History.com: Soviets put brutal end to Hungarian revolution
A spontaneous national uprising that began 12 days before in Hungary is viciously crushed by Soviet tanks and troops on this day in 1956. Thousands were killed and wounded and nearly a quarter-million Hungarians fled the country.
The problems in Hungary began in October 1956, when thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding a more democratic political system and freedom from Soviet oppression. In response, Communist Party officials appointed Imre Nagy, a former premier who had been dismissed from the party for his criticisms of Stalinist policies, as the new premier. Nagy tried to restore peace and asked the Soviets to withdraw their troops. The Soviets did so, but Nagy then tried to push the Hungarian revolt forward by abolishing one-party rule. He also announced that Hungary was withdrawing from the Warsaw Pact (the Soviet bloc’s equivalent of NATO).
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WNU Editor: They never had a chance.
3 comments:
Hungarians were told that the Americans were going to help and unfortunately they believed this lie. However, it created a crack in the utopian Soviet Warsaw Pact model and showed the world that communism is a dead end venture. It also gave Hungary recognition.... 1956 Time Magazine person of the year was the Hungarian Freedom Fighters.
Don't forget, the Suez Crisis was going on at the same time, when britain, France and Israel tried to recolonize Egypt after Nassar nationalized the Suez Canal. Eisenhower was kind of busy with that, too.
Somewhere Bob Huntley is celebrating in a bar.
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