The end of WW1 re-shaped the entire face of Europe.
Four empires would fall, and in their place, would be a massive power vacuum that needed
to be filled by someone.
Numerous nations would declare independence, be invaded, invade another, or be overthrown
over ideological differences.
Hungary is one such example.
While more modern onlookers would note Hungary as being under the communist boot post WW2,
their was an earlier attempt to have Hungary under the red banner.
While it would last only four months, it is a topic that needs to be remembered.
It is March 21st 1919, and the Hungarian Soviet Republic, has been born.
Howdy folks, if you're new here, my name is Aster, a trans woman and historian that focuses
on lesser known events throughout history.
If you find this content interesting, then consider subscribing and hitting that notification
bell.
The duel monarchy of Austria-Hungary had existed since the 1860's, though Hungary would be
under personal union with Austria dating back to 1526.
The Union between the two would end after the conclusion of World War 1, though shortly
before the end of the war, multiple nations would declare their independence from Hungary.
October the 28th of 1918 would see the Czech national council in Prague declared independence,
a day later, the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia would issue a similar declaration in Zagreb,
and so on.
Hungary itself would separate from the monarchy in an effort to stave off these independence
movements but ultimately failed.
The First Hungarian Republic, led by Mih ly K rolyi was unable to make peace with her
neighbors, who invaded after the unilateral disarmament of the Hungarian army, in hopes
of getting diplomatic support by the Entente.
The founder of the Hungarian Communist Party Bela Kun, had managed to secure an alliance
with the Social Democrat Party, the predominate party within Hungary at the time.
Kun would launch a coup against Karolyi's government on March 21st of 1919, proclaiming
that they had the support of the Russian Soviet Republic to secure Hungarian territorial integrity
against the invaders.
Now in control, Kun would sent a message to Vladimir Lenin, Chairmen of the Ruling government
in Russia.
He claimed that the Proletariat had now been taken control of Hungary, and asked for an
alliance between the two nations.
Not only did Lenin refuse an alliance since Russia was involved in well...
This mess.
I'm not looking forward to covering this by the way.
But that because the social Democrats had a majority of the seats within the Hungarian
parliament, that the Proletariat was not truly in control, for a swift culling of non communists
must be committed.
Kun was swift to comply, and by the end of March, very few Social Democrats would be
left in the government.
However, the Kun government was still massively unpopular everywhere outside of Budapest,
and the only thing that was keeping them from being ousted themselves was the promise of
holding onto Hungarian territory, thus, they would declare war against the newly formed
Czechslovakia, who had control over the majority of northern Hungary.
A Hungarian Red Army would be established under M ty s R kosi, made up largely of the
party public supporters, but thousands would join the ranks as a wave of patriotism took
over, and many Austro-Hungarian officers, as well as plenty of men from the demobalished
Honv d army.
In late May, after the Entente demanded more territorial concessions from Hungary, Kun
attempted to fulfill his promise to adhere to Hungary's historical borders.
The 100,000 strong Hungarian Red Army would march north to fight against the invading
Czechoslovakians, Retaking Hatvan on May the 9th, Routing Czech forces around Miskolc on
the 20th, recapturing Ko ice and Pre ov on the 26th, and successfully separating the
Czechoslovak and Romanian Armies.
While these victories brought popularity to the government, that was quickly change.
On June the 16th, The northern territory that was re-taken by the Hungarians, declared their
independence as the Slovak Soviet Republic.
This declaration actually proved to be the catalyst for the Hungarian Republic, as after
this declaration, the Hungarian army split heavily into two factions, those who were
communists, and those who were nationalists, patriots, etc.
The latter feeling betrayed as they had been used to spread an ideology, rather then reclaim
Hungarian territory.
Thus, the moral of the army plummeted, and thousands would dessert, rather then continue
fighting.
The Social Democrats, who had been purged earlier, now attempted their own coup on the
24th, but were met by brutal reprisals, with a special force dubbed the Lenin Boys, executing
hundreds in the red terror.
The remnants of the now demoralized Red Army would be thrown against the Romanians who
were invading from the East, but despite outnumbering the Romanians by 4 to 1, the utter lack of
moral resulted in rout after rout, until they were in full retreat back to Budapest.
Kun and the majority of his cabinet would flee to Vienna as the Romanians advanced,
and while a new government would be formed under Gyula Peidl, it wouldn't be enough.
Romanian forces entered Budapest on August the 6th, with them, being that of Hungarian
admiral Mikl s Horthy, who would become regent in March of 1920.
For Kun himself, he would eventually flee to Russia, where he would act as an agent,
and would actually be stripped of his posts for being too extreme, as he was the main
proportionate of the mass execution of citizens in Crimea during 1921, he would ultimately
be facing a firing squad during the Great Purge of the 1930's.
His fate being unknown until the collapse of the Soviet Union.