The Hungarian Uprising, 1956-1958 (Edexcel GCSE History)

What Caused the Hungarian Uprising? - Timeline & Summary

Life in the Eastern Bloc in the 1950s was challenging. The communist economy set Five Year Plans for each satellite state of the Soviet Union. Each satellite state provided the Soviet Union with a valuable product. Five Year targets were often unattainable. The local communist governments still expected workers to strive to meet the planned economic output. The Soviet Union treated and paid their workers poorly, resulting in discontentment and poor health. 

The social situation in Hungary was particularly bad. Hungary's communist leader, Mátyás Rákosi, harshly controlled the country. He stated he wanted Hungary to become a "country of iron and steel". This was despite the fact that Hungary had no iron ore. Hungary suffered from fuel shortages and poor harvests. The people received no help from Rákosi's government. People began to protest for reforms and freedoms. Despite Khrushchev's reputation, he could not reform communism in the Eastern Bloc. When demands for reform continued, Khrushchev reacted the same way as Stalin - with violent repression.

Who was Imre Nagy?

Political unrest in Hungary

• In October 1956, there were violent protests in Hungary's capital, Budapest

  • Hungarian students led a peaceful demonstration asking for more political and personal freedom 

    • Hungary's secret police arrested protestors and used tear gas to end the march

    • When the students attempted to free the arrested, the police shot at the protestors

  • Soldiers joined the student protestors

    • The Hungarian Communist government requested military support from the Soviet Union

  • By 24th October, the Soviet Union restored order in Budapest

Why did Khrushchev appoint Imre Nagy?

• Khrushchev decided to change the leadership of Hungary

  • He replaced Rákosi with Imre Nagy

• Imre Nagy had previously been prime minister of Hungary

  • In 1949, the Communist Party removed Nagy from the government

    • As Minister for Agriculture, he argued for better treatment of the peasants

  • He served as prime minister between 1953 and 1955

    • Other communist members removed Nagy from office. They did not agree with his reforming attitudes

• Khrushchev believed that Nagy would resolve the unrest in Hungary

  • The people liked Nagy

  • Limited reforms would stop Hungarians from protesting

Nagy's Reforms

• Within days of becoming prime minister, Nagy introduced a series of reforms

What reforms did Nagy propose for Hungary?

A concept map showing the areas of reform that Nagy attempted to introduce in October-November 1956

• Khrushchev allowed Nagy some freedom to reform

  • He wanted Hungary to stop protesting against communism

    • The protests made communism look bad to the West

• Khrushchev could not accept Nagy's attempt to withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw Pact

  • The Soviet Union needed Hungary to remain in the Warsaw Pact

    • Khrushchev may have needed Hungarian troops to suppress uprisings in other satellite states

    • Hungary's withdrawal may have prompted other satellite states to do the same

    • The Soviet Union relied upon the collective security of pro-Communist states as stated in the Warsaw Pact. The satellite states would not protect the Soviet Union if they did not have to 

  • Khrushchev did not want any more independent communist states in Eastern Europe

    • Yugoslavia, under the leadership of Tito, broke away from the Soviet Union's influence in 1948.

    • Yugoslavia became closer to the West by accepting military support from NATO. Tito explored different versions of communism that undermined the Soviet Union

    • Khrushchev did not want other satellite states to form alliances with Yugoslavia

Khrushchev's Reaction to the Uprising

• Khrushchev's reaction to Nagy's reforms was extremely violent

How did Khrushchev stop the Hungarian Uprising?

A flow diagram explaining Khrushchev's reaction and punishment of the Hungarian Uprising

International Reaction to Russia's Invasion of Hungary

• When the Soviet invasion force entered Hungary, Nagy believed that the West would support his government

  • Radio Free Europe was a US-funded radio channel that transmitted across Eastern Europe. The station encouraged Eastern Europeans to rise up against the Soviet Union

  • The Marshall Plan showed that the USA would give money to the satellite states. Nagy believed this help would extend to military support

• Khrushchev's suppression of the Hungarian Uprising shocked many Western nations

  • Khrushchev's actions did not match his previous policies of de-Stalinisation

• The USA had many issues to consider before they decided whether to help Nagy

Should the USA intervene in the Hungarian Uprising?

• Ultimately, Eisenhower decided not to give military support to Nagy

  • He did not believe the cause was worth risking a nuclear war for

• Hungary did receive some support from the West

  • European members of NATO accepted Hungarian refugees

The Impact of the Hungarian Uprising on Cold War tensions

• Relations between the Soviet Union and the USA worsened

  • Khrushchev's suppression of Hungary had shocked and appalled the West

  • The relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union continued to deteriorate throughout the 1960s

• Khrushchev increased his power over the Soviet Union

  • He stated that the execution of Nagy taught:

• Khrushchev's actions tightened the Warsaw Pact

• The Hungarian Uprising ruined the USA's reputation as a protector of freedom 

  • The USA had an opportunity to help a country free themselves from communism. They did not take the opportunity

  • The event proved that the USA did not back its words with actions

    • Satellite states were less likely to rebel against the Soviet Union

    • It increased the Soviet Union's confidence that the USA would not risk military action against them

Causes and consequences of the Hungarian Uprising

A flow diagram showing the causes and consequences of the Hungarian Uprising on the USA and the Soviet Union