Hungarian Uprising 1956

Lesson starter:What made the relationship between

the USA and the USSR deteriorate in the 1950s and 60s?

Today we will understand the reasons behind the Hungarian

Uprising

Today we will…

• Understand why there was an anti-Soviet uprising in Hungary in 1956

• Examine the Soviet response to the uprising

I can…

• Create possible questions which meet given answers to demonstrate my knowledge

HUNGARIAN UPRISING, 1956

•Stalin installed a puppet government in Hungary in 1945 (Stalin controlled it)

•All opposition was removed.

•Soviet propaganda was everywhere.

•However, Hungarian protest groups emerged demanding democracy.

•On 25/02/56, Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin during a ‘secret speech’ at the Twentieth Party Congress

•De-Stalinization – he would set about eliminating traces of Stalin’s regime e.g. Gulags

•(This speech was not made public until 18/03/56 and not in the Soviet Union until 1988).

•Those who heard about the speech thought this might mean countries like Hungary would be allowed to make their own decisions.

•On 23/10/56, students and workers in Budapest (Hungarian capital), held a demonstration.

• The Communist party leader rejected their demands and the peaceful protest turned into a rebellion.

• Communist dictatorship was overthrown.

•Opposition groups unite and support Imre Nagy (ex-PM).

•He announced Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact

Imre Nagy

•04/11/56 Khrushchev orders Red Army to take control of Budapest and put down uprising.

•Bitter and bloody street fighting between Hungarians and the Red Army.

•20,000 Hungarians were killed.

•150,000 fled abroad.

•Communist order restored.

•All opposition group leaders were captured and executed including Imre Nagy

•Krushchev had shown that he was similar to Stalin

•He had also shown he wanted Europe to stay under Soviet control

What have I learned?What have I learned?Make up possible questions for

the following answers…

1. De-Stalinisation2. Imre Nagy3. 20,0004. Khrushchev was not so different

from Stalin after all

Today we will…

• Understand why there was an anti-Soviet uprising in Hungary in 1956

• Examine the Soviet response to the uprising

I can…

• Create possible questions which meet given answers to demonstrate my knowledge