1956: The Hungarian Revolution

As WW2 was ending, the Soviet "Red Army" had liberated many countries in Eastern Europe. Then, they tried to spread their influence of communism.

Propaganda- he created many posters and handed out flyers which showed how great communism was.
When the communists came to power, he tried, jailed and/or executed political opponents. By the next elections, there were no other political parties.

Firstly, as Hungary was to be industrialised, high production requirements were set. If you didn't meet them, you were an enemy of the people, so workers tried to speed up production, meaning that outputted items were much poorer quality.
Secondly, Russians took a large amount of food out of the country, so there was a shortage of potatoes and bread. They also took Hungarian Oxen and claimed to give peasants Russian Oxen.
Thirdly, Rakosi had secret police who had files on people and arrested people or even executed them if they disagreed with the Government. They also sent at least 1 in 5 people to concentration camps.

Workers in Eastern Germany rebelled and demanded higher pay
In February 1953, Khrushchev made a speech listing Stalin’s crimes.
Rakosi was forced to admit his own errors and ended up leaving Hungary.
October 23rd 1956, Students held an unofficial demonstration under communist rule demanding…
- Free speech
- Free elections
- Withdrawal of Soviet troops
Symbols of communist power were destroyed (e.g. hammer and sickle ripped out of the Hungarian flag)
Statue of Stalin was smashed up
Soviet books and propaganda were burnt
Wanted their demands to be broadcasted to the nation through the Hungarian State radio
- Arbo men (secret police) fired from inside the building
- Workers became freedom fighters
- Soviet Red Army tanks came into the city to restore law and order
- A revolution started (Hungarian policemen, children also joined)
- 300 unarmed protesters killed (in revenge Arbo HQ was invaded and arbo men were beaten to death all over Hungary)

1. Soviet Tanks withdrew from Hungary

2. Prisons were opened and Prisoners of repression were let out

3. Soviet Diplomats & their families left

Imre Nagy announced Free elections (end of communist rule)
Rumours that Nagy was intending to withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw Pact (Eastern European Military Alliance controlled by the USSR)

Thousands of Soviet soldiers and tanks crossed back into Hungary
Imre Nagy announced that if they were not withdrawn, the Government would proclaim Hungarian Neutrality and break away from Soviet Control
Sovet Tanks re-entered Budapest
Imre Nagy was arrested and executed
200,000 fled, thousands arrested and sent to labour camps, up to 3,000 were killed