The Hungarian uprising

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The Hungarian uprising

Causes

  • Poverty- Hungary was poor and most of the food and goods they produced were sent to the USSR.
  • Nationalism- They were very patriotic and they hated Soviet control.
  • The Catholic Church- Communists banned Catholicism and put the leader of the church in prison.
  • Promises from the West-  Thought that the UN or President Eisenhower would help.
  • Help from Yugoslavia- As unrest increased, the Hungarian leader asked to arrest 400 troublemakers, Yugoslavia persuaded Khrushchev to replace the leader (Rakosi).
  • Oppression- The Stalinist system of government included censorship, secret police and education control.

Effects

  • Response indicated that the USSR would not lose a member of the Warsaw Pact.
  • Worried a gap in the iron curtian would leave the USSR open to attack.
  • Worried it would result in the collapse of the iron curtain, as if Hungary's allowed to leave, others would try follow.
  • 30,000 dies a 1/4 of a million fled to the west.
  • Showed the US were not willing to get involved in the Soviet sphere of influence and decided to fight communism in Asia.

Overall summary

Hungarian students protested on the streets for reforms. A moderate communist (Nagy) was appointed leader. Nagy announced that Hungary would have free multi-party elections and would withdraw from the Warsaw pact. Over 6,000 Soviet tanks entered Hungary to stop the revolt. 

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