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.
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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).
On November 4, 1956, Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest to crush, once and for all, the national uprising. Vicious street fighting broke out, but the Soviets’ great power ensured victory. At 5:20 a.m., Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy announced the invasion to the nation in a grim, 35-second broadcast, declaring: “Our troops are fighting. The Government is in place.” Within hours, though, Nagy sought asylum at the Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest. He was captured shortly thereafter and executed two years later. Nagy’s former colleague and imminent replacement, János Kádár, who had been flown secretly from Moscow to the city of Szolnok, 60 miles southeast of the capital, prepared to take power with Moscow’s backing.
The Soviet action stunned many people in the West. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had pledged a retreat from the Stalinist policies and repression of the past, but the violent actions in Budapest suggested otherwise. An estimated 2,500 Hungarians died and 200,000 more fled as refugees. Sporadic armed resistance, strikes and mass arrests continued for months thereafter, causing substantial economic disruption. Inaction on the part of the United States angered and frustrated many Hungarians. Voice of America radio broadcasts and speeches by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles had recently suggested that the United States supported the “liberation” of “captive peoples” in communist nations. Yet, as Soviet tanks bore down on the protesters, the United States did nothing beyond issuing public statements of sympathy for their plight.
Strange to think back on this. I don’t recall the actual event-I was 6 at the time- but I clearly remember important people talking later about how brutal the Soviets were to those brave Hungarians and comparing that to the U. S. government where such a thing was then unthinkable. Is it so unthinkable now? Actually I think about it all the time.
A most unpleasant memory of our history not to be forgotten. Encouraging a people to fight for freedom with our support and then failing to deliver on the promise. Talk can be very costly.
Talk to an American Indian to see how far gov’t promises take you.
Most of the refugees we took from Hungary were hard workers, had useful skills, & assimilated quickly. Not so much with the dregs we take lately.
I was in the 3rd grade at the dependents Sculthorpe AFB school and I remember the base was on full alert (it was a nuke base). In 1973 0ne of my squadron mates, Val, had been one of the refugees fleeing from Hungary. Sadly he was killed during a routine mail run off the coast of Crete. His CH-46 lost an engine while on approach and he hit the fantail, tumbling into the Med. The co-pilot and crew chief made it out, but Val went down with his airship. The co-pilot said he thought one of the rotor-blades came through the pilot’s side and took him out.