The document summarizes key events of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. It describes how Hungarians initially welcomed the Soviet Union after World War 2 but soon faced totalitarian rule under Stalinist policies. Reforms in the 1950s raised living standards but unrest grew. Mass protests in October 1956 against the communist government grew into a full revolution as protesters took control of Budapest. The revolution succeeded initially in toppling the government and Soviet troops withdrew, but the Soviet Union soon reasserted control, arresting and executing opposition leaders and forcing Imre Nagy from power. Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians fled as refugees in the revolution's bloody aftermath.

1. HUNGARY - 1956
A REVOLUTION AND WAR OF
INDEPENDENCE

2. Hungary after the Second World War
• The Red Army was welcomed as
liberators.
• The Soviet Union influenced the
Eastern-European countries
politically, economically.

3. 1949-1953: The Years of Stalinist
Depression
• There was a totalitarian, one-party
system developed by Stalin.
• The Soviet model was followed by
Mátyás Rákosi, the Hungarian
Communist party leader.
• He drove his rivals into exile, prison or
to death.

4. The Hungarian Economy
• Forced collectivisation
• Rapid industrialisation
• The country of iron and steel
• ‘Be a star worker!’
• The Secret Police (ÁVH) were
everywhere.
Fear controlled the population,
which sowed the seed of revolt.

5. 1953-1955
The new leadership (Imre Nagy) introduced popular
reforms:
• People could disband collective
farms.
• Free market was created.
• Industrialisation slowed down.
• Standard of living rose.
• Labour camps were closed.

6. The first signs of changes
• In 1956 Rákosi resigned.
• Thousands attended László Rajk’s (former minister of home
affairs) public re-burial.
• People demanded changes throughout Europe.
• The Polish example: limited independence from the Soviet Union.

7. • On 16th of October Hungarian students established
MEFESZ (The Association of Hungarian University
and College Students)
16 demands to reform communist system
e.g. free speech, free elections, withdrawal
of Soviet troops
• organized a demonstration to support
Polish freedom fighters

8. 23rd October
• Peaceful demonstrations in Budapest.
• Demonstrators wanted to broadcast their
demands on the radio.
• ÁVH (Hungarian Secret Police) opened
fire to the peaceful protest.
REVOLUTION

9. 24-26th October
•A general strike was called by workers.
•The communist symbols were torn out of the Hungarian flag.
•The monument of Stalin was smashed up.

10. • More and more people
joined the freedom fighters:
– Teenagers, children,
– Students,
– Policemen,
– Soldiers.
• They got guns by disarming ÁVH men
in the streets and by raiding munition
factories.

11. 28th October – the first day of
victory
• Imre Nagy, re-elected Prime
Minister, demanded:
– removal of Soviet troops
– disbanding of ÁVH
– Soviet Army and tanks left
Hungary

12. • People read uncensored papers, pamphlets of
the news of the changes across the country.
• Hungarians got reprieve, enjoyed the sense of
freedom.
• Imre Nagy reshuffled his cabinet.

13. Most of the communist countries wanted the Kremlin to use force to
crush the revolution in Hungary.
Imre Nagy urged the United Nations to put
the ‘Hungarian issue’ on its agenda.
The American politicians
paid attention to the Suez Crisis instead.

14. Imre Nagy appealed to the world.
Hungarians hoped some support
would come from the West,
BUT THEY WAITED IN VAIN…

15. • Imre Nagy and his followers were taken hostage and
later sentenced to death.
• Then thousands of people were arrested. 22.000 were
sentenced, 13.000 were imprisoned and hundreds of
them were executed. 200.000 Hungarians fled the
country as refugees.