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Hungary
    1944 Oct    
The Soviet army invades and occupies German-occupied Hungary.


    1945 Nov    
Elections to the Hungarian National Assembly are held. The Communist party receives less than one fifth of the votes. The Independent Smallholders' Party wins.

Read more about the elections in Hungary on this site created by the British Helsinki Human Rights Group.


    1947 Jan    
Leaders of the Smallholders' Party are arrested by the Hungarian Communist, who have taken control of the police.


    1949 May    
Parliamentary elections are held in Hungary. Voters are presented with a single list of candidates who are all Communist. Because of this, Hungary becomes a Communist state and changes its name to the Hungarian People's Republic. Anyone suspected of being an opponent of the Communist regime is sent to labour camps.


    1953    
After the death of Stalin, the Hungarian government liberalises some of its policies. Political prisoners are granted amnesty and labour camps are abolished.


    1956 Oct    
Due to popular discontentment with the government, Hungarians revolt against Communist rule and make futile pleas for assistance from the United States. Soviet forces are called in by the government to crush resistance. Hundreds of Hungarians are executed. A new Communist dictatorship is set up with Janos Kadar as the leader.

Read more about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 on this site by Radio Free Europe.


    1970    
Hungary increases trade and cultural contacts with non-Communist countries.


    1989    
The Hungarian Communist party votes to dissolve itself. The government provides for a democratic multiparty system. The People's Republic of Hungary is changed to the Republic of Hungary.


    1990 and beyond    
Hungary becomes the first Eastern European nation to join the Council of Europe. Legislations are passed granting free press, freedom of assembly and the right to own a private business. The last Soviet troops leave in the summer of 1991. In 1999, Hungary becomes a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.


Cold-War-at-a-Glance 2003