Korean War Podcast

On Sunday 4th November 1956, the Soviet Army assaults  Budapest to crush the Hungarian revolution.  In a one sided battle against poorly armed and poorly trained Hungarian revolutions, the Soviet Army use fire from tanks artillery and warplanes against the Hungarians who despite their bravery are defeated.  A biography of General Bela Kiraly, commander of Hungarian forces in Budapest.  The Soviet impose Janos Kadar as their puppet ruler of Hungary.

The events of Thursday 1st November until Saturday 3rd November 1956.  The Soviet Army reinforces its tanks and troops in Hungary and prepares for an assault on Budapest to crush the Hungarian Revolution.  The Soviet ambassador to Hungary lies to Imre Nagy as to the Soviet plans.  Janos Kadar the leader of the Hungarian Communist Party flies to Russia, to offer his services to the Soviet Government, who choose him to the puppet leader of Hungary, a biography of him.

The events of Wednesday 30th October and Thursday 31st October 1956.  The revenge killing of AVH secret policeman carries on.  Prime Minister Imre Nagy promises dramatic democratic reforms for the country.  At first the Soviet leadership agree to the withdraw of Soviet troops and tanks from Budapest but the next day they change their minds and order a full scale military effort to crush the Hungarian revolution. 

The events of Friday 26th October until Monday 29th October 1956.  the revolution in the rest of Hungary outside of Budapest a biography of Attila Szigetthy leader of the revolution in Western Hungary.  Heavy fighting in Budapest between the Soviet Army and Hungarian freedom fighter carries on but Imre Nagy the Hungarian Prime Minister reaches a ceasefire agreement with the Soviets who on Monday 29th October begin to pull their troops and tanks out of Budapest.     

The events of Wednesday 24th October and Thursday 25th October 1956.  Soviet troops and tanks are sent into Budapest to crush the popular revolt against the Hungarian Communist regime.  However young armed Hungarians resist the Soviet Army in street battles in Budapest.  A biography of Hungarian Army Colonel Pal Meleter who joins the revolution movement in Budapest and becomes one of the best known leaders.

The events of Tuesday 23rd October 1956.  A student march in Budapest grows into a mass protest of two hundred thousand people as the Citizens of Budapest take the chance to protest against the Communist regime.  A gun battle breaks out when protesters take to capture the radio station.  The Soviet leadership decide to send troops into Budapest to end the protest.  A biography of Erno Gero, the Hungarian Communist leader.  

Reformist Hungarian Prime minister Imre Nagy tries to bring in reforms but is partly blocked by Communist leader Rakosi.  The Soviets remove both men from power.  A biography of Imre Nagy a key figure in the Hungarian Revolution.  Public discontent grows in Hungary against the Communists.  On Monday 22nd October 1956 a student meeting in Budapest decides upon protest march for the next day, an event that will lead to the Hungarian revolution.

The story of Hungary from the Soviet occupation in 1944 to 1953.  Stalin decides upon Rakosi to be the Hungarian Communist ruler, he imposes a harsh repressive regime upon the country, with a secret police the AVH.  Hundreds of thousands are imprisoned and thousands are killed.  The Communist policies and the need to pay the Soviet Union larges amounts of money in regard to war damages ruins the economy and the standard of living of Hungarian workers falls.

In 1953 workers in East Berlin went on strike to protest against new higher production demands set by the Communist East German Government.  The strikers marched though East Berlin.  The strikes and protests spread though the country.  However the next day protesters were fired upon by Soviet tanks.

The Albania Communist Party seized control of the country in late 1944.  However the Albanian Communist Party would be greatly weakened by internal purges.  After the break between Tito and Stalin in 1948, the Albania Communist Government which sided with Stalin was isolated and faced by growing discontent from its people.  The Americans and British Government trained three hundred Albania agents to overthrown the Communist but all were arrested and executed, why well Kim Philby knew all about the plan.  His story and that of the Cambridge spy ring.