CAUSES OF HUNGARIAN UPRISING

Political reasons

• Elections held after WWII

• The Smallholders party, (group for rights for ordinary hungarians) won 57% of vote

• Russians refused, instead Hungarian communist party to form gov (only 17% of vote)

Religious reasons

• Under communist party Religion was banned - seen as “dangerous propaganda”

• Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty (leading catholic) was arrested tortured and put in prison

General repression

• Russian control had censorship, secret police (AVH), control over education

• 2,000 people executed

• 100,000 imprisoned

Living standards

• Hungary was very poor

• food produced and industrial goods were sent to Russia

Why was 1956 a critical point

• People had hope because New president (Eisenhower) could help / UN

• Russia decreased brutal policies because Stalin died in 1953

• Khrushchev refused to allow the arrest of 400 political opponents in Hungary

• June 1956 Poland protested against Russia and Russia gave in to some demands - gave ppl hope