Andropov Report on Imre Nagy and the Hungarian Situation, November 1, 1956

In October 1956 a spontaneous uprising in Hungary, a Soviet satellite state, broke out and seemed to threaten Soviet interests in that Warsaw Pact state. By October 31 it seemed as if the Hungarian revolution would become successful. On that day Pravda published a statement that seemed to promise more harmonious relations between the Soviet Union and the Eastern European states of the Warsaw Pact. But on November 4, the Soviet Union invaded Hungary.

CODED TELEGRAM

Top Secret
Not to be copied

From Budapest
Priority

Today, on November 1, at 7 p.m. I received an invitation to the inner cabinet meeting of the Council of Ministers of the H[ungarian] P[eople's] R[epublic]. Imre Nagy, who chaired the meeting, informed the participants in a rather nervous tone that in the morning he had addressed the Soviet Ambassador in connection with the Soviet troops crossing the Hungarian border and advancing towards the heart of the country. Nagy "demanded" an explanation in that matter. The way Nagy said all this suggested that he expected me to affirm that he had really expressed his protests to me. Also, he kept looking at Zoltan Tildy all along, as if expecting support.

Tildy behaved with dignity. He spoke immediately after Imre Nagy, in a tone that was much friendlier and calmer. He said that if the Soviet troops continued their advance on Budapest, there would be a scandal and the Government would be forced to resign. Tildy would like to prevent the workers' anger turning against the Soviet Union.

Tildy said that he insisted that the Soviet troops—at least those which are not stationed in Hungary under the terms of the Warsaw Pact—be withdrawn without delay.

Kadar supported Nagy; Haraszti and Ferenc Erdei spoke very nervously and in a manner unfriendly to us. Dobi remained silent. After they spoke I offered my views—in keeping with the instructions I had received. Nagy immediately replied that although he accepted that my statement was good, it did not answer the Hungarian Government's question.

Nagy proposed that, since the Soviet Government had not stopped the advance of the Soviet troops, nor had it given a satisfactory explanation of its actions, they confirm the motion passed that morning regarding Hungary's giving notice of cessation of Warsaw Pact membership, a declaration of neutrality, and an appeal to the United Nations for the guarantee of Hungary's neutrality by the Four Great Powers. In the event that the Soviet Government stopped the advance of the Soviet troops and withdrew them beyond its own borders with immediate effect, (the Government of the Hungarian People's Republic will form a judgment on compliance on the basis of the reports of its own armed forces) the Hungarian Government would withdraw its request to the United Nations, but Hungary would still remain neutral. Erdei and Losonczy strongly supported this reply by Nagy. Tildy's reponse was affirmative but more reserved, while Kadar's reaction was reluctant. Dobi remained silent.

One hour later the Embassy received the note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declaring that since a strong Soviet Army force had crossed the border that day and had entered Hungarian territory against the firm protest of the Hungarian Government, the Government was leaving the Warsaw Pact with immediate effect. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the Embassy to notify the Soviet Government of this decision immediately. They sent notes with a similar content to every embassy and diplomatic mission in Budapest.

Note: We have information that, at the instigation of the Social Democrats, the workers of all the enterprises in Hungary have declared a two-week strike, demanding the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary. 1.11.56

Andropov

Cold War International History Project

Submit your answers to the questions below as determined by your instructor.

1. Why did the Soviet Union invade Hungary in 1956?