The+Hungarian+Uprising+of+1956



= Background =

Hungary had been controlled by Russia since 1945. The death of Stalin March 1953 brought people in many Eastern European countries the hope of freedom and change, but as the 1956 uprising in Hungary proved, this was not to be the case.

Hungarian revolution

 * The death of Stalin in **May 1953** led many Hungarians to hope that Hungary also would be 'de-Stalinised'. In July 1956, the 'Stalinist' Secretary of the Hungarian Communist Party, Rakosi, fell from power.
 * During **October 1956**, students, workers and soldiers in Hungary attacked the AVH (the secret police) and Russian soldiers, and smashed a statue of Stalin.
 * On **24 October 1956** Imre Nagy - a moderate and a westernizer - took over as prime minister.
 * Nagy asked Khrushchev to move the Russian troops out. Khrushchev agreed and on **28 October 1956**, the Russian army pulled out of Budapest.
 * For **five days (from 28 Oct)**, there was freedom in Hungary. The new Hungarian government introduced democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. Cardinal Mindszenty, the leader of the Catholic Church, was freed from prison.
 * Then, on **3 November 1956**, Nagy announced that Hungary was going to leave the Warsaw Pact. However, Khrushchev was not going to allow this. He claimed he had received a letter from Hungarian Communist leaders asking for his help.
 * At dawn on **4 November 1956**, 1,000 Russian tanks rolled into Budapest. They destroyed the Hungarian army and captured Hungarian Radio the last words broadcast were "Help! Help! Help!".
 * Hungarian people - even children - fought the Russian troops with machine guns. Some 4,000 Hungarians were killed.
 * Khrushchev put in Russian supporter, Janos Kadar, as prime minister.

Causes of the Hungarian Revolution

 * Khrushchev's policy of 'de-Stalinization' caused problems in many Eastern European Communist countries, where people hated the hard-line Stalinist regimes that Russia had put in place. There was also trouble in Poland in 1956, and Khrushchev had to send in Russian troops.
 * The Hungarians were patriotic, and they hated Russian control, especially:
 * 1) The secret police called the AVH in Hungary.
 * 2) Russian control of the economy, which had made Hungary poor.
 * 3) Russian control of what the schools taught.
 * 4) Censorship and lack of freedom.
 * The Hungarians were religious, but the Communist Party had banned religion, and imprisoned Cardinal Mindszenty.
 * Hungarians thought that the United Nations or the new US president, Eisenhower, would help them.

Effects of the Hungarian RevolutionRepression in Hungary
Source:[|CGSE bitesize]
 * Thousands of Hungarians were arrested and imprisoned. Some were executed and 200,000 Hungarian refugees fled to Austria.
 * Russia stayed in control behind the Iron Curtain
 * Polarization of the Cold War - people in the West were horrified - many Communists left the Communist Party - and Western leaders became more determined to contain communism.

=Why Didn't the West Help?= ===President Eisenhower of USA said "I feel with the Hungarian people." J F Dulles, American Secretary of State, said "To all those suffering under communist slavery, let us say you can count on us." But America did nothing more. ===


 * 1) ===Because of the geographic location of Hungary, how could you actually help without resorting to war? Both sides in the [|Cold War] were nuclear powers and the risks were too great. Any economic boycott of the Soviet Union would have been pointless as Russia took what it needed from the countries it occupied. ===
 * 2) ===The [|Suez Crisis], which took place at the same time, was considered far more important and of greater relevance to the west than the suffering of the Hungarians. Hence why Britain, France and America concentrated their resources on this crisis. ===

source: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/hungarian_uprising_1956.htm

==** Freedom's Fury: A documentary on the 1956 Olympic semifinal water polo match between Hungary and Russia. Held in Australia, the match occurred as Russian forces were in Budapest, stomping out a popular revolt. During the cold war the Olympics were highly politicized. (We shall watch this one together) **== media type="vimeo" key="8141334" height="428" width="640"

=Readings:=
 * [|Anti-Soviet Movements in 1956]**
 * [|BBC: On this Day]**
 * [|THE ROAD TO BUDAPEST (a very interesting documentation of the difficult situation of the Soviets)] **
 * [|50 Years Later: a Look at Hungary's Failed Revolt] **
 * [|Politics and the Olympics] **


 * For Discussion: **
 * What are the reasons for the Soviets under Khrushchev to crush the Hungarian uprising?
 * Was it politically worth it to the Soviets?
 * How much blame does the USA and the West deserve for their lack of action?
 * Was International competition during the cold War just another facet of the battle between ideologies?

=** Extension Resources (optional) **= media type="custom" key="18685198"