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Hungarian Revolution of 1956

Definition

The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a nationwide revolt against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November. It was the first major threat to Soviet control since WWII and marked the start of a period of severe repression.

Analogy

Think about it like this - you're at a party where everyone is forced to dance to one specific song on repeat. You and some friends decide that you've had enough, so you try to change the music. For a brief moment, you succeed, but then the host (who really likes that one song) turns it back on even louder and kicks out anyone who disagrees. This is similar to how Hungary tried to break free from Soviet control in 1956 but was ultimately suppressed.

Related terms

Iron Curtain: A term used by Winston Churchill in his speech in Fulton, Missouri on March 5, 1946 when he said "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent." It refers metaphorically to the ideological barrier erected by Stalin between Eastern Europe under communist control and Western democracies.

Cold War: A period of geopolitical tension between two superpowers, United States and Soviet Union after World War II. It lasted from approximately 1947-1991 characterized by political hostility, military tension but no large-scale fighting directly between them.

Soviet Bloc: Refers to a group of socialist states under influence or direct administration of Soviet Union during Cold War period which were part of Eastern Bloc with Warsaw Pact serving as defense treaty among them.