70: Hungary

70 years ago today (October 23, 1956) the Hungarian Uprising began.

It was a Revolution against the Communist Hungarian Government that was in power since 1949 and the Soviet Union which had occupied Hungary since 1945.

The Uprising lasted 19 days (until November 11^th.)

On October 23, 1956 Hungarian Students in Budapest appealed to the Hungarian People to join them at the Hungarian Parliament Building to protest the Soviet Union’s dominance over Hungarian Affairs through its Puppet Government of Mátyás Rákosi.

It came after Soviet Leader, Nikita Khrushchev's famous "Secret Speech" where he denounced the Crimes of Joseph Stalin in February 1956.

The Students had 16 Points with the following being the most important:

The removal of all Soviet Troops from Hungary

A new Government must be constituted under the direction of Imre Nagy

Revision of the Hungarian-Soviet Friendship Agreement to favor Hungarian Control over Hungary

While the Students were outside the Magyar Radio Station a Group of the State Protection Authority (Hungarian: Államvédelmi Hatóság, ÁVH) the Communist Secret Police in Hungary shot and killed several of the Students.

Ordinary Hungarians then joined in the Uprising.

They formed Local Militias to attack the AVH and go after the Communist Leaders that wouldn’t step down.

On October 24, 1956 Imre Nagy assumed control of the Council of Ministers of the Hungarian People's Republic.

He disbanded the AVH on October 28^th, withdrew Hungry from the Warsaw Pact on November 1^st and promised Free Elections.

Initially the Soviet Union agreed to talk with the new Nagy Government, but then on November 4^th the Soviets invaded Hungary with 31,500 Troops to end the Uprising.

The Uprising ended on November 11,1956.

3,000 Hungarian Men, Women and Children were killed.

13,000 Hungarian Men, Women and Children were wounded.

200,000 Hungarian Men, Women and Children fled Hungary for Neutral Austria.

The Communist Hungarians and Soviets arrested 26,000 People.

400 were Executed for their role in the Uprising.

18,000 were interned in Prison Camps for their role in the Uprising.

Before the Uprising 800,000 Hungarians were Members of the Hungarian Communist Party, but after the Uprising in December 1956 only 100,000 Hungarians were Members of the Hungarian Communist Party.

Imre Nagy was lured out of the Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest by false Soviet promises on November 22, 1956.

He was tried in a Communist Show Trial in June 1958, found guilty and executed.

The Hungarian Uprising was forbidden to be taught or discussed inside Hungary from 1956-1989.

In 1989, October 23^rd became a National Holiday in Non-Communist Hungary.

The last Soviet Soldier left Hungary on June 19, 1991 (after 46 years of Occupation.)

In 1992, Russian President Boris Yeltsin apologized for the Soviet’s Invasion to the Hungarian Parliament.

Pope Pius XII called the world's Catholics to pray for the victory of the Uprising.

The United States, France and the United Kingdom did little to nothing to help the Hungarian Uprising.

On November 4, 1956, the USSR vetoed the Security Council's resolution criticizing the USSR's invasion of Hungary.

Radio Free Europe, funded by the United States of America, has been one of the main sources of information for the Hungarian Public.

After the Soviet attack on November 4th, the Radio Channel continuously encouraged the Armed Insurgents to persevere and spoke of the expected Military help from the West.

The unfounded hope thus created may have contributed to the Armed Insurgents' undertaking to the last and then to their disappointment in the face of immense superiority.

Time named the Hungarian Freedom Fighter its Man of the Year for 1956