Hungary in the first half of the 19th century was one of the most powerful countries in Europe, constantly suffering from minority uprisings and crises. An attempt to change the existing state of affairs was the revolution of 1848-1849, which in Europe was called the "Spring of Nations". The rise of national liberation uprisings in Central Europe began with the Czechs, spreading to other peoples, including the Hungarians. It was possible to calm the rebels only with the help of Russian troops.

Socio-economic development of Hungary in the first half of the XIX century.

Kingdom during the first four decades of the 19th century. was dominated by the system of absolutism. But, if in the early 1800s. absolutism met the conditions of that time, then by the 1840s. the situation began to change. The population of the country no longer perceived the existing order, wanting to carry out reforms. The need for transformation was also understood in Vienna, which exercised control over the internal and external development of the Kingdom of Hungary. However, the Austrian monarchy did not at all seek to change the existing order in the political and administrative spheres.

The main trends in the development of the kingdom before the "Spring of Nations" include:

• The preserved bureaucratic system.
• Total control of Austria over all spheres of life.
• Constant persecution of those who disagree with the Habsburg regime.
• The police and censorship authorities punished anyone who opposed the existing regime.
• Taxes and fees in the empire were established in accordance with the interests of Austrian industry.
• The kingdom was used as a raw material appendage of the Austrian Empire. All raw materials were exported to Austria and the Czech Republic, which by the 1840s. began to develop economically.
• unresolved peasant question. The kingdom was still dominated by the system of serfdom, the willfulness of the landlords, the peasants lived very poor, feudal relations hindered the development of agriculture.
• The agrarian nature of the country's economy.
• Constant increase in fees for peasants.
• In political, economic and public spheres there was a dominance of old traditions and customs.

Thus, Hungary was completely controlled by Vienna, which forbade the convening of the State Duma of the kingdom. Latin remained the state language, the Hungarians could not at all influence internal politics took a limited part in the work of local self-government bodies (committees).

The rise of national consciousness

Despite the crisis in the socio-economic sphere and the total control of Austria over all spheres of life of the Kingdom of Hungary, in the 1830s. national movements of the Hungarians and the peoples they conquered developed in the state.

Hungarian Revolution 1848-1849 led to two main points:

• First, the rise of the national liberation movement among the Hungarians began.
• Secondly, attempts were made to carry out reforms. Although they failed, their effect had a positive effect on the revolutionary consciousness of the Hungarian population.

The resonance in public life began with the speeches of István Széczenia and Miklós Veshsheleni, who demanded to renew the structure of the country, the economy, to eliminate feudalism, absolutism, and the introduction of a constitutional monarchy in Hungary. Ideas were picked up by representatives of the nobility and the intelligentsia. By the end of the 1830s, several currents of the national Hungarian movement already existed in the country. Interestingly enough, the nobles became the bearers of ideas about democratic reforms and the main force of the future revolution. Historians explain this state of affairs by the following factors:

• Poor urban development in Hungary.
• The weakness of the new class - the bourgeoisie.
• The nobles expressed the interests of the rights and freedoms of the Hungarian nation.

The liberals, like the nobles, practically ignored the solution of the national question. It was believed that the implementation of democratic reforms and the introduction of the right to personal freedom would relieve tension in society and make it unnecessary to introduce rights for national minorities. This was clearly a miscalculation, since the Hungarians were a clear minority in the state. At the end of the 1830s they numbered only 38% in the kingdom. The remaining percentages are national minorities, which were numerically larger than representatives of the titular nation. Therefore, the Hungarians "missed" the moment when the national identity of the Croats, Serbs, Rusyns, Slovaks, Romanians, Czechs began to actively form. Their demands did not meet the aspirations and interests of the Hungarians.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the attempts to carry out democratic reforms. They started at the state meeting in 1839-1840, when the liberals obtained the following concessions from the government:

• Amnesty for political prisoners.
• Expansion of the sphere of use of the Hungarian language.
• The output of peasants from serfdom through the system of redemption.

As a result, various social organizations offering protection and support to the Hungarians, industry began to develop. On the eve of the revolution itself, Vienna transferred all administration in the kingdom to the Hungarian conservative government. More reforms were needed, but the decision was never made, because. in 1847 liberals and conservatives could not agree among themselves at the state meeting.

What triggered the revolution?

There were many prerequisites that caused the rise of the national self-consciousness of the Hungarians. The main ones among them are:

• The dominance of the Austrian and the Austrians wherever possible in Hungary.
• The presence of a personal union between Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary.
• The economic backwardness of Hungary.
• The crisis in the economy, to which Vienna tried not to pay attention.
• The gradual formation of the national liberation movement.

The reasons for the "Spring of Nations" were deeper and more ambitious. Firstly, the population was dissatisfied with Austrian Chancellor Metternich. Secondly, different groups of the population demanded reforms that would be able to defeat feudalism and crisis phenomena. Thirdly, the nobles sought to obtain the independence of Hungary. Fourth, the elimination of national oppression.

Features and driving forces

The Hungarian national movement was not a unique phenomenon. Similar events took place in other regions of Europe, including Austria. The revolution in the kingdom was closely connected with all the events that took place in the monarchy.

It was democratic, national and liberation war, which was supposed to solve national and peasant issues.

The main participants of the Hungarian "Spring of Nations" were:

• Workers.
• Students.
• Intelligentsia.
• Liberals.
• part of the nobility.
• Artisans.

Despite the involvement of almost all social groups in society, the revolution was unfinished and controversial. On the one hand, it gave the peoples of the kingdom a chance for self-determination. On the other hand, national pressure and the monarchy were not eliminated.

Main events

The beginning of the revolution was an uprising in March 1848 in Buda, and then in Pest. By that time, these two cities were separated, only in 1872 Buda and Pest were united into one settlement.

In mid-March 1848, an uprising began in Pest, the participants of which demanded the granting of democratic freedoms. The revolution was led by the radicals, who demanded that the government abolish the serf system and labor for peasants for feudal lords, withdrew Austrian troops from Hungary, and gave the country more powers.

The Emperor of Austria was forced to accept the demands of the Hungarian opposition, as a result of which the first national Hungarian government was formed. It included Kossuth - one of active people revolution. Under his pressure, all duties for the peasants in Hungary were canceled, which was the first step towards the complete abolition of the serf system.

The truce with Austria did not last long and already in September 1848 an armed struggle broke out between the Hungarians against Austria. Parliament dissolved the old government and created a new one headed by Kossuth. The emperor responded quite harshly to such actions of revolutionary and recalcitrant Hungary - the military operations of the empire against the rebellious kingdom began. Among the main events is the autumn of 1848 - the summer of 1849. can be distinguished:

• October 1848 - Austrian invasion of Hungary, resulting in the capture in January 1849 of Buda and Pest.
• Hungary was turned into a province of the Austrian Empire.
• Decisions of the Hungarian parliament adopted in 1848 were canceled.
• March 1849 - the Hungarian counteroffensive, the expulsion of Austria from the kingdom.
• April 1849 - Hungary becomes an independent republic, the Habsburg dynasty realized that they had lost control of the country and the right to occupy the throne in the former kingdom.
• Kossuth became president, carried out internal reforms, the main of which was the military. The creation of a 170,000-strong army allowed Kossuth with troops to launch an offensive against Vienna.

As happens in such conflicts, there was no consensus among the leadership of Hungary and the army regarding the campaigns and the conquest of Austria. If the aristocracy strove for peace and negotiations with the Habsburgs, then the nobles and peasants wanted to completely get rid of Austrian domination. The situation was worsened by the fact that the nobles did not want to cancel the duties for serfs for free, they demanded that equal rights be not established for Hungarians, Croats, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Serbs.

The President of the country, Kossuth, hesitated in resolving national and peasant issues, and while he was thinking, the campaign against Vienna failed. This pause took advantage of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph II. He turned to Nicholas II with a request for help. This decision of the Habsburg dynasty was fatal for Hungary. The Russian army of 200 thousand people was sent to Hungary. There they united with the Austrians and began a joint campaign against the rebels.

Numerical superiority, lack of unity, internal strife contributed to the fact that the Hungarians lost a number of important battles. Kossuth in such conditions made concessions for the peasants, declaring the equality of all nations in the country, but it was too late.

The capitulation of Hungary took place on August 13, 1849, 9 generals were taken prisoner, many soldiers, weapons and armaments.

Results and consequences

The revolution in Hungary did not fully achieve its aims and tasks. The struggle for independence and independence turned out to be unfinished, since the rule of the Habsburgs in Hungary continued, and the monarchy was also not abolished. Due to the disorganization of the rebels, the indecision of the leadership of Hungary, the lack of clear tasks for the revolution led to the fact that the joint efforts of Austria and Russia were able to suppress the growing national movement in Central Europe. It is also worth taking into account the fact that there were serious national contradictions within the country, which were constantly deepening. The national question was not the main thing for the Habsburgs who rebelled against the power. The aristocrats and nobles only wanted to free themselves from total Austrian control, while retaining their property and rights to the peasants. The latter no longer wanted to work out unbearable feudal duties, so they became active participants in the revolution. But the lack of experience, organization among the peasants, leaders, reflecting their interests, led to the fact that the interests of peasants and urban residents were not taken into account by other social groups.

To the negative results of the events of 1848-1849. relate:

• Massacre of the high military command of the Hungarian army.
• Harsh reprisals against the peasants.
• Carrying out punitive expeditions and military courts.
• Mass arrests and executions of participants in the revolution.

There are also positive moments in the Hungarian revolution. First, it gave a powerful impetus to the development of national movements of the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula and Central and Eastern Europe. Secondly, reforms began to be carried out in order to relieve social tension and eliminate the economic crisis. This gave impetus to the rapid development of industry, production, and the formation of market relations. Thirdly, Hungary was "heard". The Austrian monarchy, after almost two decades, went on to create a dual Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867). Fourthly, serfdom and feudal duties were abolished.

Battles that changed the course of history 1945-2004 Baranov Alexey Vladimirovich

Part XIII SUPPRESSION OF THE ANTI-COMMUNIST REVOLUTION IN HUNGARY (1956)

SUPPRESSION OF THE ANTI-COMMUNIST REVOLUTION IN HUNGARY (1956)

61. The beginning of the revolution and military intervention in it by the USSR

Prehistory of the Hungarian events of 1956 Hungary is a small landlocked country in Central Europe. The territory is 93 thousand km2, the population in 1956 was about 9 million people. The capital is Budapest. During the Second World War, it was occupied by Soviet troops, who helped local communists come to power. Hungary was part of the Soviet military-political bloc and on three sides of the world (north, east and south) bordered on socialist countries (Czechoslovakia, the USSR, Romania and Yugoslavia). Only in the west was its neighbor Austria.

Stalinist Rakosi. Since the 1940s Hungary was ruled by Matthias Rakosi, an orthodox Stalinist. The regime he established was considered harsh even by Stalinist standards. As noted later in one of the official documents, only “from January 1951 to May 1953, the police issued 850 thousand punishments to private individuals. Starting from 1950 and until the end of the first quarter of 1953, the cases of 650,000 people were considered in courts of various instances, and indictments were issued against 387,000 of them. In 1952–1955 judicial and police investigations were initiated against a total of 1,136,000 people, 46 per cent of whom were punished. All this ... eventually led to a crisis.

Shortly after the June uprising in the GDR (1953), Rakosi's time was finally up. Moscow appointed Imre Nagy to the posts of party and state leader. He had a reputation as a reformist communist and enjoyed less tyrannical methods of government than his predecessor. Apparently, the new Soviet leaders did not like this. In 1955, I. Nagy was removed, and M. Rakosi returned to the helm of the state. Again mass terror and repression prevailed. M. Rakosi opposed even the slightest democratic changes in the country. I. Nagy was expelled from the party, however, unlike before, he was left at large and even wrote and published a treatise that called into question the right of the Soviet Union to interfere in the internal affairs of fraternal communist states.

Arrival of Erne Gera. After Stalin's personality cult was condemned at the 20th Congress of the CPSU (February 1956), M. Rakosi was again dismissed, this time in favor of his close associate Erne Gera. And although E. Gehre declared himself a nationalist, he was so closely connected with Rakosi that he could not become an independent political figure.

Secret plans of the Soviet troops. The Berlin uprising forced the Soviet leadership to closely monitor the countries of the socialist camp. In order for the troops to be constantly ready to eliminate new "disturbances" in vassal countries, the command developed special top secret action plans for units and formations during punitive actions.

In mid-July 1956, a group of military leaders headed by Army General A.I. arrived in Hungary to inspect the Soviet troops stationed there - the Special Corps. Antonov. It was found that there was no special plan in the Special Corps, and this was reported to the Minister of Defense G.K. Zhukov. The marshal gave the order - and by July 20, the “Plan of combat operations of the Special Corps to restore public order on the territory of Hungary” appeared. The document was named "Wave". The call sign "Compass" was set as a signal for the start of action.

The beginning of the Hungarian anti-communist revolution. By this time, the reburial of the remains of Laszlo Rajk and other Hungarian political figures who were innocently executed in 1949 caused an intensification of the social and political life of Budapest.

Moscow has taken precautionary measures. On October 19, the 108th parachute regiment of the 7th airborne division was put on alert and on October 20 was ready to take off from the airfields of Kaunas and Vilnius. On October 21, the Directorate of the Special Corps conducted a check of the readiness of subordinate troops for actions under the Wave plan.

Demonstrators' demands. October 23 at 15:00 at the monument to the hero of the Hungarian revolution of 1848–1849. General I. Bem (a Pole by nationality) gathered about 50 thousand demonstrators. They laid flowers at the foot of the monument, said toasts in honor of the strengthening of the Hungarian-Polish friendship, put forward slogans against the ruling Hungarian Labor Party and the government, after which they went to the parliament building. By evening, about 200 thousand people had gathered there. The audience demanded the co-optation of I. Nagy to the government, the abolition of the decisions of the Central Leadership of the Hungarian Party of Labor (CR HTP), which condemned the activities of the revisionists, the resignation of the Rakoshist leadership, the rehabilitation of the innocently convicted, and the publication of materials of fabricated political trials. A significant part of the population of Budapest supported the demonstrators.

At 19 o'clock the head of the party E. Gere called the Soviet ambassador Yu.V. Andropov and Moscow. He asked for the involvement of Soviet troops to disperse the demonstrators. At 20 o'clock, his speech sounded on the radio, where the participants in the procession were called counter-revolutionaries. This only exacerbated the situation.

Monument to Stalin overturned. After E. Gera's speech, the demonstrators split up: one group went to the radio building, the other - to the monument to I. Stalin. At about 10 p.m., the huge monument to the “leader of all times and peoples” was overturned, which caused the audience to rejoice.

The first group arrived at the radio building, believing that E. Gere spoke from there. The students wanted to explain their intentions to Hera and to broadcast over the radio the demands adopted at the rally. The radio management refused to fulfill the wishes of the delegates. Then stones flew through the windows, and then a hand-to-hand fight began between the defenders of the building and the rebels, which turned into an armed struggle. This moment was the beginning of the bloody drama of October-November 1956 in Hungary.

Chronicle of the Soviet military intervention on October 23–24. In the Soviet Union at 21:45. On October 23, the commander of the Carpathian Military District, General of the Army P.I. Batov alerted the 128th rifle and 39th mechanized divisions. The formations received an order to cross the state border of the USSR - Hungary. The 315th regiment of the 128th division received a combat order, if necessary, to break through the border with a fight and ensure the unhindered advance of the main forces.

On the same night, an operational group of generals and senior officers of the General Staff, the Main Headquarters of the Ground Forces, the Main Headquarters of the Air Force in the amount of 80 people was assembled in Moscow on alarm and delivered to Hungary in the morning of October 24. The overall command of the forces was entrusted to the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, General of the Army M.S. Malipiya. The task force was entrusted with the task of studying and analyzing the military-political situation in Hungary, making decisions, organizing planning and interaction between the troops, and directing military operations to "put things in order."

At 10 pm on October 23, the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal V.A. Sokolovsky, the Special Corps was alerted and withdrawn to the areas of concentration. At 23:00, the troops received an order to act according to the Wave plan.

At 00 h 35 min. On October 24, the Soviet 33rd Mechanized Division in Romania is put on alert. The division commander received a combat order to cross the Romanian-Hungarian border and concentrate 15 kilometers from Budapest.

At 2 am on October 24, the task force of the corps arrived in Budapest and set up a command post in the building of the Ministry of Defense. At 2 hours 15 minutes. The 315th regiment from the PrpkVO begins crossing the border. It is followed by the 128th and 39th divisions.

Capture of the main buildings. By 5 o'clock in the morning, Soviet troops in Budapest take possession of the Astoria Hotel, the Kossuth radio station, the National Museum and the neighborhoods adjacent to them, seize the parliament buildings, the TsR VPT, the State Bank, the Main Post Office, the Nyuga-ti railway station, take the military hospital under guard and the embassy of the USSR; a heavy self-propelled tank regiment is concentrating efforts to capture the Keleti railway station and Korvina facilities. Fresh units, arriving in Budapest, almost immediately enter into hostilities.

Additional powers of suppression. Considering that there were not enough troops to suppress the rebels, the corps commander P.I. Lashchenko summoned additional forces to Budapest. The 33rd Mechanized Division marched from Romania. Her 104th Regiment went into action on the move. At the same time, the 56th mechanized and 83rd tank regiments of the 17th mechanized division of the corps entered the battle. Aircraft of the 177th aviation division of the corps during the day conducted 84 frightening flights over Budapest and other cities. The scouts of the 17th division, called to Budapest, guarded A.I. Mikoyan and M.A. Suslova.

Hungarian army against its people. In the afternoon, the 7th Mechanized Division of the Hungarian People's Army arrived in Budapest from Esztergom and turned their weapons against their fellow citizens. The 8th, 27th rifle and 5th mechanized divisions of the 3rd rifle corps of the Hungarian People's Army also did not support the rebels and proceeded to liquidate them. From October 4 to October 26, by order of General Durko, a rebel detachment of 340 people was destroyed in Kecskemét. In Sabadsalash, the revolutionaries were defeated by their troops, with 7 people killed and 40 wounded. However, in the capital, despite the fire and power of military formations, the rebels held many objects.

Massacre of the rebels with the communists

These days, the fighting is becoming more violent. The forces of the rebels are growing: the 8th mechanized regiment of the Hungarian People's Army, the construction and anti-aircraft units of Budapest, the officers of the Academy named after M. Zrini, cadets of military schools are passing to their side. The revolutionaries create a resistance center "Korvpn".

Blood was shed, dead and wounded appeared. In the cities of Szolnok, Vac, Zentes, Stalinvaros (now Du-naujvaros) and the regional center of Dunaedyhaze, "acts of vandalism" were committed over the monuments and graves of Soviet soldiers who died in the fight against fascism.

Fighting in the capital. On October 25, fierce battles were going on in Budapest all day. Party emissaries M.A. who arrived from the USSR Suslov and A.I. Mikoyan at a meeting of the Politburo of the Hungarian Party of Labor, under the roar of artillery cannonade and the rumble of bombers, recommended that Erpe Gera be replaced by Janos Kadar.

62. "People's Democratic Movement": days of success

The changing nature of the crisis. The military-political crisis in Hungarian society and the army on October 23 and 24 seemed to be the beginning civil war. But as a result of outside interference, it began to take the form of a national liberation movement in defense of sovereignty, against military occupation. Rallies and demonstrations were held in many cities demanding the withdrawal of Soviet troops. The whole country was in revolt.

Peaceful demonstration

The "counter-argument" of the Soviet side was tanks and artillery - all day on October 26 there were fierce battles in Budapest. The 2nd Mechanized Division, together with attached and supporting units, basically suppressed the insurgent forces at the objects indicated to it. Two more divisions were put on alert in the Carpathian region. The 70th Rifle Division was ordered to march and concentrate in the areas of Debrecen - Miskolc - Nyiregyhaza, and the 27th Mechanized Division was ordered to march Beregovo - Nyiregyhaza - Debrecen - Solyuk.

"Freedom Fighters" and new forces against them. On October 28, the Hungarian government called the events taking place "people's democratic movement", and the rebels - "freedom fighters". However, this did not change anything for the leaders in the Kremlin.

New forces are sent to Hungary. On the night of October 28, the 8th mechanized army, consisting of the 11th and 32nd mechanized divisions, the 60th anti-aircraft artillery division and special units, received a combat order to cross the state border and concentrate in the eastern regions of Hungary.

Military formations one after another crossed the Soviet-Hungarian border. At 12 o'clock on the same day, the 31st Guards Airborne Division was raised on combat alert with the task of landing on the Veszprem airfield. At this time, the rebels defended 100-120 quarters in the southeastern part of Budapest with significant forces. Defenders of "Corvin" rejected the ultimatum to surrender. The attacks of the 33rd Mechanized Division were choking. Fighting flared up again in the area of ​​the 2nd Mechanized Division. On the morning of October 28, the 128th division was introduced into the fighting in Budapest.

The conflict escalated into a large-scale war... And suddenly, on October 29 at 22:00, the Soviet troops received an order to cease fire.

Declaration of the government of the USSR. The reason became clear on October 30, when the government of the USSR issued a declaration "On the foundations for the development and further strengthening of friendship and cooperation between the Soviet Union and other socialist countries." The document stated: "The countries of the great community of socialist nations can build their relations only on the principles of equality, respect, territorial integrity, state independence and sovereignty, non-interference in each other's internal affairs." The same document declared that the deployment of foreign troops in a fraternal communist country required the approval of the country itself and all members of the Warsaw Treaty Organization.

However, the publication of the declaration became a purely demagogic device designed to deceive world public opinion. In fact, on the same day, October 30, the 31st Airborne Division landed at the Veszprem airfield, and the Soviet troops that invaded Hungary began preparations for Operation Whirlwind.

Formation of the national government of Hungary and its first actions. The publication of the declaration of the government of the USSR was a forced step. On October 29, I. Nagy accepted the post of prime minister at the request of the rebels. The next day, he abolished the one-party system, beginning the formation of a coalition government consisting of representatives of all the democratic parties that participated in the last free elections in 1946.

On October 29, the main part of the Hungarian People's Army went over to the side of the rebels, which finally gave the actions of the Soviet troops the character of military intervention.

On October 30, at 5:30 p.m., I. Nagy demanded the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from Budapest. The Soviet side began to withdraw, however, according to the order of the command, it was delayed under the pretext of negotiating with the revolutionary committees.

On the same day, the rebels seized the building of the Budapest City Party Committee. After many hours of firefight between the rebels and the guards, many of those who defended the building were killed by their own compatriots. On October 31, Soviet troops completely left Budapest. However, in the Odessa Military District, the 35th Mechanized Division was put on alert, and at night the 31st Tank Division of the Carpathian Military District received an order to march and concentrate south of Mukachevo by 20:00 on November 1.

I. Nagy is trapped. On November 1, I. Nagy protested to Yu.V. Andropov about the invasion of Soviet troops into his country. The ambassador promised to bring the statement to the attention of the Soviet leadership...

I. Nagy, who all his life belonged to the number of cadre party workers, could not but know the deceit and hypocrisy of the Soviet leaders, and also could not understand that the processes and changes that had begun in Hungary were dangerous for them. By this time, I. Nagy found himself, as it were, trapped between his own angry people and the tough and uncompromising communist “big brother”, he found himself on the crest of a wave that did not obey him and was not controlled by him. The Hungarians demanded not the renewal of the communist regime, which he had previously sought, but its destruction, not equality with the Soviet Union, but a complete break with it.

Nagy announces his withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact. On November 1, having formed a coalition government, I. Nagy took the last decisive step and announced the neutrality of Hungary and its withdrawal from the Warsaw Treaty Organization. He spoke on Hungarian radio with a dignified statement that later cost him a death sentence: “The Hungarian national government, with the deepest sense of responsibility towards the Hungarian people and Hungarian history, expressing the unanimous will of millions of Hungarians, declares the neutrality of the Hungarian People's Republic.

The Hungarian people, based on their own independence and equality, and in accordance with the spirit of the UN Charter, wish to maintain truly friendly relations with their neighbors, with the Soviet Union and all the peoples of the world. The Hungarian people want to consolidate and further deepen the achievements of the national revolution without joining any of the military blocs.

UN indifference. At the same time, I. Nagy turned to the United Nations with a request to recognize the neutrality of Hungary. He never received an answer.

World public opinion was rather indifferent to this statement, and the United States and its European allies did not take any steps to induce the UN to consider I. Nagy's message as a matter of urgency. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union did not succumb to any calls for moderation.

63. Occupation of Hungary

Preparing to "restore order". To "restore order" in Hungary, the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU instructed G.K. Zhukov to develop a military punitive operation. The General Staff assigned her the code name "Whirlwind". The command of the operation was assigned to Marshal I.S. Konev. The content of the operation was set out in a secret order 01, signed by this marshal.

Order number 01. According to the order, the Special Corps received a combat mission to defeat the rebels in Budapest. The 2nd, 33rd mechanized and 128th rifle divisions rushed to the capital in the former areas, reinforced with secrets, artillery, and paratroopers. Combat missions were given to the 8th mechanized and 38th combined arms armies. By the end of November 3, the troops were to be in full readiness. The beginning of the operation - on the signal "Thunder-444". The fate of the uprising was sealed...

The 177th Air Division evacuated more than 600 families of corps officers to Ukraine from 1 to 3 November. Soldiers wounded in battle were taken to the Soviet Union.

Silent about the aggression against the socialist ally, the Soviet Union at that time angrily condemned the Anglo-French-Israeli military action against Egypt, calling on the UN Security Council to take urgent measures to stop it.

Bet on J. Kadar. Of course, the party leaders in Moscow and their emissaries in Hungary could not let Hungary out of control, even in politically difficult conditions. The bet was made on J. Kadar. On the night of November 2, J. Kadar and F. Muinich were brought to the Soviet Union. Here the formation of a new government took place, which was subsequently delivered to Budapest by the forces of the 419th anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the 60th anti-aircraft artillery division.

"Restoring Order". occupation of Hungary. On the night of November 3, the commander of the Special Corps gave a combat order to start the assault on Budapest at 5:50 the next day. At 10 am, the commanders of the 8th and 38th armies issued similar orders for the simultaneous (at 6:15) capture of cities and towns throughout Hungary.

Criminal methods. In order to mislead I. Nagy, on November 3, at 2 p.m., negotiations began on the withdrawal of troops. The first meeting took place in Budapest between General of the Army M.S. Malinin and Defense Minister P. Maleter. An agreement could not be reached. The second meeting was scheduled for 20:00 Moscow time in the area of ​​the Tekel airfield. Late in the evening of November 3, the chairman of the KGB of the USSR, General of the Army I.A. Serov with a group of officers and announced the arrest of the Hungarian delegation. Defense Minister P. Maleter, Chief of the General Staff I. Kovacs, Chief of Operations M. Syuch and F. Erdei found themselves in isolation.

To hide the true political goals and mislead world public opinion, the order of Marshal I.S. was distributed among the troops. Konev the following content.

Order of Marshal Konev.

Comrades! At the end of October, in our fraternal Hungary, the forces of reaction and counter-revolution rose in revolt with the aim of destroying the people's democratic system, liquidating the revolutionary gains of the working people and restoring the old landowner-capitalist order in it ...

There is no doubt that the working class and working peasantry of the Hungarian People's Republic will support us...

The task ... is to provide fraternal assistance to the Hungarian people in defending their socialist gains, in crushing the counter-revolution ...

P r and k a z y v a y:

To all the personnel of the Soviet troops, with full consciousness of their military duty, to show perseverance and firmness in the fulfillment of the tasks set by the command. To assist local authorities in their activities to restore public order and establish normal life in the country ...

I express my firm conviction that the soldiers and sergeants, officers and generals of the Soviet troops will honorably fulfill their military duty.

Commander-in-Chief of the United Armed Forces

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. Konev

propaganda document. At first glance, one might think that it was this order that set the Soviet war machine in motion. However, it is not.

If such an order were brought to the attention of the executors, it would cause confusion and chaos among the troops. A military person understands that combat documents of this kind reflect the conclusions and assessments of the situation and the enemy, the concept of action and combat missions for formations and units, indicate what neighbors are doing, the lines of demarcation between active forces, questions of interaction, consumption of ammunition, time of readiness of troops And others. Analysis shows that Order No. 1 does not meet the most elementary provisions and is simply a propaganda document.

In reality, the troops acted according to the rules prescribed by the combat regulations in accordance with another order of Marshal I.S. Konev - No. 01. The content of this order was communicated to a narrow circle of people in the strictest confidence. Archive documents testify that the commanders submitted reports to the higher leadership on the work done to fulfill order No. 01 of Marshal I.S. Konev.

Thunder-444 signal. In the early morning of November 4, the Thunder-444 signal sounded on the air. The military armada (over 60 thousand people) began to carry out tasks.

At 0550 hours, three divisions of the Special Corps with attached and supporting units began the assault on Budapest. The 2nd mechanized division captured the bridges over the Danube, the parliament buildings, the CR HTP, the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs, the City Council and the Nyugati station in 2 hours. The 33rd division captured military depots, three bridges across the Danube. It was not possible to capture Moscow Square, the Royal Fortress and the quarters south of Mount Gellert.

Corps troops disarmed 9 regiments and Suvorov School. They seized 105 tanks and self-propelled guns, 140 vehicles, 30 aircraft, 216 guns, 29 mortars, 95 machine guns, 30,000 small arms, 10 weapons and ammunition depots. Formations, units and military educational institutions of the Hungarian People's Army - the 27th rifle, 7th mechanized divisions, the Academy of the General Staff and the tank training regiment. Kossuth - did not show resistance.

From November 4 to 6, the 8th mechanized army captured and disarmed 32 garrisons: 1115 officers, 14,745 sergeants and soldiers, captured 36 tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS), 74 aircraft, 249 howitzers, 152 anti-aircraft guns, 434 artillery pieces, 837 cars. Fighting broke out in Debrecen, Miskolc, Mözökevesde, Solyuk, Kecskemét, Bekeschab. The 38th combined-arms army "put things in order" in the cities of Papa, Keseg, Szombathely, Zalaegerszeg, Lenti, Szekesfehervar, Tamashi, Lier, Komarom, Esterhaza, Esztergom, Tatabanya.

Results, price, consequences of the Soviet occupation of Hungary. A web of military commandant's offices entangled Hungary. November 24 Marshal I.S. Konev announced the decision of the government to create in this country the Southern Group of Soviet Forces. The leaders of the USSR covered up the military operation to occupy Hungary with slogans of combating counter-revolution and international duty.

To "put things in order" 17 combat divisions were thrown. Among them: mechanized - 8, tank - 1, rifle - 2, anti-aircraft artillery - 2, aviation - 2, airborne - 2. Three more airborne divisions were put on full alert and concentrated near the Soviet-Hungarian border were waiting for orders.

Contrary to decrees, pacts, conventions. The decisions of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU on military intervention and the actions of the troops crossed out the Decree on Peace of 1917, opposed the Soviet Union to the Briand-Kellogg Pact of 1928, which prohibited aggression and outlawed it, did not comply with the London Convention of 1933 and the documents of international law of 1950 -s.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, more than 10 thousand Soviet military personnel were awarded orders and medals, 26 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (14 of them posthumously). According to incomplete data, about 200 military personnel and their families suffered damages for condemning the Soviet intervention in Hungary.

A group of Hungarian soldiers before being shot

Victims. According to official statistics, the troops lost 720 people. Sanitary losses (wounded, injured): officers - 225, soldiers and sergeants - 2035 people. The dead were buried on Hungarian soil.

The Hungarian side lost more than 5 thousand killed, 19300 wounded. I. Nagy found refuge in the Yugoslav embassy. He was guaranteed safe passage to Yugoslavia, however, as soon as he left the embassy building, he was arrested. Later, he and the Hungarian Defense Minister General P. Maleter were executed. In total, the regime of J. Kadar sentenced to death about 500 people for participating in the uprising, 10 thousand were imprisoned.

In the course of "fraternal assistance", more than one thousand Hungarians were deported to the prisons of the Soviet Union. More than 200 thousand were forced to leave their homeland. Most of them went to the West.

The UN and the Hungarian tragedy. It was not until November 4 that the United Nations finally turned to what had already become the Hungarian tragedy. The Security Council resolution calling on the Soviet Union to withdraw its troops was instantly vetoed by the Soviet representative to the UN.

At a special session of the UN General Assembly, a similar resolution was put to the vote, confirming Hungary's right to independence and demanding the dispatch of UN observers to Hungary. It was the second major resolution adopted by the General Assembly that day. Prior to this, a UN emergency force for the Middle East was formed. The resolution on the Middle East was adopted unanimously, and even Great Britain and France signed it. The resolution on Hungary, condemning the USSR for committing aggression, was adopted by fifty votes to eight, with fifteen abstentions. The USSR and its allies voted against. The leaders of the group of non-aligned countries (India, Yugoslavia) abstained, and so did all the Arab countries.

Lessons for the regime. The resolution on the Middle East was put into practice, the resolution on Hungary was not implemented because of the sabotage of the USSR.

The new regime of J. Kadar, drawing lessons from the events that took place in Hungary, subsequently pursued a “soft” policy towards its population, accompanied by various socio-economic reforms, gradually gaining a reputation as one of the most liberal in the socialist community. Nevertheless, in obedience to the dictates of the times, along with similar regimes in other countries of Eastern Europe, it collapsed at the end of 1989 during the “velvet” anti-communist revolution and the general collapse of the world socialist system.

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Part XII SUPPRESSION BY THE SOVIET TROOPS OF THE WORKERS' UPRISING IN THE GDR (JUNE 1953) 58. The fate of post-war Germany and the causes of the uprisingEstablishment of the GDR. After capitulation in World War II, Germany was divided into 4 occupation zones: Soviet, American, British

Revolution of 1848-49 in Hungary, a bourgeois revolution, the tasks of which were to eliminate the feudal serf system and national oppression in the country, and to win national independence for Hungary. Appeared final stage pan-European Revolution of 1848-49. Its main driving forces were peasants, artisans, the urban poor, and workers. It began on March 15, 1848, with a popular uprising in Pest, which flared up under the influence of news of the victory of the revolution in Vienna. In the course of the uprising, led by S. Petőfi and P. Vashvari, a program of bourgeois-democratic reforms ("Twelve Points") was adopted at the people's meetings, power passed into the hands of the Committee of Public Salvation created from representatives of the democratic forces. Soon, detachments of the National Guard were organized. At the call of the committee, popular uprisings took place in Szeged, Gyor, Miskolc, and other cities and regions, and organs of revolutionary power arose. On March 17, Emperor Ferdinand I (Hungarian King Ferdinand V) was forced to appoint an "independent and responsible Hungarian government" headed by Count L. Batthyani. The government included representatives of the land magnates and the middle nobility - I. Széchenyi, F. Deak, L. Meszaros, the Democrats were represented by L. Kossuth, who received the post of Minister of Finance. On March 18, the State Assembly carried out a number of bourgeois reforms (the abolition of serfdom, corvée and tithes, monetary payments, the landlord court, etc.), and established universal taxation. However, these laws were accompanied by reservations that depreciated them. The National Assembly declared the independence of Hungary in financial and military matters, but Hungary remained connected to the empire by a common monarch from the Habsburg dynasty. Under the new electoral law, the right to vote was not granted to the rural and urban poor, a significant part of the non-Hungarian population (for elected deputies, knowledge of the Hungarian language was mandatory). The incomplete resolution of the issue of the country's independence and the reforms did not satisfy the masses. From March to August 1848, protests were held by the working people of the city and countryside (the most active were in Pest, under the slogan: "Bread for the people!"). The "Workers' Newspaper" ("Munkásokujsága"), founded by M. Tancic, became a platform for the urban and rural poor. The peasant movement was growing, covering by the end of April 29 counties out of 72. An anti-feudal and national movement of the non-Hungarian peoples of the Kingdom of Hungary developed. In Croatia, Transylvania, Slavonia, Transcarpathia, the peasants seized and divided the landlords' lands. However, the Batthyani government refused to recognize the national autonomy of Croatia, proclaimed on June 5, 1848 by the Croatian Council, as well as the national demands of the Serbs of Vojvodina and the Slovak people. In the Hungarian National Assembly, which opened on July 5, 1848, the upper chamber, which consisted of representatives of the landed magnates and the new administration of the committees, occupied reactionary positions. The majority of the lower chamber (400 people) also advocated an alliance with the Habsburgs. Only a group of left-wing deputies (30-40 people) led by L. and I. Madaras, M. Perzel adhered to the anti-Habsburg line. The vacillating position of the Batthyani government on peasant and national questions, on the organization of revolutionary defense, and others, aroused widespread dissatisfaction among the masses. Under the onslaught of revolutionary forces on July 11, the State Assembly decided to create a Hungarian national army (Konved). Using the desire of the Croatian bourgeois-noble circles to implement their national-political program with the help of military force, the Habsburgs supported the Croatian ban (ruler) I. Jelachich, who declared war on Hungary on September 7, 1848. On September 11, Jelacic's army invaded Hungary. On September 21, the Committee for the Defense of the Motherland was formed, headed by Kossuth. On September 29, the Hungarian revolutionary troops defeated the Jelachich army near the village. Pakozd. In October, after the resignation of the Batthyani government in September, Kossuth was elected ruler of the state. The reactionary elements of the Hungarian army and the State Assembly, contrary to the order of Kossuth, prevented the entry of Hungarian troops into Austrian territory to complete the defeat of the counter-revolutionary Croatian troops and help the revolutionary forces of Vienna. Having crushed the October uprising in Vienna, in December 1848 the Habsburgs sent their main forces against revolutionary Hungary. On January 5, 1849, Austrian troops occupied Pest. The Homeland Defense Committee and the State Assembly moved to Debrecen. The Committee for the Defense of the Motherland carried out a number of measures to equip the army (up to 100 thousand people) and to equip it. A galaxy of talented commanders advanced: D. Klapka, N. Sandor and others. On the territory of Hungary unfolded partisan movement. Detachments of revolutionary youth arrived from Austria to defend the revolution. Military units were formed from volunteers of the non-Hungarian population. Many Polish revolutionaries and military leaders (J. Bem, G. Dembinski, and others) joined the Hungarian army. In February 1849, the imperial troops launched an offensive against Debrecen. On February 26-27, a fierce battle took place, which ended inconclusively for both sides. In April 1849, the Hungarian troops inflicted a number of defeats on the imperial troops, almost completely clearing the territory of Hungary from them. On April 14, 1849, the State Assembly adopted the "Declaration of Independence", according to which the Habsburgs were declared deposed. The liberal nobility, frightened by the growing activity of the people, openly called for an end to the revolution and an agreement with the Habsburgs. The Hungarian government formed on May 2, 1849, headed by B. Semere, pursued a policy of condoning the counter-revolutionary nobility. The command of the Hungarian army in the person of A. Görgey and others paralyzed its activity. On April 21, 1849, Emperor Franz Joseph turned to Nicholas I with a request for help against revolutionary Hungary. In May 1849 tsarism launched an armed intervention against the Hungarian revolution. On August 13, 1849, at Vilagos, the main forces of the revolutionary troops, led by Gergely, surrendered to the commander of the troops of tsarist Russia, I.F. Paskevich. A few weeks later the revolution was crushed. Despite the defeat, R. 1848-1849 dealt a blow to the feudal-serf system in Hungary. Its patriotic and revolutionary traditions inspired the Hungarian people in the subsequent struggle for freedom and independence.

After the suppression of the revolution, a military dictatorship unfolded in Hungary. On October 6, Battyani was executed in Pest, and on October 13, in Arad, 13 generals of the Hungarian army were executed. Over 1,500 people were sentenced to long prison terms. Censorship and police surveillance of dissidents was revived in the country. Hungarian self-government was abolished, absolute power center. In 1851, the Octroized Constitution was abolished. The entire territory of the kingdom was divided into several administrative districts, abolishing committee meetings. Transylvania, Croatia, Slavonia, Banat and Vojvodina were separated from Hungary and formed separate units subordinated to Vienna. German became the only official language of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Despite the brutal repressions and curtailment of the reforms of the Hungarian Revolution, it played a colossal role in the history of the country. The emancipation of the peasants and the elimination of feudalism were confirmed in 1853 by the agrarian reform in the Austrian Empire. Economic transformations became the impetus for the rapid capitalist development of the country. The democratic conquests and the national upsurge of the Hungarian revolution were also not in vain, but became the basis of new liberal movements that arose in the 1850s, which led the country to gain sovereignty and transform the empire in 1867 into a dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy with an independent parliament and responsible ministry. Leaders of the Hungarian Revolution 1848-1849 (Kossuth, Petofi, Bem, Battyani) became the national heroes of Hungary, serving as an example for new generations of Hungarian youth to follow.

And the suppression of the rebellion

Organizers "Young Hungary" driving forces Liberal-minded middle nobility, intelligentsia Number of participants from 10,000 to 190,000 Opponents Austrian Empire Austrian Empire
Russian empire Russian empire perished n/a Wounded n/a Arrested 1500

Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was a local version of the pan-European revolution, complicated by the acute crisis of the Austrian Empire and the growth of the national consciousness of the Hungarians. The main slogans of the Hungarian revolution were the decentralization of the Austrian Empire, democratization and Magyarization. The driving force behind the revolution was the liberal middle nobility and urban intelligentsia. However, the Magyarization policy ran into the resistance of the Slavic peoples, led to an increase in interethnic tension and a large-scale war, in which Russia (Paskevich's expeditionary force) was involved. As a result, the revolution was defeated. Hungary's independence was delayed for 70 years, and the Hungarians lost their positions in Transylvania, Slovakia and Vojvodina.

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Subtitles

Prerequisites

Socio-political position of Hungary

National movements on the eve of the revolution

revolutions 1848-1849  years
France
Austrian Empire :
Austria
Hungary
Czech
Croatia
Vojvodina
Transylvania
Slovakia
Galicia
Slovenia
Dalmatia and Istria
Lombardy and Venice
Germany
South Prussia (Greater Poland)
Italian states:
Sicily
Neapolitan kingdom
Papal States
Tuscany
Piedmont and duchies
Poland
Wallachia and Moldavia
Brazil

At the same time, in the 1830s began a stormy upsurge of the national movement. Istvan Szechenyi came up with the idea of ​​a broad renewal of the country, primarily in the economic sphere, and the dismantling of the feudal system. Szechenyi's speeches received a great public outcry and prompted many Hungarian nobles to engage in political activities. Miklos Veshshelenyi went even further and put forward the idea of ​​eliminating absolutism and creating a constitutional monarchy in Hungary. Liberal ideas quickly spread among the nobility, especially the middle class, and the intelligentsia. By the end of the 1830s. there were several currents of the national movement: the “new conservatives” (Aurel Dezhevfi, Gyorgy Appony, Shama Yoshik and Istvan Szechenyi) advocated certain democratic reforms while strengthening centralization and maintaining the dominance of the aristocracy; liberals (Lajos Battyani, Ferenc Deak, Lajos Kossuth and, in part, Josef Eötvös) demanded the complete elimination of feudal remnants, the introduction of democratic freedoms, the expansion of Hungary's autonomy and the transformation of the country into a parliamentary monarchy. Later, a more radical movement of students and part of the intelligentsia arose, concentrating around the Young Hungary group (Sandor Petofi, Pal Vasvari and Mihai Tancic) and speaking from the standpoint of republicanism and the need for an armed uprising.

A feature of the Hungarian liberal movement was the fact that the nobility was the bearer of the ideas of democratic reforms and the driving force of the revolution. This was due to the underdevelopment of cities in Hungary, the weakness of the bourgeoisie and the historically established role of the nobility as a defender of the rights and freedoms of the Hungarian nation against foreign domination. Another essential feature of the movement was the inattention to the national question: the liberals believed that democratic reforms and the assertion of the priority of individual freedom would make unnecessary the corporate rights of national minorities, which they considered a relic of the feudal system. This conviction in the conditions of the Kingdom of Hungary, in which representatives of the titular nation made up only 38% of the population, threatened to burst into national conflicts. In parallel with the development of the Hungarian movement, the self-consciousness of other peoples of the country - Croats, Serbs, Slovaks, Romanians and Rusyns, was strengthened, often contradicting the interests of the Hungarians.

Reform attempts and their failure

At the state meeting - Messrs. the liberals succeeded in obtaining an amnesty for political prisoners, expanding the scope of the Hungarian language in the administration, and approving the possibility of emancipating the peasants for a ransom. In the 1840s across the country a whole network of societies arose social protection, mutual assistance, support of the domestic industry. The newspaper became famous Peshti khirlap”, published by L. Kossuth and spreading the ideas of the immediate release of the peasants and the introduction of universal taxation. In the city of Vienna, the government handed over the reins of control of Hungary to the new conservatives: D. Apponyi was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom of Hungary, and S. Yoshik - of Transylvania. At the same time, centralization was strengthened, the powers of administrators and feishpans, representatives of the central government in the committees, were expanded. The new state assembly that opened in the city, however, reached an impasse due to contradictions between liberals and conservatives and could not decide on reforms.

The beginning of the revolution

On March 18, 1848, the Hungarian National Assembly approved a whole range of reforms. A law on urbarial duties was adopted, which abolished corvée, landlord court, church tithes and other feudal vestiges. Serfdom was abolished, and the land was transferred to the ownership of the peasants, and the redemption payments to the landowners were to be paid by the state. The implementation of this reform led to the elimination of feudalism in agrarian relations and opened the way for the transition of Hungarian agriculture to capitalist rails. A law was also passed introducing universal taxation and depriving the nobility and clergy of tax privileges. Freedom of the press, inviolability of the person and property, equality of Christian denominations, the responsibility of the government to parliament were introduced, suffrage was expanded (up to 7-9% of the population), and the state assembly was to be convened annually from now on. The union of Hungary and Transylvania was proclaimed.

Radicalization of Hungary

Based on the National Guard created in the first days of the revolution, the Hungarian government began to create its own army. This caused a conflict with Vienna demanding Hungarian soldiers to put down the revolution in Italy. Battyani agreed to send part of the Hungarian army contingents to the Italian front, on the condition that the king pacify Jelacic and the Serbs and undertake not to use Hungarian soldiers to suppress the freedoms of the Italian people.

Kossuth appointed Artur Görgey as commander-in-chief of the Hungarian rebel army. He rapidly began training troops and preparing for combat operations. At the same time, the Defense Committee began to recruit recruits and organize the military industry. By the spring of the year, the Hungarian army had reached 170,000 men.

In December 1848, the successful actions of the revolutionary army led by a Polish immigrant

In 1956, an uprising against the communist regime took place in Hungary, which in the USSR was called a "counter-revolutionary rebellion." At that time, Matyas Rakosi, a great admirer of Stalin and a fan of persecuting people for any dissent and sending them to camps, was in power in Hungary. His draconian policy was very unpopular among the Hungarians (but generally suited the Soviet authorities). Therefore, an attempt to overthrow him turned into the intervention of Soviet troops and the bloody suppression of the rebellion. Among the Hungarians, 2,652 insurgents died that year, 348 civilians, and 19,226 were wounded.

I found a good material for you about how it was. Under the cut, only official documents and archival photographs.

Information of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR in the Central Committee of the CPSU on the situation in Hungary as of 12.00 November 4, 1956

Special folder. Owls. secret. Ex. No. 1

At 6 o'clock 15 min. November 4 p. Soviet troops began an operation to restore order and restore people's democratic power in Hungary.

Acting according to a predetermined plan, our units captured the main strongholds of the reaction in the province, which were Gyor, Miskolc, Gyongyes, Debrecen, as well as other regional centers of Hungary.

During the operation, Soviet troops occupied the most important communication centers, including a powerful broadcast radio station in the city of Szolnok, ammunition and weapons depots, and other important military installations.
Soviet troops operating in the city of Budapest, having broken the resistance of the rebels, occupied the parliament buildings, the TsR VPT, as well as a radio station in the parliament area.

Captured three bridges across the river. Danube, linking the eastern and western parts of the city, and an arsenal with weapons and ammunition. The entire composition of the counter-revolutionary government of Imre Nagy went into hiding. Searches are underway.

In Budapest, there was one large center of rebel resistance in the area of ​​the Korvin cinema (south-eastern part of the city). The rebels defending this stronghold were presented with an ultimatum to surrender, in connection with the refusal of the rebels to surrender, the troops began the assault.

The main garrisons of the Hungarian troops are blocked. Many of them laid down their arms without serious resistance. Our troops have been instructed to return to command the Hungarian officers removed by the rebels, and to arrest the officers appointed to replace those removed.

In order to prevent the penetration of enemy agents into Hungary and the flight of the leaders of the rebels from Hungary, our troops occupied the Hungarian airfields and firmly blocked all roads on the Austro-Hungarian border. The troops, continuing to carry out their tasks, clear the territory of Hungary from the rebels.

APRF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 485.

Information of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR in the Central Committee of the CPSU on the situation in Hungary as of 9.00 on November 7, 1956

During the night of November 7, Soviet troops continued to liquidate small groups of rebels in the city of Budapest. In the western part of the city, our troops fought to destroy the center of resistance in the area of ​​the former Horthy Palace.

During the night, there was a regrouping of the rebel forces in Budapest. Small groups tried to leave the city in a westerly direction. At the same time, a large center of resistance was discovered in the area of ​​the city theater, the park to the east of this theater and in the neighborhoods adjacent to them.

On the territory of Hungary at night it was calm. Our troops carried out activities to identify and disarm groups of rebels and individual Hungarian units.

The government of the Hungarian People's Republic left Szolnok and arrived in Budapest at 6:10 am on November 7. The troops continue to carry out their assigned tasks.

Note: "Comrade Khrushchev familiarized. Archive. 9.XI.56. Dolud".

AP RF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 486.

Information of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR in the Central Committee of the CPSU on the situation in Hungary as of 9.00 on November 9, 1956

Special folder Owls. secret. Ex. No. 1

During November 8, our troops restored order in Budapest, combed the forests in certain parts of the country, caught and disarmed scattered small groups of rebels, and also seized weapons from the local population.

District military commandant's offices have been set up in Budapest. A normal life is gradually being established in the country, a number of enterprises, urban transport, hospitals and schools have started to work. Local authorities are expanding their activities.

According to preliminary data, the losses of the Soviet troops during the period of hostilities in Hungary from October 24 to November 6 this year. 377 people are killed, 881 people are wounded. Including 37 killed and 74 wounded officers.

About 35,000 Hungarians have been disarmed by our troops. A large number of weapons, military equipment and ammunition were captured during the fighting and taken under guard as a result of disarmament, the accounting of which continues.

Note: "Comrade Khrushchev familiarized. Archive. 10.IX.56. Doluda".

AP RF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 486. L. 43.

Information of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR in the Central Committee of the CPSU on the situation in Hungary as of 9.00 on November 10, 1956

Special folder Owls. secret. Ex. No. 1

During November 9, our troops continued to eliminate small groups of rebels, disarmed former Hungarian army soldiers, and also seized weapons from the local population.

A group of rebels offered stubborn resistance in the suburbs of Budapest - on the northern outskirts of Csepel Island. Three of our tanks were hit and burned in this area.

The political situation in the country continues to improve. However, in some places, hostile elements are still trying to prevent the establishment of order and the normalization of life in the country.

The situation continues to be difficult in Budapest, where the population lacks food and fuel. The government of Janos Kadar, together with the Command of the Soviet Forces, is taking measures to provide the population of Budapest with food.

Note: "Comrade Khrushchev reported. Archive. 10.XI.56. Dolud".

AP RF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 486. L. 96.

Telephone message I.A. Serov from Budapest N.S. Khrushchev on the operational work carried out by the Soviet and Hungarian state security agencies

Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU comrade. Khrushchev N.S.

Yesterday the Minister of Public Security, Comrade Münnich, sent an order to the regional organizations, in which he pointed out that in the localities, contrary to the prohibition of the government, state security organs were being created. Therefore, he orders all employees of the state security organs to stop their work on the formation of organs and go home.

Considering that the special departments of the divisions carry out all the work on the removal of counter-revolutionary rebels through the Hungarian employees of the state security organs who appeared after the occupation of the cities by parts of the Soviet Army, today I talked with Comrade Münnich and asked how he further had in mind to carry out work to identify and arrest the counter-revolutionary element after such an order.

Tov. Münnich answered me that he issued the directive on the basis of instructions from the government, as provided for by the Government's Declaration.

Some time later, Comrade Kadar came to Comrade Münnich's office and said that he would also like to talk to me. During the conversation, Comrade Kadar focused on the following questions:

1. He had representatives of some regions, in particular the region of Salnok, who informed Kadar that the officers of the Soviet Army were arresting a lot and, along with the arrest of the counter-revolutionary element, they were also arresting ordinary participants in the insurrectionary movement.

He believes that this should not be done, since the people who participated in the insurgency are very afraid of revenge from the government, while the Declaration of the government said that those who lay down their arms and stop resisting will not be punished. The Hungarian government should not take revenge and show cruelty against such persons.

The representative of the Salnok region told Comrade Kadar that when 40 people were arrested in the region, representatives from the workers came and said that they would not start working until they released the arrested. In other regions, there were rumors that 6,000 people had been arrested in Salnok.

Tov. Kadar pointed out that the arrests of the reactionaries were former employees of the state security organs, whom the government had dismissed. It is not to our advantage before the people that Hungarian state security officers participate in arrests. You must take into account that the mood of the masses is playing with us great importance. The Soviet comrades and our members of the state security organs may arouse the indignation of the masses with arrests.

I said that the members of the state security organs in Hungary are now doing a positive job in removing the counter-revolutionary rebels. In a few days, when those who pose a danger to the current government are isolated, then these employees should be transferred to another job. Tov. Kadar and comrade Munnich agreed with this.

I explained to Comrade Kadar that the special departments of the divisions were instructed to arrest all the organizers of the rebellion, persons who resisted units of the Soviet Army with weapons in their hands, as well as citizens who incited and kindled the hatred of the people (during the Nagy government) towards the Communists and employees of the state security, as a result of which some of them were shot, hanged and burned.

As for the rank and file participants in the uprising, they are not arrested. Tov. Kadar and comrade Munnich agreed that this indication was correct.

I further added that it was possible that individuals not belonging to the listed categories could be arrested. Therefore, all those arrested are carefully filtered and those who did not play an active role in the rebellion are released.

Taking into account the liberal attitude shown by the leading workers of Hungary towards the enemies, I instructed the special departments to send all those arrested as soon as possible from the regions and cities to the Chop station, and also explained the organization of the political department in the regions.

2. Further, Comrade Kadar said that in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Budapest), where a large number of state security officers are concentrated, an unhealthy situation has created, since among the employees of the bodies there are persons who worked in the bodies under Rakosi and played a negative role.

Therefore, he believes that these employees should be immediately removed and given other jobs. In addition, he considers it appropriate to disband the security department, as these are dishonest people.

I expressed the wish that Comrade Münnich quickly issue an order, as we agreed, on the organization of the people's police and staffed it with the most dedicated honest employees, and also formed a "political department" (department of state security), which could begin work. Then this issue will be removed.

At the same time, we agreed with Comrade Münnich that there would be no more than 20-25 people in the political department of the center with an open staff, and the rest of the employees would work in a secret staff.

The political department will include: foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, secret political service, investigation and a special service of operational equipment. Tov. Munnich said that he would sign such an order tomorrow. I will report on the number of those arrested by regions and the seized weapons in a separate note.

AP RF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 487. L. 78-80.

Telephone message I.A. Serov and Yu.V. Andropov from Budapest to the Central Committee of the CPSU about sending the arrested Hungarians to the territory of the USSR

Today, throughout the day, Comrades Kadar and Münnich (each separately) called us repeatedly, who informed us that the Soviet military authorities had sent a train of Hungarian youth to the Soviet Union (Siberia) who had taken part in an armed rebellion.

Kadar and Münnich declared in this connection that they did not approve of such actions on our part, since these actions caused an alleged general strike of the Hungarian railway workers and worsened the internal political situation in the country as a whole.

Tonight, the Budapest radio them. Kossuth conveyed a tendentious message about the deportation of Hungarian youth to Siberia. Tov. Munnich requested that the command of the Soviet troops make an official statement in the press that it did not and would not export anyone from Hungary to the USSR. On our part, Comrade Munnich was told that we would clarify this issue and tomorrow we would inform him of the answer.

In fact, today, November 14, a small echelon was sent to the Chop station with arrested persons, whose investigation files were registered as active participants and organizers of the armed rebellion. The echelon followed the border.

When the echelon was moving, the prisoners at two stations threw notes out the window, in which they said that they were being sent to Siberia. These notes were picked up by Hungarian railroad workers who reported it to the government. On our line, instructions have been given to send those arrested in the future in closed vehicles under reinforced escort.

Tomorrow, at a meeting with Comrade Munnich, Comrade Serov intends to tell him that in view of the absence in Hungary of a prison sufficiently prepared for keeping prisoners, where it would be possible to conduct an objective investigation, we had in mind to place a small group of arrested people in a room close to Soviet-Hungarian border. Comrades Suslov and Aristov have been informed of this.

Andropov

AP RF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 486. L. 143-144.

Reference

According to statistics, in connection with the uprising and fighting in the period from October 23 to December 31, 1956, 2,652 Hungarian rebels died, 348 civilians, and 19,226 people were injured.

The losses of the Soviet army, according to official figures, amounted to 669 people killed, 51 missing and 1251 wounded.

The losses of the Hungarian People's Army were, according to official figures, 53 killed and 289 wounded soldiers.

The total number of lost military equipment is unknown.

2nd Guards MD, the first to enter the rebellious Budapest, lost 4 tanks on October 24, 1956.
During the operation "Whirlwind", the 33rd MD lost 14 tanks and self-propelled guns, 9 armored personnel carriers, 13 guns, 4 MLRS, 6 anti-aircraft guns and other equipment, as well as 111 military personnel.

According to Hungarian communist sources, after the liquidation of the armed groups, a large number of Western-made weapons fell into the hands of the troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the police: German MP-44 assault rifles and American Thompson submachine guns.

Budapest suffered as a result of street fighting between Soviet troops and rebels, 4,000 houses were completely destroyed in the city and another 40,000 were damaged.