Search | Wilson Center Digital Archive

Switch to Visualization

1956 Polish and Hungarian Crises Clear All

Related Resources

Head of a toppled Stalin statue in Budapest, 1956

1956 Polish and Hungarian Crises

Placeholder image for when a places image is not available

Eastern Europe

Hungary

Soviet soldier taking a photograph of another soldier in Red Square, Moscow, 1959

Eastern Europe

Soviet Union

Placeholder image for when a portrait image is not available

Nagy, Imre

1896- 1958

Placeholder image for when a places image is not available

Eastern Europe

Poland

Placeholder image for when a portrait image is not available

Malin, V. N.

-

Soviet Foreign Policy

Portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, 1972.

East Asia

China

Trade agreement between European Economic Community and China

China-Europe Relations

Zhao Ziyang on a tour of East Germany in June 1987.

China-Eastern Europe Relations

Nikita Khrushchev at the UNGA, 1962.

Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeevich

1894- 1971

Placeholder image for when a places image is not available

Eastern Europe

Yugoslavia

Placeholder image for when a places image is not available

Hungary

Gyor

Placeholder image for when a portrait image is not available

Kádár, János

1912- 1989

Anastas Mikoyan in 1959

Mikoyan, Anastas Ivanovich

1895- 1978

Jan Nowak-Jeziorański broadcasting for Radio Free Europe, 3 May 1952

Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty

Placeholder image for when a portrait image is not available

China. Embassy (Hungary)

-

Intelligence Operations in the Cold War

Results:

61 - 70 of 81

Display:

Sort By:

Documents

November 1, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 1 November 1956 At this session of the Presidium, Mikoyan argues that in the face of a universal demand for troop withdrawal the best option is to support the Hungarian government. Mikoyan promotes negotiations over force. The other members support the application of force to put down the uprising. Supporters of force refer to the necessity of keeping Hungary within the Soviet sphere and preventing the uprising from spreading to other Eastern European nations.
November 2, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 2 November 1956 The CPSU CC Presidium is confronted with reports from Hungary of mass demonstrations, armed counterrevolutionary groups, and the support for Nagy by the opposition. The CC is told about the Hungarian decision to declare neutrality and the likely confrontation between Soviet and Hungarian troops should the former continue to advance toward Budapest. Also discussed is the split within the HWP and possible Soviet responses.
November 2, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 2 November 1956 A plan outlining military measures against Hungary was presented at this session of the Presidium. The notes reflect that fear of fascist influence in Hungary motivated adoption.
November 3, 1956	Imre Horvath’s Notes of Khrushchev’s Speech at the 3 November Session In this speech, Khrushchev admits that the lack of Hungarian leaders is his own fault. He criticizes Rakosi and Gero for poor leadership and for excluding Imre Nagy from the party. Regret is expressed for not removing Rakosi earlier. Khrushchev states that the Soviet Union can not be on the sidelines, and remarks that unless forced into retirement Nagy will work with the enemy.
November 4, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 4 November 1956 At this session of the CPSU CC, Molotov raises concerns over the new Hungarian government’s decision to condemn the “Rakosi-Gero clique” and call for the condemnation of Stalinism. Molotov argues that the CC must exert influence on Kadar to prevent Hungary from going the way of Yugoslavia. The session also discusses recommendations for purging higher educational institutions and Kadar’s withdrawal of appeals to the UN for assistance.
November 5, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 5 November 1956 Members of the CPSU CC Presidium consider changing the name of the Hungarian Worker’s Party (HWP).
November 6, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 6 November 1956 Debate occurs at this CC session between Molotov, who opposes approving the appeal written by the Provisional CC of the Hungarian Socialist Worker’s Party, and the other members of the CC who desire approving the document. Molotov is concerned about the unknown composition of the CC of the HSWP, the condemnations of former Hungarian Worker’s Party (HWP) politicians, the issue of renaming the HWP, and the risk that Hungary will become the next Yugoslavia. Khrushchev states that Molotov is “clung to the cult of Stalin” and that Molotov is considering bringing back Rakosi and Hegedus.
November 27, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 27 November 1956 (Re: Protocol No. 60) These notes (part of the Malin Collection) describe Romanian leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej’s decision to negotiate with Yugoslavia regarding the fate of Imre Nagy after his arrest and transfer to Romania. The notes state that negotiations are inadvisable and remain the responsibility of Hungary. A second section of the document refers to instructions to the KGB for discrediting Nagy.
June 16, 1989	KGB Chief Kryuchkov’s Report, 16 June 1989 KGB Chief Kryuchkov reports that research into Soviet repression in the 1930’s through 1950’s reveals that Imre Nagy willingly worked for the NKVD as an informant. Using the pseudonym “Volodya,” Nagy information is said to have led to sentences for Hungarian émigrés. Kryuchkov states that the documents should be shown to the Secretary General of the HSWP and possibly used in response to calls for Nagy’s rehabilitation.
October 24, 1956	Report from Soviet Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Perevertkin Report from Soviet Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Perevertkin on the movement of Soviet troops into Hungary