Hungarian Revolution and Soviet Union - Essay Example

Introduction Hungarian revolt against the Soviet ity occupies an important position in the history of Cold War. Hungary happened to be of significant importance for the achievement of Soviet Union’s economic, political and imperial objectives. Soviet Union shared a profound relationship with Hungary and the leaders of the country acted completely upon the advices of Soviet Union. In order to understand the Hungarian revolution, it is important to identify and elaborate the factors that were found to be objectionable on the part of the Soviet Union. This paper presents an insight into the factors that influenced the decision to oppose the revolution and invade Hungary in the year 1956. Hungarian Revolution and Soviet Union Hungarian revolution seems to be one of the most important events of the Cold War times. The revolution appeared as a consequence of hardened relationship between Hungary and the Soviet Union during 1950s, which led the masses of Hungary to demonstrate and protest against the imperial ambitions of the USSR. Soviet Union had occupied the territory of Hungary along with other East European countries after the World War II. Borhi says that “…the Soviet Union regarded Hungary as a prize of the Soviet victory in the World War II”1 Ever since then, Hungary constituted an important part of Soviet Union’s strategic aims in the region as well as its national interest. The revolution which started in October 1956 left the Soviet Union into the dilemma concerning the future of Hungary and the USSR political and economic relationship. Stykalin points out that “the Hungarian crisis of 1956 had confronted Moscow with a hard choice between the use of military or political instruments in its resolution…” 2 Because of the benefits that the Soviet Union was reaping out of its relationship with Hungary, it became imperative for it to resolve the issue using political and military means. The Hungarian revolution appeared to be objectionable for the Soviet Union in several respects viz. political, economic, geopolitical and imperial. The fact that Hungary was a sign of Soviet Union’s victory in the World War II and its hegemony in world politics, loosing Hungary could have signified the declining power of the USSR. Boyle says that “…if the Soviets showed weakness in Hungary…, it would make the Soviet Union seem very weak and would encourage the west to take further bold and aggressive steps”3 The geopolitical goals and fear of oppression from the Western countries, in particular, the United States and Britain, turned out to be the major causes of Soviet Union’s decision to invade Hungary and suppress the revolution through military action. Furthermore, Soviet Union feared that successful revolution in Hungary could pave way for aggression in other East European countries in the Soviet Union bloc. Kramer elaborates this point as, “…Soviet leaders feared that developments in one or more East European countries would “spill over” into other East-bloc countries, including the Soviet Union itself.”4 This suggests the apprehensions confronted the Soviet Union with great challenges. Apart from the geopolitical importance, Hungary served to be a very crucial support for the Soviet Union in economic as well as military sense. Borhi propounds that “Hungary, as did all Eastern Europe, satisfied Moscow’s unbridled economic needs and served as its military base”5 Soviet Union dictated the economic and commercial strategies to be imposed in Hungary that went in favour of Soviet Union’s objectives. For example, allowing Hungary to engage in trading activities with the countries approved by the USSR etc. Furthermore, it served as a centre for military activities and bases for Soviet Union’s armed forces. Borhi says that the economic and military advantages for Soviet Union emerged out of “…unlimited Soviet use of Hungarian territory for military purposes…, and facilitating the establishment of, and participating in, the Warsaw Pact”6 One of the most important grounds behind the invasion of Hungary on the part of Soviet Union’s armed forces was that the revolution had appeared to be a serious threat to the acceptance of Warsaw Pact by Hungary. Ouimet says that the masses in Hungary “…strongly opposed the new Warsaw Treaty, demanding both the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Hungary and Hungary’s withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact”7, which threatened the USSR’s position in the East European bloc. Hungarian revolution signalled to the Soviet leaders that it would lead to the deterioration of the Warsaw Pact and weaken the Soviet control on the country as well as the region. Granville also says that “… the Hungarians alarmed the Soviet Union by going too far, especially by declaring neutrality, withdrawing from the Warsaw Pact, and establishing a multiparty system”8 The revolution also threatened that the political system which was then dictated by the Soviet political leaders would be out of its control. The political system of Hungary was also characterised with the ambition to achieve objectives of the USSR. The Hungarian political leaders consulted the Soviet Union on even minor matters and acted upon its advices, which were of course meant to benefit the Soviet Union. Borhi says that “the Soviet decisions about Hungarian leadership can be interpreted within the framework of providing services to satisfy the USSR’s imperial needs…”9 Hungarian court and justice system had also adopted policies from the Soviet Union however it was implemented in such a way that became troublesome for the Hungarian people as well as Soviet corporations. Borhi illuminates that “the Hungarian Communists in their revolutionary zeal outdid Soviet expectations and persecuted far more people than the Soviets thought desirable”10 The world affairs prevailing at that time had a great influence on the Soviet action against the Hungarian revolution. Suez crisis played an important role in leading the Soviet Union to oppose the revolution and invade Hungary. The event encouraged the USSR to use military action against Hungary because of the acts of oppression by Britain and United States in Suez. Boyle puts forward that “the commencement of hostilities in the Suez Crisis on 29 October 1956 accelerated the Soviet decision to suppress the Hungarian Revolution with overwhelming military force.”11 The event of Suez crisis effectively diverted the attention of giant countries from Hungary to the Suez region, which went entirely in the favour of the Soviet Union. The United States, on the other hand, despite making great promises to Hungarian people could not come to help them. Boyle says that “…the United States was not prepared to risk military action to assist an east European country because it might lead to war with the Soviet Union”12 Even when the Soviet Union waged military actions against Hungary, the United States opted to stand apart. The instances in Hungary at the time of revolution proved to the Soviet Union that imposition of strict economic and political policies were of no use in keeping the countries under its imperial control. Granville “the Stalinist policy of heavy political indoctrination and enforced Sovietisation could no longer be relied on to keep national armies as reliable instruments of the Soviet Union.”13 The revolution seriously threatened the position of Soviet Union in the region and its alliance system that was in larger part characterised with dominating policies on the part of the Soviet Union. Demise of communism appears to be an important aspect to Hungarian revolution and Soviet invasion. The Soviet Union decided to use military action in order to topple down the revolution as it posed significant threats to communism. In fact, the Soviet Union was proclaimed to be the protector of communism within the East European region. Kramer says that “one of the main deterrents to popular anti-Communist uprisings in Eastern Europe after 1956 was the local populations’ awareness that…, Soviet troops would intervene to restore control.”14 The circumstances leading to Hungarian revolution and the subsequent Soviet invasion resulted into disrepute of the Soviet Union ever after the year 1956. Boyle suggests that “…the Soviet Union emerged from 1956 with a flawed image of a tainted ideology that was sustained in power only by means of the oppressive strength of the brutal Russian bear.”15 The Hungarian revolution and invasion promoted a negative image for Soviet Union in the world. Conclusion This paper discusses the Hungarian revolution and the factors that led to the Soviet Union to take significant steps in subverting the revolution against the Soviet Union in Hungary. It suggests that there happened to be several grounds upon which the USSR led the foundation of oppression against Hungary. These factors are mostly economic, political, geopolitical and imperial assets. Soviet Union could not loose the Hungarian territories and its dominance in the region because of the fears of imperial actions on the part of other giant countries like the United States, Britain etc. Hungary happened to be a centre of economic support and political leverage of Soviet Union and its policies which had a lot of contribution to the economic progress of the Soviet Union. The political parties of Hungary consulted the Soviet Union advisors in even minor affairs and worked according to the Soviet Union’s policies. The protection of communism, promotion of imperial objectives and the fear of cancellation of Warsaw Pact on the part of Hungary also determined the Soviet decision to use military action against the Hungary. . Bibliography Borhi, Laszlo, Empire by Coercion: The Soviet Union and Hungary in 1950s, (Cold War History, 2001), 1(2): pp. 47-72 Borhi, László, Hungary in the Cold War, 1945-1956: Between the United States and the Soviet Union, (Austria, Central European University Press, 2004) Boyle, Peter G., The Hungarian Revolution and the Suez Crisis, (History, 2005), 90(300): pp. 550-565 Granville, Johanna, Hungarian and Polish Reactions to the Events of 1956: New Archival Evidence, (Europe-Asia Studies, 2001), 53(7): pp. 1051-1076 Granville, Johanna, Poland and Hungary, 1956: A Comparative Essay Based on New Archival Findings, (Australian Journal of Politics and History, 2002), 48(2): pp. 369-395 Kramer, Mark, The Collapse of East European Communism and the Repercussions within the Soviet Union, (Journal of Cold War Studies, 2003), 5(4), pp. 178–256 Ouimet, Matthew J., The Rise and Fall of the Brezhnev Doctrine in Soviet Foreign Policy, (UNC Press, 2003) Stykalin, Aleksandr, The Hungarian Crisis of 1956: The Soviet Role in the Light of New Archival Documents, (Cold War History, 2001), 2(1): pp. 113-144 Read More