HISTORY- The Hungarian Uprising

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1945 the second World War came to an end

Nearly all of the world was drawn into a bipolar bloc system.

and the world kinda was divided into two superpowers -

...at one side in the West, the United States had a leading role...

...and in the East it was the Soviet Union.

The ideological differences between the two leading powers (the soviets´ communism and the anti-communism of the west) nearly led to a nuclear war.The fear of that, the arms race and the fear of doing anything,that could bring a global nuclear war was called the Cold War.

Under the communism of Stalin, there was no way for the states to reform their parties, but when he died 1953, a moderate liberalization seemed to usher in Europe and many reforms made their way.

Nikita Khrushchev, the new leader of the Soviet Union denounced Stalin in a secret speech in 1956 and this may be the point, where many states wanted their independence and rise up. One of these Uprisings in 1956 was...

The 1956 Hungarian Uprising - A Beginning

order of events

Reactions

Protagonists

Tasks

TH. E 1956 HUNGARIAN UPRISING - A BEGINNING

THE 1956 HUNGARIAN UPRISING - A BEGINNING

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Backround

Procedure of the events

consequences

order of events

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Background

As early as 1945, a process began in which the Hungarian Communists, with significant support from the Soviet occupying power, established a Communist dictatorship in just a few years. The democratic forces were essentially eliminated by 1948 with the help of repression and violence (threats). In Hungary, as in all other socialist states of Eastern Europe, the communist parties had from the very beginning had the goal of achieving by all means the monopoly of power, "the leading role of the party," according to the Soviet model.

In spring 1945, the Soviet army had completely freed Hungary from German troops. Prior to this, the Red Army had been advancing ever further into Hungarian territory since September 1944. The Soviet Union remained in Hungary as an occupying power after the end of the fighting and subsequently exercised a dominant influence on the country.

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Backround

In the parliamentary elections on August 31, 1947, which were massively influenced and falsified by the Communists, the parties of the "Left Bloc," a union of Communists, Social Democrats, members of the National Peasant Party and the unions, won the elections.In the elections to the National Assembly in May 1949, the single list of the new state party won 95.6 percent of the vote. On August 29, 1949, a new constitution officially made Hungary a People's Republic. In the constitution it was described as "a state of workers and farmers. The principle of the separation of powers was abolished. A 21-member Presidential Council was established, which inreplaced the parliament as the highest state organ. The Hungarian revolution was preceded by an uprising in Poland, which was partly successful. In December 1949, all remaining private enterprises in Hungary were nationalized.

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Procedure of the events

The beginning of the hungarian uprising can be dated on october 1956. On 23th of october, a spontaneous student protest in Budapest developed into a national uprising. It lasted from the 23. of October till the 4th of november.

The Hungarian uprising was a spontaneous and surprising event. It did not result from any planning by individuals or political groups.

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Procedure of the events

23. of october

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4. OF NOVEMBER

24. of october

25. of october

27. of october

28. of october

29. of october

30. of october

1. of November

2. of November

3. of November

Book recommendation for further research

Twelve Days: The Story of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution

The Cold War: A New History

Students call for a spontaneous demonstration in solidarity with the Polish revolutionaries. The slogan of the demonstration was "Poland is the model, let us at the same time follow the Hungarian way". The students had different demands: - free elections to choose a democratic government; - an impartial legal system to ensure fair trials; - the total withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary; - farmers to be allowed private ownership of their land (instead of it being state owned); - Hungary to leave the Warsaw Pact and declare neutrality in the Cold War. → Warsaw Pact: A collective defence treaty between the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania Formally: a treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance Created on 14 May 1955 --> embodied the Eastern bloc --> NATO and its members were the Western bloc --> opposed ideologies end on 25 February 1991 and the Czechoslovak President, Vaclav Havel, formally declared an end to it on 1 July 1991 --> followed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 Besides their political demands, the people also called the name Imre Nagy´s (ex-premier), the reform-oriented prime minister who was deposed by the party leadership. Nagys, the reform-oriented former prime minister who was deposed by the party leadership. Nagy then spoke from a balcony of the parliament building. At the same time, Hungarian Radio broadcast a speech by Ernö Gerö. The crowd gathered in front of the radio building in Pest, also a result of the march, demanded that the demands be read out. The State Security Service ÁVH took action against demonstrators in front of the radio building by force of arms. They fired on the demonstrators. Within a very short time there were numerous dead and injured. The situation then escalated. The demonstrators stormed the radio building, now also armed with weapons and ammunition from police stations and barracks. This was the beginning of the armed conflict. The Hungarian army units that were actually called in to suppress the demonstrations disregarded the orders of their superiors and often showed solidarity with the demonstrators. The Soviet ambassador Andropov alarmed Moscow with the following words: "We have the impression that the Hungarian comrades in the atmosphere that has been created in this way are hardly able to take the path of determined and courageous action without help.

On the morning of October 24, 1956, the Hungarian radio announced that the entire country was entitled to exemption. Imre Nagy was elected to the Central Committee of the party and to the Political and unanimously nominated and elected for the office of Prime Minister. First Russian tanks arrive in Budapest. Public life came to a standstill in Budapest. The factories stopped production, traffic came to a standstill and school lessons were cancelled. The uprising continued to spread throughout Hungary. Soviet troops moved into the larger cities.

Armed conflicts broke out throughout Hungary. Revolutionary councils and national committees were established almost everywhere in the country. They replaced the previous incumbents in companies and administrations. The councils took over public affairs in the municipalities and exercised de facto state authority. In the afternoon Imre Nagy gave a radio speech. In this context, he announced that after law and order had been restored, Parliament would "adopt a well-founded reform program covering all areas. He also announced that "the Hungarian government is seeking negotiations on relations between the Hungarian People's Republic and the Soviet Union, including the withdrawal of Soviet troops stationed in Hungary.

The government reshuffle is announced. The creation of the government program gives rise to fierce debate.

The Hungarian security police face their captors, after protesting their innocence The new government is sworn in by the President of the Presidential Council of the Hungarian People's Republic. Over the radio Nagy announced an armistice on October 28, 1956 at 13:20. He promised to fulfill some of the basic demands of the insurgents. This also included the Resolution of ÁVH.

The Soviet units leave Budapest at the request of the Hungarian government. In terms of numbers, they had still been tactically able to deal successfully with the "guerilla tactics" of the insurgent Hungarians. The insurgents set up traps for Soviet tank units and, with homemade "Molotov cocktails," achieved serious losses of people and materials.

On October 31, 1956, Imre Nagy announced the opening of negotiations on Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact. On the same day, the leadership of the KPdSU under Khrushchev had already finally decided on a second military mission in Hungary. Soviet units from Romania and the Ukraine marched on towards Hungary. Those units that had left Budapest a few days earlier had turned back towards Budapest in the night of October 31. Information about the renewed deployment of Soviet forces was spreading in Budapest on October. This action by Soviet troops was a clear breach of the terms of the "Warsaw Pact".

A young rebel takes coverOn November 1, 1956, Imre Nagy summoned the Soviet ambassador to inform him that Hungary was withdrawing from the Warsaw Pact in protest against the decision to take renewed military action. On that day, the government also publicly declared its withdrawal from the military alliance of communist states and Hungary's neutrality. In doing so, the government complied with another central demand of the insurgents. From this second phase of the uprising onwards, Hungary increasingly distanced itself from its communist state system, which had previously been oriented toward the Soviet Union. The general strike was declared over. In the evening Imre Nagy handed over the "Hungarian note" to the ambassadors in the capital and asked the UN to recognize Hungarian neutrality.

On November 2, 1956, the Hungarian government under Imre Nagy protested in several notes to the Secretary General of the United Nations (UNO: United Nations Organization) against the Soviet aggression.

On the morning of November 3, 1956, the first negotiations with Soviet generals on the basic withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary took place in the Parliament building. The negotiations soon turned out to be a deceptive maneuver by the Soviet side. Around midnight the Hungarian government delegation, which included, among others, Defense Minister Pál Maléter, Justice Minister Ferenc Erdei and Chief of Staff István Kovács, was arrested by the KGB in an illegal action. The Hungarian government under Prime Minister Imre Nagy fell into a political and diplomatic trap. Soviet Ambassador Andropov denied the true intentions of the Soviet troop movements. The UN and the Western powers did nothing to protect the Hungarian neutrality that had just been declared.

A lorry full of enthusiastic young partisans with weapons, supplied by the Hungarian army, who were loosely organised into a resistance movementAt 4:00 a.m. on November 4, 1956, the second military offensive of the Soviet troops against democratic Hungary began. It was essentially completed in Budapest by November 11. In other regions of Hungary, some of the clashes lasted until November 15. The armed insurgents - especially in the capital - resumed their fight. Nagy himself went to the Yugoslavian embassy with numerous comrades-in-arms and their families to apply for political asylum. Minister of State István Bibó formulated an official statement on the violent deposition of the Hungarian government. Budapest was placed under Soviet military administration.

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consequences

Even 50 years after the event, the number of Hungarians who lost their lives in the popular uprising in the context of armed disunion can only be estimated as difficult to determine exactly. In a secret report for the communist state power in 1957, the Hungarian State Statistical Office listed the number of 2700 people who died in the national uprising between 23 October 1956 and 11 November 1956.The latest research is concerned with the number of victims who died in the fighting from about 3000 people. About 15,000 people were injured.

After the repeated invasion of the soviet union, about 22,000 people were convicted by the courts of the Kádár regime installed by Moscow. 13,000 of them were put in prison, at least 200 were executed. Several tens of thousands were sent to internment camps, although the number of internees is still unknown.

By the end of 1956, approximately 200,000 people fled abroad. Within half a year, Hungary lost almost two percent of its population. The majority of the refugees were under 40 years old. The group of workers and intellectuals was most strongly represented.

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Soviet Union

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At first, on 1 November 1956, the Red Army seemed to be withdrawing, butIn reality: it continued to keep an eye on the country, which was foundering in a ‘counter-revolution’ Between 4 and 8 November 1956: the Red Army was ordered to put down the Hungarian Uprising by force → Soviet troops attacked en masse and abolished the independent national government→ After the uprising was crushed, Moscow installed a new government, a dictatorial regime in the country and closed all the borders again. The moment was well chosen, because even though the reputation of the USSR sank to its lowest level since World War II, the western powers were not in the position to react, they were helplessly watching, the Russians returning to Hungary, because they were weakened by the Suez Crisis.(--> US-Reaction)

Reasons:To hold the states under their power of communism, the SU made a pact, the so-called Warsaw pact. If one of the states would have left it, they had the fear, that it would destroy the unity of the Soviet bloc and would weaken their defences. And as Hungary wanted to leave that pact, they could not allow it, because they feared a “Domino-effect”, which means, that they feared, that if one country turns away from communism, alle the neighbours will do the same.

Reaction of the Soviet Union

The USA remained really passive during the uprising. Many people blamed the West for the failure of the revolution, but as you can read in a Draft study by Dr. Ronald D. Landa from 2012, there were some good reasons for that.1. The Uprising was not the only event going on at that time. At the same time the US had to handle the Suez Crisis ( a Anglo-French invasion of Suez) , which became one of the USA’s main concerns.2. They had a problem of getting access to Hungary, as Austria was neutral and NATO forces could not advance through it.3. The fear through nuclear powers. Intervinig in this event could have led to a nuclear war.This is why the US stayed maintainly with newsreporting and even as Nagy applied for help, they could not do anything. If you read this article of the fourth November 1956 published bay the BBC , you will see, that Moscow pretended as if there was no heavy fighting, the West got reports, that maintained the crushing of the new Hungarian governement and capture of Imre Nagy.

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Even if the West stayed passive, there was a lot of reporting. If you wanna get a picturable view on the fightings, watch this video of British Pathé.

US-Reacion

4 November 1956 BBC Soviet troops overrun Hungary The Soviet air force has bombed part of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, and Russian troops have poured into the city in a massive dawn offensive. At least 1,000 Soviet tanks are reported to have entered Budapest and troops deployed throughout the country are battling with Hungarian forces for strategic positions. The Soviet invasion is a response to the national uprising led by Prime Minister Imre Nagy, who has promised the Hungarian people independence and political freedom. Mr Nagy's anti-Soviet policies, which include withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, have been worrying Eastern Bloc countries and Moscow has demanded his government's capitulation. Appeal to the West News of the attack came at 0515 local time on Radio Budapest in an urgent appeal by Mr Nagy himself for help from the West. Despite an apparent withdrawal only last week, Soviet troops deployed outside Budapest swept back into the capital with Russian and Romanian reinforcements between 0400 and 0800 local time. The Times newspaper reports that artillery units pounded Budapest from the surrounding hills as Soviet MIG fighters bombarded the capital from the air. Sources say Soviet infantry units stormed the Parliament building, a key strategic and symbolic target, early this morning. 'Crushed' Reports that Mr Nagy and other members of his cabinet were captured in the attack have not been confirmed. But in an unscheduled newscast on Moscow radio shortly after 1200GMT, Russia claimed to have "crushed the forces of reactionary conspiracy against the Hungarian people". Despite Moscow's claims, heavy fighting is reported to be continuing throughout the country for key installations such as railway stations and major bridges across the River Danube. Moscow is now backing a new breakaway Hungarian government led by Janos Kadar, whose stated purpose is to destroy Mr Nagy's "counter-revolution".

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Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev

Imre Nagy

Protagonists

Mátyás Rákosi

János Kádár

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Quiz

Caricature task

Tasks

Extra

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Set the following cartoons in their historical context and connect them. In addition, compare the role and actions of the UN and the Soviet Union.

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On the page for the US-Reaction you got a newspaper article. Read it again and think of how newsrepoting played a role in the uprising. Write a short article from the Russians view.

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Quiz

Start

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When did the Hungarian uprising start??

23th of October 1956

4th of November 1956

3rd of March 1960

When did the Hungarian uprising start??

4th of November 1956

3rd of March 1960

23th of October 1956

The Hungarian uprising began as a...?

Student protest

strike

assassination

The Hungarian uprising began as a...?

strike

assasination

Student protest

The Hungarian security police was called...?

AVH

NSP

rendőrség

The Hungarian security police was called...?

AVH

rendőrség

NSP

How many poeple fled from Hungaria?

150,000

10,000

200,000

The Hungarian security police was called...?

200,000

10,000

150,000

What office did János Kádár hold between 1956-1988?

primier mininster of Hungary

first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

first secretary of the Communist Party of Hungary

What office did János Kádár hold between 1956-1988?

first secretary of the Communist Party of Hungary

first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

primier mininster of Hungary

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This tank will überroll you, so you can survive this Abschnitt. Otherwise. Here you got a cookie.

You survived! Good job!Thanks for your attention!

All of our sources are metioned in an extra document.

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Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchchev was the new leader of the SU after Stalin died. He was born in April 17 1894 and died September 11, 1971. At the time of the Hungaraian Uprising he was the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953–64) and premier of the Soviet Union (1958–64).

Policy

Policy Krhrushshev was the new leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin´s death, but he was about to change /liberalize the Communism of him. With his de-Stalinization, he pursued a policy of “peaceful coexistence” with the capitalist West. With that, he wanted to humanize the Soviet system, but without sacrificing its ideology. So he placed greater emphasis on producing consumer goods (in contrast to the Stalinist emphasis on heavy industry) and released several million political prisoners from the infamous labour camps of the Gulag. With that the domestic political atmosphere became freer.

Role in the Upsrising

Role in the Uprising We already know, that Khruchchev wanted a De-Stalinaazation, but at first, he did not wanted this thoughts to spread, so he first made up this idea in a so-called Secret speech. But somehow, the new thinking spreaded and now many states wanted to liberalize and become indepedent. So this speech can be maintained as the main reason for several uprisings. On the1 November 1956, the Red Army seemed to be withdrawing as th Hunagrians required, but he ordered, that they continued to keep an eye on the country, which was foundering in a ‘counter-revolution’. between 4 and 8 November 1956, he ordered the Red Army to put down the Hungarian Uprising by force, because he could not allow, that they leave the Warsaw Pact. So Soviet troops attacked and abolished the independent national government. After that, he subjected Hungary to merciless repression, bankrolled the new government, restored a dictatorial regime in the country and closed all the borders again.

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Imre Nagy

Imre Nagy was born in June 7, 1896 and died June 16, 1958. He was a Hungarian statesman and independent Communist. During WW I he was captured by the Russians. After, he fought in the Red Army and went to live in Moscow as a member of the Institute for Agrarian Sciences He returned to Hungary 1944 (under Soviet occupation) and helped establish the postwar government. Nagy held several ministerial posts between 1944 and 1948, but he was forced out several times because of his support of peasants’ welfare and his independent attitude.

Policy

Policy On the first Hand Nagy was a Communist, who made politic in Russia and then went back to Hungary. He helped to stablish the new governement, but even before 1956 he was forced out several times, because he had a little too independent and liberal attitude a. In 1956 he became the leader of the uprising in Hungary, where he wanted to establish Hungary’s independence from the Soviet Union.

Role in the Upsrising

Role in the uprising 1956 he became the premier of the revolutionary government. He fought for Hungarys independence and had goals for a new independent status ( see Background). On the last day of the uprising, he ppealed to the West for help, but later on he was executed later by the Soviets.

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János Kádár

Kádár was born on 26 may 1912 in Fiume Hungary and died on 6 july 1989 in Budapest. He was from 1956-1958 and from 1961-1965 the premier minister of Hungaryand also was from 1956 – 1988 the secretary of the communist party in Hungary which was in Hungary the much powerfuller position.

Policy

Policy 1949 he became the minister of interior but in 1950 he was expelled from the party and jailed because he came in conflict with Stalinists. Rehabilitated in 1954 he joined the government of Imre Nagy. After the Uprising, till the 1980s he was the undisputed leader, but with the economical crisis, the high indebtedness of Hungary and his high age he began to wobble – In 1988 he stepped back from his position as party secretary and him was given the more ceremonial post as party president. -

Role in the Upsrising

Role in the Uprising At first he joined the governement under Imre Nagy and supported it. After the 4 november 1956 he formed under supervision of the soviet union a new communist government in Hungary. During his first years he chose repressive measures to curb the revolution.

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Mátyás Rákosi

Mátyas Rákosi was born on the 14 March 1892 in and died on 5 February 1971 in Gorky USSR.From 1945 till 1956 he was the leader of the communist party in Hungary and from 1952 to 1953 prime minister of Hungary. Durig the short Communist Regime from Béla Kun (1919) he was the commissar of socialist production, with the fall of the regime he fled to Moscow. In 1924 he returned to Hungary to build up a communist party. After being sent to Prison in Hungary he returned to Moscow in 1940, but 4 years later he arrived with the soviet troops in Budapest. There Rákosi became secretary of the Hungarian Workers Party and with the help of the ÁVH he quickly bundled the power in his hands. He ruled the country from 1949 till 1953 as secretary of the communist party and from 1952 also as prime minister.

Policy

Policy “Stalin’s best student” In July 1953 after the death of Stalin, in the course of the destalinization he was replaced as prime minister with Imre Nagy, but still remained as secretary of the communist party. After a dispute with the Yugoslav leader Tito, the Soviet Leadership removed him from all position.

Role in the Upsrising

Role in the Uprising He achieved the dismissal of Imre Nagy in 1955, but as at least the Uprising broke out, he fled to Russia, where he died.

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