Soviet Military Intervention in Hungary, 1956
Edited by Jenő Györkei, Military History Institute,
Budapest,
Miklos Horvath, Political College of the Hungarian
Army, Budapest
With a study by Alexandr Kirov, military historian
This remarkable study reveals precious new material
on the organization, command, strategy, and tactics
of the Soviet armed forces which invaded Hungary in
1956. Particularly interesting is the precise documentation
of the irrationally large size of the forces. The major
contribution made by the book is its source material:
it is based on research in Soviet archives, and this
alone makes the volume of unique scholarly importance.
The book opens with a substantial introductory essay
by the editors, and includes a major study by Alexandr
Kirov, based on research in Soviet military archives.
One of the real strengths of the book is that it also
includes the memoirs of General Yevgeny Malashenko,
in 1956 a colonel in the Soviet Army and acting Chief
of Staff of the Special Corps in Budapest, who provided
unparalleled insights into Soviet military procedures,
politico-military co-operation, and the actual fighting
strengths and weaknesses of the Red Army. Very few other
high-ranking Soviet officers have ever published their
memoirs in the West.
Contents
Questions are increasingly being raised, Hungarian
Workers Party proves unable to lead society, The 'wave'
plan for armed intervention, How it began, Plan is set
in motion, Soviet troops in Budapest, A friendly message
to the workers of the Hungarian People's Republic, Re-evaluation
of the situation, Command to cease fire, Refugees and
hosts, Troop invasion continues, Preparations for a
new military operation, Beginning of operation 'Whirlwind',
UN general assembly decision, Who represents the will
of the people?, Organization of the Soviet city commands,
End of the suppression of the uprising, Rearguard actions,
Sepilov lied, There have been, and will be, arrests,
And what happened afterwards, Hungarian October and
the present, The old view is no longer valid, Soviet
troop losses, Troops withdraw, the graves stay behind,
After nearly 40 years, The price of the Khrushchev-Kádár
agreement Conclusion. Tables
1998
350 pages
ISBN 978-963-9116-36-8 cloth $49.95 / €42.95 / £33.00
ISBN 978-963-9116-35-1 paperback $21.95 / €18.95 / £13.95
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