Hungarian uprising

Question 1

Every aspect of life in Hungary was controlled by the Soviets. Give 4 examples of conditions that led to unrest.

Answer 1

1) Secret police (AVH) and Soviet troops on streets.
2) No freedom of speech.
3) Rigged elections: only 20% of votes were for the Communist party, but they won the elections.
4) Economy exploited by USSR: workers were overworked but goods went to the Soviets, leaving shortages.

Question 2

Who was the Hungarian Prime Minister until 1956?

Answer 2

Rakosi, a Russian, Communist and Stalinist leader.

Question 3

Give 2 examples of individuals who were oppressed by the Communist Hungarian government.

Answer 3

1) Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty

2) Laszlo Rajk

Question 4

What happened to Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty?

Answer 4

In 1948, Mindszenty was arrested and sentenced to life, having spoken out by comparing Hungarian fascism to Nazi Germany.

Question 5

When was Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty arrested?

Answer 5

1948.

Question 6

What happened to Laszlo Rajk?

Answer 6

He was foreign secretary and Rakosi’s rival of power. In 1949, he was found guilty, in a show trial, of spying and plotting to restore capitalism, and was hanged.

Question 7

When was Laszlo Rajk executed?

Answer 7

1949.

Question 8

When was the Hungarian uprising (including the month)?

Answer 8

October 1956.

Question 9

Describe what happened during the uprising.

Answer 9

Hungarian students, workers + soldiers protested, rioted and attacked the AVH and Soviet troops. A monument of Stalin was smashed in Budapest. Support was asked from the West, but none came.

Question 10

What did Khrushchev do in response to the uprising?

Answer 10

He replaced Rakosi, putting Nagy in power to appease the people. Nagy’s ideology was “socialism with a human face”.

Question 11

What was Nagy’s ideology?

Answer 11

“Socialism with a human face”.

Question 12

When did Khrushchev put Nagy in power?

Answer 12

24th October.

Question 13

What happened on the 25th of October and what followed?

Answer 13

Soviet tanks opened fire on crowds of protesters. Nagy asked Khrushchev to move Soviet troops out of Hungary, which he did (these had been there since the end of WW2!).

Question 14

Once in power, Nagy immediately started making changes. These became known as the “5 days of freedom”. Give 4 examples of actions he took.

Answer 14

1) Allowed freedom of press (led to some anti-Soviet media)
2) Encouraged open discussions of economic and political reform
3) Allowed freedom of religion
4) Freed political prisoners, e.g. Mindszenty

Question 15

When did Khrushchev become premier of the USSR?

Answer 15

1953.

Question 16

Why did Nagy and his supporters gain a little hope once Khrushchev came into power?

Answer 16

Khrushchev criticised Stalin’s policies and called the execution of Rajk a miscarriage of justice. Nagy believed he would take a softer approach to the satellite states.

Question 17

Why was Nagy’s hope about Khrushchev taking a softer approach to the satellite states ill advised?

Answer 17

1) Khrushchev couldn’t allow threat to Soviet security.
2) His own position was under threat as he was criticised for opposing Stalinism and acting under the advice of China.
3) Therefore, he acted harshly towards Hungary.

Question 18

When did Nagy announce Hungary was going to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact?

Answer 18

3rd November 1956.

Question 19

What happened on the 3rd November 1956?

Answer 19

Nagy announced Hungary was going to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact.

Question 20

How did Khrushchev respond to Nagy’s announcement that Hungary was going to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact?

Answer 20

He couldn’t allow it. On the 4th of November, 1000 Soviet tanks invaded Hungary. As a symbol of mercilessness, to avoid other satellite states following Hungary’s example, thousands of civilians were killed. Janos Kadar, a Soviet supporter, was then put in power.

Question 21

When did 1000 Soviet tanks invade Hungary?

Answer 21

4th November 1956.

Question 22

Who did Khrushchev put in power to replace Nagy?

Answer 22

Janos Kadar, a Soviet supporter.

Question 23

Why would it have been problematic for the West to get involved in the uprising?

Answer 23

The West interfering by sending in soldiers would have risked an escalation to real and nuclear war, especially at a time when Khrushchev was advocating peaceful coexistence.

Question 24

How was the Hungarian uprising important for relations with the West? Make 3 points.

Answer 24

1) It reflected badly on the West, who’d encouraged satellite states to stand up to the USSR but weren’t prepared to back up their words with military support. 2) The lack of western intervention also suggested that the two spheres of influence had been properly established.
3) Khrushchev gained confidence as he knew the USA was unlikely to risk military action, this likely being a factor in the delivering of his 1958 Berlin ultimatum.

Question 25

How was the Hungarian Uprising important for relations and people within the Eastern bloc?

Answer 25

Through the fear it inflicted, it gave the USSR more authority over the Warsaw Pact. It showed the civilians of Hungary, and of all the satellite states, that they would be immediately crushed upon rising up against Soviet oppression.

Question 26

What happened on the 4th November 1956?

Answer 26

1000 Soviet tanks invaded Hungary. Supporters of Nagy bravely attacked Soviet tanks and soldiers, often with homemade bombs.

Question 27

What was another reason the the USA didn’t get involved in the Hungarian uprising?

Answer 27

It was distracted by a crisis in Egypt with the Suez canal.