1956 1.12: Hope Springs

When Diplomacy Fails Podcast

Zack Twamley

19th Century, 20th Century, International Relations, Politics, Thirty Years' War, Korean War, 18th Century, First World War, Phd, 17th Century, European History, History, War

4.8 • 773 Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2024

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

1956 Episode 1.12 examines a key moment when a Hungarian student protest exploded into something far more encouraging, and for the Soviets, far more dangerous.

The demands of the protesters – joined by workers, peasants, Hungarian communists, soldiers and many more figures besides – were as disconcerting as the threat the protest posed to Soviet control. Still more incredible than the growth of the protest was the transformation of this protest into a riot, and the further transformation of this riot into a revolution.

From these process a rallying cry of hope seemed to spring, as independence and some freedom of action could at last be imagined. Hungarians who had never before dreamed of such things now engaged with all their enthusiasm this most dangerous task – that of standing up to the superpower of the era and their superior in almost every respect. Time would tell if this act would be tragic, or met with miraculous fortune. With far too many individual details to explain here, WDF is so excited to bring its patrons the latest piece of this fascinating story, so make sure you check it out and let me know what you all thought, perhaps by leaving a review in the section of the iTunes store where this series is hosted!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome history friends, patrons all to 1956 episode 1.12.
0:28.6	Last time we brought our narrative to the point of a tumultuous event in Hungarian history.
0:33.8	Matt Yash Rakoshi was gone, but the hated dictator had merely been replaced by his lackey,
0:39.3	Erno Gero, and the situation over the course of 1956 had only grown worse,
0:45.1	exacerbated first by the genuine problems of Hungarians at home and the dissatisfaction with their lot,
0:51.1	but exploding onto Budapest streets with a march on the 23rd of October,
0:56.0	which was actually in solidarity with what had occurred in Poland. By this point, Poland's
1:01.6	government had been satisfied and Vladislav Gamulka, the nationalist communist candidate,
1:07.2	had been appointed First Secretary and the Soviet military bluff had been called.
1:13.0	Perhaps Hungarians believed they could do the same thing.
1:16.1	Perhaps those students who gathered on the afternoon of the 23rd of October believed they could make a difference.
1:22.1	Regardless of belief or intentions, it seems nobody anticipated what was to come next.
1:27.2	An eruption of feeling, anger and
1:29.2	frustration at a decade of false promises, cruelty and despair. In this episode we examine the
1:35.8	incredible ups and downs of this revolt as Moscow does its best to crush it and in the process
1:41.1	forcibly set back the clock. All the while, on the sidelines looking on was the person of Imre Naj.
1:48.3	Here we also see how that mustachioed party figure went from candidate to hero.
1:54.2	So I hope you're ready for all this, as we take you to October 1956 Arise, Hungarians,
2:07.1	Your country calls you,
2:08.2	meet this hour
2:08.9	whatever befalls you,
2:10.2	shall we be free man
	...

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