THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION OF 1957 By: Joshua Dixon

Causing Actions  During WWII Hungary was part of the Axis Powers and was therefore allied with Nazi-Germany.  Hungary participated in the occupation of Yugoslavia and the invasion of the Soviet Union.  When the tides turned and the Soviet Union began to gain ground and force the Hungarians back, in order to prevent being invaded, the Hungarians began armistice negotiations.  Germany however ended negotiations when it set up a Pro- Nazi regime within Hungary.

Causing Actions  In September of 1944 the Soviet Army invaded Hungary in order to liberate it from Nazi rule.  The Soviets then set up an alternative government in Debrecen, the regional center of North-Eastern Hungary, on December 21st,  Budapest, which is the actual capitol of Hungary was not captured until nearly a month later on January 18th, 1945.

Election of 1945  Hungary had not participated in an election in over six years and were required to participate in one by the Yalta Agreement.  The three major political parties at the time were:  The Independent Smallholders Party The only true opposition of the Communist Party. Won 57% of Votes.  Hungarian Communist Party A Marxist-Lenist party which had the same ideological ideas as the Soviet Union. Predicted themselves to win the election by a landslide but only gained 17% of votes. However through the use of Salami Tactics were able to take charge of the country.  The Hungarian Socialist Democratic Party Co-Ruled the country along with the Independent Smallholders Party. Pressured to join the Communist Party and eventually did. The merger created the Hungarian Working Peoples Party.

The AVO  The AVO (Allamvedelmi Osztaly) were the Hungarians State Security Agency and secret police.  They were headquartered at 60, Andrassy Place in Budapest which is now known as Terror House and was formerly occupied by the Nazi Arrow Cross Movement.  Their work was one of the main causes of the Uprising.  They created a climate of fear and known members were publicly lynched in front of large crowds in Budapest during the Uprising.

Economic Decline  After Hungary became a communist state under the leadership of Mátyás Rákosi the AVO began using scare tactics and forcibly removed, tortured, and executed all opposition Working Peoples Party in Budapest.  The now vacated housing was then appropriated to party members.  As a result jobs and housing became scarce throughout all of Hungary due to the sudden surge of displaced citizens and the standard of living began to decrease.  Hungary was also required to pay reparations to the Soviet Union (approx. $300 million usd)  Hungary then experienced one of the highest rates of inflation ever recorded. (aka Hyperinflation)  Hungary was also restricted from trading with the west and could not receive Marshall Plan aid.

The Revolution Begins  During the afternoon of October 23 rd of ,000 protestors gathered and began to sing the now censored “National Song”.  In a few hours the crowd had swollen to more than 200,000 people.  Someone had also by this time cut the communist coat of arms out of the Hungarian flag.

The Revolution Continues  The crowd made demands that were then denied.  After being denied the mob toppled a bronze Stalin monument.  Around 9:30 that night, the crowd had surrounded a radio building which was heavily guarded by the AVO who then opened fire on the crowd after being taunted.  Hungarian troops were sent to assist the AVO but then retaliated and joined the protestors.  That night Soviet assistance was requested and received.

The Restoration of Peace  The violence continued for about a week during of which the government virtually collapsed due to attacks on the capitol building.  Casualties:  2500 Hungarian Citizens  700 Soviet Troops  200,000 fled as refugees  More than 200 Working Peoples Party members were lynched or executed.  Thousands were prosecuted in the immediate aftermath and were either deported, executed, or imprisoned.

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“The New Government”  Due to outbreak of violence, the Hungarian Government had no choice but to make changes.  The AVO was abolished along with the one-party political system.  Political Prisoners were released and previously banned political parties were allowed to join the coalition.  New non-communist leaders were put into place  Local councils began to appear throughout Hungary and took over responsibility once held by the communist government and were soon officially recognized by the national government.

Cold War  Many saw the failure of Hungary’s uprising as proof that the Cold War had became a stalemate.  Many were also discouraged from resorting to take drastic action in fear of suffering the same fate.  The Secretary-General of NATO called the Hungarian revolt "the collective suicide of a whole people".