[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 74 (Monday, June 12, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, today I honor the 50th anniversary of the 
Hungarian Revolution. In 1956, the people of Hungary stood in the face 
of adversity and expressed their passion for democracy and 
independence. They had a vision of what a free and democratic Hungary 
would look like--a vision that finally came to fruition after nearly 35 
years. Only 10 years prior the revolution, Hungarians participated in 
free elections. Through those elections, the people felt the hope and 
promise of democracy. The perseverance of these strong people can be 
seen in their remarkable journey toward freedom.
  On October 23, 1956, tens of thousands of Hungarians stood in the 
streets, demanding independence from the Soviets. The revolt began as a 
peaceful gathering of student protesters that spread to the general 
population, and the first day ended with clashes between the police and 
the demonstrators. Those on the streets were advocating for basic 
principles of liberty--free elections, freedom of the press, withdrawal 
of Soviet troops from Hungary, and the return of their Prime Minister 
Imre Nagy, who had been forced out of office because of his democratic 
policies.
  In an attempt to calm the uprising, on October 26, 1956, the Central 
Committee of the Communist Party reinstated Nagy as Prime Minister. He 
promised the people of Hungary political freedom and vowed to revive 
the democratic process. He began by vowing to withdraw Hungary from the 
Warsaw Pact and declaring neutrality on November 1, 1956. As Nagy was 
working to satisfy those revolting, the Soviets were working on a plan 
to counter the revolution. Even though some members of the Hungarian 
Army defected and worked against the Soviets, ultimately it was not 
enough to fight off the ever-powerful Soviet regime.
  Only 12 days after the revolution began, the Soviet Air Force started 
a counterrevolution, bombing parts of Budapest on November 4, 1956. The 
hope of the Hungarian people for freedom quickly slipped away. In the 
days and weeks following the revolution, many of those involved fled to 
other countries. Prime Minister Nagy tragically, however, was tried in 
secret and executed in June 1958, paying the ultimate price for his 
involvement in the revolution.
  Today, we reflect with Hungarians around the world, including many 
proud Hungarian Americans, 50 years after this significant time period 
and celebrate the promise it held for the future of Eastern Europe.

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