Hungary under Soviet rule: liberation and oppression

Hungary under Soviet rule: liberation and oppression

1. Matyas Rakosi was appointed as Hungary's dictater (1949-56)

   • described himself as 'Stalin's best pupil, because everything he did pleased Stalin. He was nicknamed the 'bald butcher' by others due to him being the cause of 387,000 imprisonments and over 2,000 deaths
     • 'salami tactics' taking out the opposition 'slice by slice' (getting rid of the opposition)

2. 'De-Stalinisation'

   • Stalin's death in 1953 was a turning point for the Cold War
     • His style of Government was hugely oppressive
       • It has been thought he was responsible for around 20 million deaths
   • Russias new leader- Nikita Khrushev
     • Not long after power he said a 'secret speech'
       • Announced for the end of 'Stalinism' throughout the eastern 'sphere of influence'

3. Nady's programme of reform

   • Hungarys people were disatisfied with the treatment to their people and began to hold violent protests in their capital city of Budapest (and other cities later on). The police lost controll of the situation and Khruchev appointed Imre Naggy to deal with the situation
     • He proposed reforms for Hungary, which were:
       • 1. They should leave the Warsaw pach and become neutral
         • 2. The Communist government in Hungary should end
           • 3. Hungary should follow the western side holding free elections
             • 4. They should go to the United Nations and ask for protection against Russia

4. Khrushchev responds to Nagy

   • Nagy's reforms ended in a lost alliance with Hungary
   • He believed the reforms were unacceptable
     • He feared that if Hungary left the Warsaw pact others would soon follow
   • in 1956 Khrushchev sent 200,000 Soviet troops to Hungary to crush the new government (he acted with a decisive action)
     • After two weeks of bitter fighting Khrushchev was successful in crushing the new Government. In that 2 weeks. 200,00 Hungarians had managed to escape to Austria, futhermore 20,000 Hungarians were killed

5. Hungary under Stalin

   • Stalin claimed he had 'freed' Hungary from the Nazis
     • Cominform imposed an oppressed regime on Hungary
     • Stalin redistributed Hungarian land to other eastern countries
       • Hungarian raw matierials such as coal and oil were shipped to Russia while the Hungarian people were deprived (lacking) of food
         • All non-communist countries were abolished in Hungary- Stalin attempted to stamp ot the opposition
           • This began a reign of terror, as Stalin ordered the excecution of influencial capitalist political leaders and their supporters