The Hungarian Uprising 1956

This was a huge challenge to Soviet control in the east in October 1956
Food, fuel shortages helped trigger riots in Budapest and student protests demanding reforms, fighting with the police broke out and protests erupted everywhere
Khruchshev was uncertain hat to do at first it seemed he was working with the protestors as he with drew forces and agreed to make Nagy the new prime minister (he was popular with students)
Ultimately Khruchshev was prepared to use force to keep Hungary in the Soviet bloc
Nagy announced a series of reforms giving people freedoms, free press, free elections and suggested Hungary should leave the Warsaw Pact
Khruchshev sent in 200,000 troops and 1000 tanks to end the uprising
Between 2500 and 30,000 people were killed and 200,000 fled to the west
This brutal act to end the prising showed that the USSR would not allow reform and would use force to stop reform and it would threaten the USSR's power
The USA did not intervene as it would risk war, the Hungarian people did appeal for help but it was ignored

Resource summary

	Created by Sophia Hinchliffe about 7 years ago