Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Hungarian Uprising, 1956-1958 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
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?
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?
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?
Yes - the USA must help Hungary | No - the USA cannot help Hungary |
|---|---|
Khrushchev's repression went against the UN's stance on human rights | The USA had a foreign policy of Containment. This meant that the USA did not intervene in countries that were already communist |
Nagy's government wanted to increase Hungary's individual freedoms. This matches the democratic values of the USA | Any military intervention in the Eastern Bloc could cause a nuclear war between the USA and the Soviet Union |
If the USA could free Hungary from the Eastern Bloc, it could use Hungary's geographical position to intimidate the Soviet Union. It could make an alliance with Hungary or station ICBMs on its border with the Soviet Union | The US government and population still distrusted communist countries. They were unsure if their support would change Hungary's opinion about communism |
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
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question could ask you to explain the importance of the Hungarian Uprising on Cold War tensions. Whilst the USA was shocked at the Soviet Union, they did not react. Tensions still increased between the USA and the Soviet Union but both countries were unwilling to take direct action against the other.
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:
A lesson to the leaders of all socialist countries
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
Worked Example
Explain one consequence of the Hungarian Uprising in 1956
4 marks
Answer:
One consequence of the Hungarian Uprising was an increase of Khrushchev's power in Eastern Europe. When Khrushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1956, the West believed that he would be more open to reform. He had begun a process of de-Stalinisation and condemned Stalin's actions as leader. However, Khrushchev brutally repressed the Hungarian's request to leave the Warsaw Pact. He sent 1,000 tanks into Hungary, killing approximately 20,000 Hungarians. This showed other satellite states not to rebel against Khrushchev. It proved the strength of the newly formed Warsaw Pact and the extent of force that the Soviet Union would use to defend the Pact.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
A high-standard response to this question needs to explain what the Hungarian Uprising caused to happen. There are many different approaches to this question. You could explain how the Hungarian Uprising worsened US-Soviet relations or how it damaged the USA's reputation in Europe. Ensure that you explain in detail using specific own knowledge how the Hungarian Uprising caused your chosen consequence to occur. In this example, you can see the use of accurate statistics and dates to support the argument.
This question has previously asked you to explain two consequences. In the Superpower Relations exam paper for 2025, this question will ask you to explain one consequence. However, there will be two different "Explain one consequence of" questions, each worth four marks.
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