1. Hungarian Revolution 1956

2. Relations between the U.S. and Soviet Union

3. Who’s this? Joseph Stalin Cruel, Soviet dictator from 1924 to 1953
Increased Cold War tension with U.S.
Crushed an uprising in East Berlin in 1953
Died mysteriously in 1953

4. Nikita Khrushchev Emerged as leader of Soviet Union in 1953
Denounced the political and social terror associated with Stalin”de- Stalinization”
Promoted the policy of “peaceful coexistence” with the U.S.
Withdrew troops from Austria.

5. Khrushchev’s Test in Hungary
The CIA obtained a copy of Khrushchev’s speech denouncing Stalin
It was broadcasted throughout Eastern Europe
June 1956—a full-scale riot engulfed Hungary in hopes of gaining independence from the Soviet Union

6. The Communist Party was very unpopular
Gov’t party terrorized the people
Thousands of Hungarians were executed and 100,000 imprisoned, including the head of the Catholic Church
Russians looted and destroyed Hungary’s economy
They lowered the living standard
There were food shortages

7. How the Revolt Began
In 1956, the Hungarian people revolted against communism
Demonstrations began outside the main radio station.
They demanded free elections and withdrawal of Soviet troops
Thousands organized into militias, battling the State Security Police (ÁVH) and Soviet troops.

8. Flag of Hungary, with the communist coat of arms cut out
Flag of Hungary, with the communist coat of arms cut out. The flag with a hole became the symbol of the revolution

9. Strikes and Streetfighting
Workers held a general strike throughout the country
Demonstrators stormed the army headquarters and armed themselves
They stormed the prison and freed political prisoners
Demonstrators took on the Soviet tanks with “molotov” cocktails.
Budapest was shelled continuously by the Soviets

10. Over 150,000 people demonstrated in the streets of Budapest
They pulled down a 50-foot statue of Stalin

11. Fall of the Communist Government
The communist government was falling apart.
The puppet communist leader Rakosi was forced from power.
To make things more calm, the Soviet troops began withdrawing and Imre Nagy came to power. He was a moderate communist
However he did not have total control of the situation

12. By Oct 30th 1956, Nagy appealed to the UN for help from the west to defend his country. He gave in to the demands of the rebels.
31st Oct –He asked USSR to takes their troops out of Hungary, 1st Nov – He announced that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact and become neutral.

13. Brutal response
Khrushchev could not accept that Hungary had left the Warsaw Pact and wanted revenge. He sent Soviet tanks into Budapest on 4th November numbering around 1000

14. Moscow Restores Domination in Hungary
After two weeks of fighting, the people finally had to give up
Thousands were imprisoned and tortured.
Twenty thousand were executed
Moscow showed the rest of Eastern Europe that it would crush any revolt
About 200,000 Hungarians fled. Many moved to the U.S.

15. VP Nixon welcomes Hungarian refugees into the U.S.

16. Why did Khrushchev react so brutally? Why did the USA not intervene?
Analysis
Why did Khrushchev react so brutally?
Break up of the Warsaw Pact was unacceptable.
Damage to prestige of communism.
Nagy was showing capitalist instincts.
Russian hardline military leaders insist on action.
Khrushchev believed the USA would not interfere.
Why did the USA not intervene?
The Suez Crisis was happening at the same time.
Deep fear of an escalation of hostilities with USSR.
Lack of political will in USA and within NATO.

17. Time magazine’s Man of the Year was the Hungarian Freedom Fighter

18. Results of the Crisis
Russia stayed in control behind the Iron Curtain – no other country tried to get rid of Russia troops until Czechoslovakia in 1968.
People in the West were horrified. Communism is clearly the ‘bad guy’.
The West realised it could do nothing about the Iron Curtain countries – but this made Western leaders even more determined to ‘contain’ communism.