1956 - The Military Policy of the Fight for Freedom

Kiraly, Bela

Béla Király, active shaper of events, reviews the role of the armed forces during the revolution and the struggle for freedom in 1956.
On 22 October, the demonstrating students demanded merely the democratic reform of socialism and in the first days the groups of armed rebels were mostly disorganised. The rebellion was only triggered by a provocation. The ceasefire of 28 October put an end to the clashes between the army and rebels. However, the lack of central military leadership led to avoidable bloodshed at Kossuth Square and Köztársaság Square, highlighting the importance of the establishment of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Committee and the organisation of the National Guard. The Soviet invasion began on 1 November and although Ambassador Andropov had assured the Hungarian Prime Minister, Imre Nagy that the Soviets would not wage war on Hungary, on 4 November conflict was a reality. The Hungarian armed forces were unable to resist.
The want of foreign assistance resulted from a perception that Soviet supremacy in conventional weaponry could only have been counter-balanced with the risk of a nuclear war.

About the lecturer