nov 4, 1956 - The Soviet Invasion of Hungary

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Nikita Khrushchev delivered an empowering speech in which he attacked the period of Joseph Stalin’s rule. The speech was empowering enough to spark an entire revolution. The Hungarian Revolution began in 1956 after a rising wave of unrest and discontent swept across Hungary. After World War II Hungary fell within the Soviet influence, becoming a satellite state under a communist regime. The country was ruled by Mátyás Rákosi, influenced heavily by Stalin, his regime was depicted to consist of severe repression and a deeply centralized economy. The death of Joseph Stalin in 1953 led to a slight decline in Soviet policy, but not enough to address the deepening discontent which was now deeply-rooted in many eastern european countries. Active fighting began on October 23rd of 1956, when students in Budapest organized protests demanding political reforms, freedom of speech, and the approach of a more democratic government. Quickly gaining momentum, the movement attracted workers and other dissatisfied intellectuals. The protests also called for the removal of Erno Gero – the country's communist leader at the time – and the elimination of Soviet troops stationed in Hungary. The Hungarian Prime Minister, Imre Nagy, was reinstated to appease the protestors, promising the reforms they requested. The Soviet leadership viewed this as a serious threat to their widespread control over Eastern Europe. Initially, Soviet forces were removed from Budapest, the Soviet leadership remained alarmed as revolution quickly spread and many political reforms were made, including the formation of a new, far more independent government. On November 4, 1956, Soviet forces ordered for an unreduced military intervention, sending 200,000 Soviet troops and 2,500 tanks into Hungarian territory. The military, crushing the resistance within days, proved that the rebels could not hold out. The Soviet invasion of Hungary restored the communists rule over the country leaving deep and irreparable scars on the country. The event was considered a major setback for Hungarian aspirations for independence and separation from Soviet control.

-- Macy Lawrence

Works Cited
Image: “A Revolution Remembered: Hungary 1956.” Autonomies, 30 Oct. 2016, autonomies.org/2016/10/a-revolution-remembered-hungary-1956/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Hungarian Revolution | 1956.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Hungarian-Revolution-1956 .

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