Rebellion in Eastern Europe: Hungary and Czechoslovakia
Above is a picture of the Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia on the left and the Soviet's tanks in Hungary on the right.
HUngary
Known as the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. Russia had a tight communistic grip on all of eastern europe which did not falter even after the death of Stalin in 1953. The Russian implemented thousands of their troops and tanks in Hungary. Also, all of Hungary’s wealth was taken by the Russians. Khrushchev, the new leader of Russia after the death of Stalin made an attack of Stalin’s policies which resulted in him having to resign. Khruschev, a bad harvest season, shortages in fuel, and an arctic autumn all added to an unhappy population. Finally, on October 23rd 1956, many works and students rounded together in the capital of Hungary, Budapest demanding for their sixteen points which advocated freedom, increase in food, the elimination of secret police, and the withdrawal of the strong Russian grip. This was influenced by Poland’s grant of grant of rights given to them in 1956 by their protests and rebellions. The Russian appointed Imre Nagy as the new premier who tried to restore peace and announced Hungary’s removal from the Warsaw Pact. On November 4th, 1956 the Soviets brought in tanks to budapest and brutal street fights broke out. This caused Nagy to flee in which he was captured and killed. THis fiasco ended with 2500 Hungarian deaths and 200,000 Hungarians fled.
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia was infiltrated by Communists in 1968 as there were many political, social , and economic problems during that time. Communist influence caused the development of Marx and Lenin ideas to spread and as a result Czechoslovakia became one of the founding countries of the Warsaw Pact. Alexander Dubček was elected to be 1st secretary of the Communist party. He attempted to reform by spreading "socialism with a human face” which included ideas of the freedom to travel and freedom of speech and media.Dubček's period of reform was called “Prague Spring." His reform movement angered other Communist and as a result Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968 which ended the reform movement. This put Czechoslovakia's economy on a hult as well as movement towards détente between The United States and The Soviet Union.