th and why

  sends tanks into Hungary + Budapest once again as he CANNOT afford to let them leave the Warsaw Pact
• how does the west/US respond and why was this controversial

  don't intervene- won't begin WW3 to save Hungary although the US had been encouraging EE to rise up against soviet + communist regimes and had preached the message 'you can count on us' when the uprising began. policy of containment not roll back
• what happened to the protesters, what happened to Nagy

  35,000 Hungarians arrested, 300 executed. Nagy replaced by hardline, prov-soviet communist Janos Kadar. Nagy hid in Yugoslav embassy- when he left he was seized and executed by soviet agents
• what is the western reaction after the uprising has ended


  UN condemned the Kadar regime and the Soviet repression of the uprising but no further action taken. Time magazine names the Hungarian Freedom Fighter as its Man of the Year
• how did the result of the uprising strengthen the USSR + Krushchev

  EE countries now know they cannot leave the Warsaw Pact, making it stronger. Kruschev gains confidence in his dealings w/ the US as he knows they won't take military action
• how did Soviet invasion of Hungary sour relations between superpowers

  Krushchev had spoken about peaceful co-existence. de-stalinisation not what it seemed to be. US condemn them publicy + internationally