Hungary in the Cold War, 1945-1956
Based on new archival evidence, examines Soviet empire building in Hungary and the American response to it. Hungary was not important enough to resist the Soviets, its democratic opposition failed to win American sympathy, the US simply had no leverage over the Soviets, who sacrificed cooperation with the West for a closed sphere in Eastern Europe. The imposition of a Stalinist regime assured Hungary's unconditional loyalty to Soviet imperial needs. Unlike the GDR, Eastern Europe was never considered a bargaining chip for bettering relations with the West.
The book analyzes why, given all its idealism and power, the US failed even in its minimal aims concerning the states of Eastern Europe. Eventually both powers pursued power politics: the Soviets in a naked form, the US subtly, but both with little regard for the fate of Hungarians.
Acknowledgements
Introduction
CHAPTER I
We Do Not Wish to Move a Finger
CHAPTER II
The Myth of Democracy
CHAPTER III
The Communists Take Over
CHAPTER IV
The Merchants of the Kremlin
CHAPTER V
Empire by Coercion
CHAPTER VI
Containment, Rollback, Liberation or Inaction?
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index