The Hungarian Uprising

Question 1

Why were people in the satellite state of Hungary unhappy by 1959

Answer 1

• lack of political freedom
• fuel shortages
• poor harvests

Question 2

Who replaced the Hungarian prime minister Rakosi in 1956

Answer 2

Imre Nagy (Khrushchev hoped he would improve things in Hungary)

Question 3

What did Nagy do

Answer 3

He reorganised the government to include non-communists, released political prisoners and persuaded Khrushchev to withdraw soviet troops from Hungary

Question 4

What did Nagy announce on November 1st 1956

Answer 4

He would withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw Pact

Question 5

What happed during the Hungarian uprising

Answer 5

• Khrushchev could not accept that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact
• on November 4 his soviet army invaded Hungary, 1000 tanks rolled into Budapest
• Nagy begged the west for support but none came
• up to 20000 Hungarians were killed
• a new pro-communist government was set up under Kadar
• Despite being offered a safe passage out of Yugoslavia,Nagy was tried and executed in 1958

Question 6

How did the other countries respond to the soviet invasions Hungary

Answer 6

Although radio free Europe, a US government funded a radio station had been urging people of Eastern Europe to rebel against communism, no military support was offered by the USA, the USA was not prepared to interfere in the affairs of an existing communist country

Question 7

What was the impact of the Hungarian uprising on international relations

Answer 7

• Khrushchev’s position in the Soviet Union was more secure
• Warsaw pact members now knew they had to do what the USSR said
• Khrushchev was more confident dealing with the USA as he knew they would probably not take military action
• the Wes looked bad (didn’t offer military support)
• relations between the USA and the USSR got worse again as the USA condemned the Soviet Invasion of Hungary