Topic 1: Addressing the Situation in Hungary

Hungary had been under communist rule since 1948 when, after losing the 1945 election, the Communist Party won the election of August 1947 using salami tactics, accusations of conspiracy against the opposition and an eventual coup to depose Prime Minister Ferenc Nagy. The hardline Stalinist Rakosi was the de facto leader of Hungary as party chief and Prime Minister from 1952 until 1953 when, following Joseph Stalin’s death, he was forced to relinquish power to moderate Imre Nagy. Nagy was then forced out in 1955. After Khrushchev’s ‘secret speech’ in February 1956 calling for the de-Stalinisation of the USSR, Hungarians began demanding reforms. In June 1956 protests against Rakosi's regime began and he was replaced with Erno Gero. His government was no more popular. On October 23rd student and workers’ protests demanding democracy, freedom of speech and freedom from the USSR turned into massive demonstrations. By that evening they had escalated into a full revolt and fighting began. That night, Gero requested Soviet assistance and tanks entered the city. On the 24th Nagy was installed as Prime Minister in an effort to appease the protesters.

On November 1st Nagy accepted the students’ demands and announced that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact.

On the 4th of November, 200,000 men and 4,000 tanks were sent by Krushchev to invade Budapest. (Suez Crisis, Members of the AVH (secret police) being lynched by protesters)

It is the night of November 4th and an emergency session of the Security Council has been called to address the invasion.