Hungarian Uprising 1956 Flashcards
1
Q
What was the new Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, like?
A
- Critical of Stalin
- Hungarians hoped he would be less repressive
2
Q
Why was there unrest in Hungary in 1956?
A
- Lack of political freedom
- Hunger and anger caused by poor harvest and food shortages
3
Q
What did Khrushchev do in response to the unrest?
A
- Installed a new Hungarian Prime Minister, Imre Nagy
4
Q
What reforms did Nagy make?
A
- Allowed some political freedoms
- He was prepared to release political prisoners and work with non-communists in government
- Khrushchev accepted these reforms
5
Q
What happened on the 1st of November 1956?
A
- Nagy announced that Hungary was leaving the Warsaw Pact
6
Q
Why was Hungary leaving the pact disallowed by Khrushchev?
A
- Warsaw Pact was a vital buffer zone between West and East
7
Q
What happened on the 4th of November?
A
- The soviet army invaded Hungary
8
Q
How many Soviet tanks and Hungarian casualties were there?
A
- 1000 tanks in Budapest
- 20,000 Hungarians dead
9
Q
Who was Nagy replaced by?
A
Janos Kadar
10
Q
What happened to Nagy and his followers?
A
- were promised safe passage out of Hungary
- Instead were arrested and executed, revealed in 1958
11
Q
What was the Western Response?
A
- Some expected the West to help Hungarians to resist the invasion but they didn’t
12
Q
Why did NATO not oppose the invasion?
A
- Had a policy of containment
- Didn’t want to risk nuclear war to help an already communist nation
13
Q
What were the consequences?
A
- Easing of tensions between Superpowers had ended
- Khrushchev strengthened by defeat of Hungary
- Warsaw Pact wasn’t weakened
- USSR gained confidence that NATO wouldn’t risk nuclear war over conflicts between satellite states
- Made West look weak
