Posted on 10/29/2006 2:36:05 AM PST by Nextrush
From today's perspective Hungarian leader Imre Nagy looks a lot like a Gorbachev, a loyal Communist who wanted to "reform."
Nagy was slow to respond the crowds demands for real change and apparently saw some benefit in Communist ideology, even though he wanted to liberalize its operation.
He was given a title by Communist leaders in the face of the revolt, but held by them for several days before he was free to make his own decisions.
On Octboer 27th the first new government Nagy proposed included non-communists in limited roles only.
But whatever was being talked about, the fight in the streets of Budapest continued. The Soviet troops and AVO secret police could not control hundreds of thousands of people demanding freedom in the streets, some of whom were armed. Freedom fighters had several dozen tanks and artillery from army units that had disintegrated in the face of the revolt.
The Communist controlled radio tried to convince the fighters that their cause was lost and that some of them were surrendering. It was a joke in the face of a determined revolt that showed no signs of giving way.
The crowds wanted real freedom and no compromises were possible with Communism.
By October 28th Nagy was speaking on the still Communist run radio carefully explaining that the question of state security forces would be discussed after the revolt ended.
But by October 29th an order abolishing the AVO was announced along with the establishment of a "new democratic police."
Then the dramatic speeches of October 30th, 1956 in which the words "Communist" or "Socialist" were never used. Nagy said: "Long live free, democratic and independent Hungary!"
He was followed by two non-Communist political leaders from the pre-Communist era. One, Zoltan Tildy. said: "Hungarian brethren! The will of the nation and the national revolution have conquered."
At the end Communist leader Janos Kadar simply said: "I declare that every member of the Praesidium of the Hungarian Workers Party agrees with today's decision by the Council of Ministers."
As early as October 28th freedom fighter and government representatives met to talk about the demand for a Soviet troop withdrawl from the Budapest.
A withdrawl did occur on Ocotber 30th and 31st but with Soviet forces maintaing a presence at the Soviet Embassy, along with airports and Danube river crossings.
A cease-fire came into effect on October 30th and Soviet forces moved out of barracks and towns in other Hungarian towns and cities, giving the impression that they were pulling out of the country.
However, that was far from the truth.................
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