Soviet airborne forces in Budapest. Combat composition of the USSR Armed Forces - deployment of troops to Hungary (1956, Operation Whirlwind)

The USSR, in accordance with the peace treaty with Hungary of 1947 and the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance of February 18, 1948, had the right to maintain in Hungary the troops necessary to maintain communications with its occupation forces in Austria.

In 1955, Soviet units of the Central Group of Forces left Austria, but on May 15 of the same year, Hungary joined the Warsaw Pact, and USSR troops remained in the country in a new capacity. In September 1955, at the suggestion of Marshal Georgy Zhukov, then the Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union, they were called the Special Corps. It included two mechanized divisions (2nd and 17th Guards), two air divisions (195th Guards Fighter and 177th Guards Bomber), 20th Pontoon-Bridge Regiment, anti-aircraft artillery units and logistics institutions. The Special Corps was commanded by Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant General P. N. Lashchenko. In Budapest, a city with a population of two million, there was only a commandant’s office, a political department of special units, a hospital, and a trade department. The corps headquarters was located in the city of Székesfehérvár.

With the outbreak of unrest in Hungary in 1956, the top leadership of the USSR mistakenly believed that the forces of the Special Corps would be quite sufficient to restore order in Budapest. The General Staff had a special opinion - already on October 19, Airborne Forces commander V.F. Margelov received instructions: “Bring units of the 31st and 7th Guards Airborne Divisions to increased combat readiness in the garrisons.” The 31st division was located in the Kiev military district, in Novograd-Volynsky and Alexandria, the 7th division was located near Kaunas. On October 20, two regiments of the 7th Guards Airborne Division - the 80th and 108th and two regiments of the 31st Guards Airborne Division - the 114th and 381st were raised on alert. The option of landing units was not considered, and the commander of the Airborne Forces chose a combined method of releasing regiments to concentration areas.

The 108th Guards Parachute Regiment was transported by air to Hungary on Il-12 and Li-2 aircraft with the task of capturing Tekel airfield. The 80th Guards Parachute Regiment moved along the railway. The final point of the route is Beregovo station, from which it is four hundred kilometers to Budapest. This distance was supposed to be covered under its own power.

The 114th Guards Parachute Regiment boarded planes at the Lvov airfield. The 381st Guards Parachute Regiment was supposed to take off from an airfield near the city of Khmelnitsky.

First stage (October 23-30, 1956)

The Hungarian events began on October 23, 1956. The student demonstration on October 23, 1956 turned into mass protests against the authorities. In the evening the first shots were fired. At 23:00 on October 23, the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal Vasily Sokolovsky, by telephone to the High Command, gave the commander of the Special Corps an order to advance to Budapest. In accordance with the decision of the USSR government “to provide assistance to the government of Hungary in connection with the political unrest that arose in the country,” the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union involved only five divisions of the Ground Forces (see Appendix 1: “Memorandum of the USSR Ministry of Defense to the CPSU Central Committee”). They included: 31,550 personnel, 1,130 tanks and self-propelled guns, 615 guns and mortars, 185 anti-aircraft guns, 380 armored personnel carriers, 3,830 vehicles. At the same time, aviation divisions were put on alert, numbering 159 fighters and 122 bombers. All forces were at the airfields in a state of full combat readiness.

By October 23, about 7 thousand Hungarian troops and 50 tanks were also stationed in Budapest.

The first operation to bring Soviet troops into Budapest was called “Compass”.

Combat composition of units and formations of the 1st period of events

Special Rifle Corps:

• 2nd Guards Mechanized Division;
• 195th Guards Fighter Aviation Division;
• 177th Guards Bomber Air Division;
• 20th Pontoon-Bridge Regiment;
• anti-aircraft artillery units and logistics institutions.

From the Separate Mechanized Army - Romania:

• 33rd mechanized division.

From the IC 38th OA PrikVO:

• 128th Guards Rifle Division;
• 11th Guards Mechanized Division.

The restoration of order in Budapest was mainly entrusted to the 2nd Guards Mechanized Division. The 17th Guards Mechanized Division covered the border with Austria with its main forces. However, this was clearly not enough for military operations in a large city with a population of 2 million people.

On October 24, units of the 2nd Guards MD - 37th Guards Tank Regiment, 5th Guards Mechanized Regiment, 6th Guards Mechanized Regiment, 87th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Tank Regiment - entered the city (entering into battle). The group was constantly growing. On the same day, units of the 83rd Tank and 57th Guards Mechanized Regiments of the 17th Guards MD entered the city.

In the evening they were joined by units of the 3rd Rifle Corps of the Hungarian People's Army (HPA). In the first hours they destroyed 340 rebels.

In general, during the events, up to 12 thousand out of 26 thousand VNA personnel went over to the side of the rebels.

On the morning of October 25, the 33rd Guards Mechanized Division approached Budapest (in Pest - the eastern part of the capital), and in the evening (in Buda - the western part of the capital) - the 128th Guards Rifle Division, which immediately became part of the Special Corps.

The troops continued to arrive. On October 27-29, three mechanized and one rifle divisions, as well as a railway brigade, crossed the Hungarian border from the Carpathian Military District.

On the morning of October 28, an assault on the center of Budapest was planned together with units of the 5th and 6th Hungarian mechanized regiments. However, before the start of the operation, the Hungarian troops received orders not to participate in hostilities.

On October 29, the Soviet troops also received a ceasefire order. The next day, Nagy's government demanded the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from Budapest. On October 31, all Soviet formations and units were withdrawn from the city and took up positions 15–20 km from the capital. There was a respite.

Second stage (October 31 – November 11, 1956)

On October 31, the USSR Ministry of Defense instructed G. K. Zhukov to “develop an appropriate action plan.” The plan prepared by the General Staff was called “Wave”.

On November 1, the Hungarian government led by Imre Nagy announced the country's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and demanded the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops.

Already on November 1, the allocated airborne units were landed/transferred to the territory of Hungary and were placed at the disposal of the commander of the Special Corps, Lieutenant General N. N. Lashchenko. The operation itself, called “Whirlwind,” was led by Marshal of the Soviet Union I. S. Konev, whose command post is located in the city of Szolnok.

So, if at the first stage of events, from October 23 to October 30, there were 5 divisions operating in Hungary (and initially the OK itself included two mechanized divisions), then in addition to the Special Corps, 2 more armies (38 OA, 8- I MA) which included 9 divisions. Troops were transferred from the Odessa and Carpathian districts, as well as partly from the army of General A.L. Getman stationed in Romania.

“Initially we had 2 divisions in Hungary,” G.K. noted in this regard. Zhukov, speaking at a meeting of the leadership of the Soviet troops in Germany on March 5, 1957 - One covered the Austrian border, the other was introduced into Budapest and dissolved there... The need arose to withdraw parts of the division from Budapest. We withdrew this division. Then we secretly sent 12 divisions into Hungary.”

17 Soviet divisions (including two airborne divisions and an airborne division) of the PrikVO and OdVO took part in the operation, the total number was about 60 thousand people (half operated in Budapest).

On November 2, 1956, Marshal I. Konev summoned the commander of the Special Corps, General P. Lashchenko, to Szolnok to set up a combat mission. “...The special corps needs to be ready to participate in Operation Whirlwind to restore order in Hungary. The composition of the corps is the same - the 2nd, 33rd Guards Mechanized Divisions and the 128th Guards Rifle Division. It will be reinforced with tanks, artillery and airborne units.

The tasks of defeating the counter-revolution and establishing order in other cities and regions on the territory of Hungary are assigned to the armies of generals A. Babajanyan (8th MA - Author), Kh. Mamsurov (38th OA - Author). Readiness for action - by the end of November 3. The start of the operation is on the signal "Thunder...".

The main task was to be carried out by the Special Corps, to which, as they moved towards the city center, two tank regiments (100 tank regiments of the 31st tank division and 128 tank regiments of the 66th Guards Division), two parachute regiments (80 and 381 airborne regiments of the 7th and 31st Guards Airborne Division), rifle regiment, mechanized and artillery regiments, as well as two divisions of heavy mortar and rocket brigades.

On November 4, at 4.15 Central European Time, the unit received the “Thunder” signal and the assault on Budapest began.

The suppression of protests also took place outside Budapest. Information from G.K. Zhukov on the situation in Hungary as of 12.00 on November 4, 1956: “Soviet troops... captured the main strongholds of the reaction in the provinces of Gyor, Miskolc, Gyendyes, Debrecen... Seized a radio station in the city of Szolnok.. ... ammunition depots and weapons, having broken the resistance of the rebels, occupied the parliament building, the Central Committee of the All-Russian Trade Union, 3 bridges across the Danube...” From November 4 to 6, units of the 8th MA disarmed 32 Hungarian garrisons, suppressing armed resistance in Derbrecen, Miskolc, Szolnok, Kekchemet and other settlements.

By November 11, armed resistance was broken not only in Budapest, where a network of military commandant’s offices was created, but throughout Hungary. On November 13, Operation Whirlwind came to an end, the remnants of the armed units went underground, but the political struggle around the Hungarian events did not subside.

During the fighting, the losses of the Soviet army amounted to 669 people killed, 1540 wounded, 51 people missing. Thus, irretrievable losses amounted to 720 people.

After the events (Southern Group of Forces)

On May 28, 1957, an agreement was concluded between the USSR and Hungary, defining the legal status of Soviet troops stationed in Hungary. These troops made up the Southern Group of Forces (YGV), the number and locations of deployment of formations and units of which were determined by bilateral agreements.

At the same time, the 11th Guards Mechanized Rivne and 128th Guards Rifle Divisions (reformed respectively into the 30th Guards Tank Rivne and 128th Guards Motorized Rifle Divisions) returned to the PrikVO, and the 21st Guards Military District was permanently deployed to the territory of Hungary from the PrikVO the Poltava Tank Division (until 1957 - the 13th Guards Poltava Mechanized Division of the 38th Army of the PrikVO) and the 27th Motorized Rifle Cherkasy Division (until 1957 - the 27th Cherkassy Mechanized Division of the 38th Army of the PrikVO).

From the troops of the former Special Corps, the 2nd Guards Mechanized Division was reorganized into the 19th Guards Tank Division, and the 17th Guards Mechanized Division into the 17th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (the latter was deployed to the territory of the USSR, in the PrikVO).

Instead of the 33rd Guards Kherson Mechanized Division (from 1957 - 33rd Guards Mechanized Division) of the disbanded Separate Mechanized Army, the 35th Guards Kharkov Mechanized Division (from 1957 - 35th Guards Motorized Rifle Division) was deployed to Hungary. There were other changes as well.

In 1965, the numbering of three of the four divisions of the South Georgian Army was changed and, accordingly, until the end of the 1980s. The formations of the Southern Group of Forces were named (and deployed) as follows:

• 13th Guards Tank Poltava Division (formerly 21st Guards Tank Division) - in Veszprem;
• 19th Guards Tank Nikolaev-Budapest Division - in Esztergom;
• 93rd Guards Motorized Rifle Kharkov Division (former 35th Guards Motorized Rifle Division) - in Kecskemet;
• 254th Cherkassy motorized rifle division (formerly 27th motorized rifle division) - in Szekesfehervar.

Combat composition of the USSR Armed Forces that participated in the events of 1956

Note: all units that did not have special marks suffered losses during the battles.

Special case:

• 2nd Guards Mechanized Division (from OK):
  • 4th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 5th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 6th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 87th Guards Heavy Tank-Self-Propelled Regiment;
  • 37th Guards Tank Regiment;
  • 407th Guards Artillery Regiment;
  • 921st Artillery Regiment;
  • 159th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment;
  • 33rd separate guards mortar division;
  • 99th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion;
  • 67th separate training tank battalion;
  • 76th separate guards communications battalion;
  • 690th separate motor transport battalion;
  • 56th separate medical battalion.
• 17th Guards Mechanized Division (from OK):
  • 56th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 57th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 58th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 27th Guards Heavy Tank-Self-Propelled Regiment;
  • 83rd Guards Tank Regiment;
  • 1160th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment;
  • 56th training tank battalion;
  • 42nd Separate Guards Engineer Battalion;
  • 163rd Guards Separate Signal Battalion.
• 195th Guards Fighter Aviation Division (had no losses)
  • 1st Guards IAP;
  • 5th Guards IAP;
  • 407th Guards IAP.
• 177th Guards Bomber Air Division (in some sources called the 172nd Guards Badge);
  • 694th bap (had no losses);
  • 880th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment 177th Guards BAD (lost Il-28R with crew);
  • N-skoy bap (had no losses).
• 20th Pontoon-Bridge Regiment.
• 66th separate anti-aircraft artillery division.

8th Mechanized Army PrikVO:

• 11th Guards Mechanized Division (from the rifle corps of the Carpathian Military District - 1st wave) - 8th MA PrikVO:
  • N Guards Mechanized Regiment (had no losses);
  • 39th Guards Mechanized Regiment (had no losses);
  • 40th Guards Mechanized Regiment (had no losses);
  • 62nd Tank Regiment;
  • 23rd Guards Heavy Tank-Self-Propelled Regiment.
• 32nd Guards Mechanized Division – 8th MA PrikVO
  • 101st Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 102nd Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 103rd Guards Mechanized Regiment (had no losses);
  • 64th Tank Regiment;
  • 137th separate reconnaissance battalion;
  • 1091st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment.
• The 23rd Tank Division - 8th MA PrikVO - was not introduced into Hungary, and therefore definitely had no losses.
• 31st Tank Division - 8th MA PrikVO
  • 77th Guards Heavy Tank-Self-Propelled Regiment;
  • 100th Tank Regiment;
  • 237th Tank Regiment;
  • 242nd Tank Regiment;
  • 98th separate reconnaissance battalion;
  • 50th Motor Transport Battalion.

38th Combined Arms Army PrikVO- the army included corps, so the rifle corps consisting of the 128th Guards Infantry Division and the 33rd Guards Mechanized Division already participated in the first entry of troops:

• 27th mechanized division - 38th OA PrikVO
  • 97th Mechanized Regiment;
  • 66th Tank Regiment.
• 39th Guards Mechanized Division - 39th Mechanized Division, former 53rd (318th) Guards Division, was merged on November 16, 1955 with the 13th Guards Mechanized Division (44th, 45th, 46th Guards Mechanized Division , 106th Guards TSSP, 15th TP):
  • 78th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • The 149th Guards Mechanized Regiment (had no losses), was introduced into Hungary;
  • 158th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 201st Tank Regiment;
  • 56th separate reconnaissance battalion;
  • 372nd Guards Engineer Battalion;
  • Note: some sources mention the 7th Guards Mechanized Infantry Regiment, presumably this is the 78th Guards Mechanized Infantry Regiment.
• 66th Guards Rifle Division (sometimes referred to as OdVO; units and divisions of the division, except for those specifically indicated, had no losses):
  • 145th Budapest Guards Rifle Regiment (had losses);
  • 193rd Budapest Guards Rifle Regiment;
  • 195th Budapest Guards Rifle Regiment;
  • 128th Guards Self-propelled Tank Regiment (had losses);
  • separate division artillery command battery;
  • 135th Uzhgorod Guards Artillery Regiment;
  • 838th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;
  • 71st separate guards anti-tank artillery division;
  • 131st Reconnaissance Battalion;
  • 74th separate guards engineer battalion;
  • 179th separate guards communications battalion;
  • 278th separate chemical defense company;
  • 79th medical battalion (collapsed medical battalion);
  • 814th separate motor transport battalion;
  • 650th Armored Repair Shop;
  • 792nd automobile repair shop;
  • Divisional repair shop for clothing items.
• 70th Guards Rifle Division
• 128th Guards Rifle Division (from the rifle corps of the Carpathian Military District - 1st wave, became part of the OK)
  • 315th Guards Rifle Regiment;
  • 319th Guards Rifle Regiment (had no losses) - December 15, 1956. 149th Guards Mechanized Czestochowa Order of the Red Star Regiment, 39th Mechanized Division (which was reorganized into the 21st TD) was reassigned to the 128th Guards Motorized Rifle Division and reorganized to the 149th Guards Motorized Rifle Czestochowa Order of the Red Star Regiment;
  • 327th Guards Rifle Regiment;
  • 398th self-propelled tank regiment;
  • 331st Guards Artillery Regiment;
  • 114th separate guards anti-tank fighter artillery division;
  • 73rd Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion;
  • 150th separate guards communications battalion;
  • 284th separate chemical defense company.

Separate Mechanized Army (Romania):

• 33rd Guards Mechanized Division (from the OMA - Romania, 1st wave - became part of the OK)
  • 104th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 105th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 106th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 233rd Guards Rifle Regiment;
  • 133rd Guards Heavy Tank-Self-Propelled Regiment;
  • 71st Guards Tank Regiment;
  • 100th Guards Artillery Regiment;
  • 1195th Artillery Regiment;
  • 1093rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment;
  • 61st separate guards mortar division;
  • 139th separate reconnaissance battalion.

1st Guards Artillery Breakthrough Division PrikVO:

• 19th Guards Mortar Brigade;
• Note: One battalion from the rocket brigade is known to participate.

Airborne troops:

• 7th Guards Airborne Division
  • 80th Guards Parachute Regiment;
  • 108th Guards Parachute Regiment.
• 31st Guards Airborne Division
  • 114th Guards Parachute Regiment;
  • 381st Guards Parachute Regiment.

Odessa Military District:

• The 35th Guards Mechanized Division - OdVO - had no losses, was deployed to Hungary to replace the 33rd Guards Mechanized Division, disbanded by the OMA (SRR).
  • 110th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 111th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • 112th Guards Mechanized Regiment;
  • N tank regiment.

The participation of the following units and units is also known:

• 93rd separate communications regiment.

Operational group by November 4, 1956

• Special Corps (for action in Budapest) consisting of:
  • 2nd Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 33rd Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 128th Guards Rifle Division;
  • 7th Guards Airborne (which included the 381st Regiment from the 31st Division);
  • The OK was reinforced by a number of separate regiments - the 128th self-propelled tank, 145th rifle and 135th artillery guards from the 66th Guards SD, the 100th tank from the 31st TD and the 97th mechanized from the 27th MD, and also 2 divisions from the heavy MORTAR and rocket brigades.
• 38th Combined Arms Army (covering the border with Austria and Yugoslavia on the right bank of the Danube) consisting of:
  • 13th Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 17th Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 27th Mechanized Division;
  • 66th Guards Rifle Division.
• 8th Mechanized Army (in the eastern part of the country on the left bank of the Danube) consisting of:
  • 31st Tank Division;
  • 11th Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 32nd Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 70th Guards Rifle Division.
• formations and units directly subordinate to the group management, including:
  • 35th Guards Mechanized Division;
  • 31st Guards Airborne Division;
  • 177th Guards Bad and 195th Guards IAD from the former Special Corps.

Appendix: memorandum from the USSR Ministry of Defense to the CPSU Central Committee

Memorandum from the USSR Ministry of Defense to the CPSU Central Committee on the actions of Soviet troops “to provide assistance to the Government of the People’s Republic of Hungary in connection with the unrest that arose in the country”:

Special folder

Sov. secret. Ex. No. 1

Let's report.

In accordance with the decision of the Government of the USSR to provide assistance to the Government of the Hungarian People's Republic in connection with the political unrest that arose in the country, the Ministry of Defense carried out the following activities.

1. By 23.00 on October 23 this year. raised on combat alert:
   • a special corps of Soviet troops in Hungary consisting of two mechanized divisions;
   • rifle corps of the Carpathian Military District, consisting of one rifle and one mechanized division;
   • one mechanized division of a separate mechanized army, stationed in Romania, near the Romanian-Hungarian border.

   In total, five divisions of Soviet troops were raised on combat alert, consisting of: people - 31,550, tanks and self-propelled guns - 1,130, guns and mortars - 615, anti-aircraft guns - 185, armored personnel carriers - 380, vehicles - 3,930.

   At the same time, our aviation was put on combat readiness - one IAD and one BAD2 in Hungary and one IAD and one BAD in the Carpathian Military District, in total - 159 fighters and 122 bombers.

2. Troops raised on combat alert were assigned the following tasks:
   • a special corps - with the main forces of the corps, enter Budapest, capture the most important objects of the city and restore order in it. Part of the forces will cover themselves from the Austro-Hungarian border;
   • the PrikVO rifle corps to enter the territory of Hungary and occupy large administrative centers in the eastern part of the country - Debrecen, Jasbereny and Szolnok;
   • mechanized division OMA3 enter the southern part of Hungary and occupy the cities of Szeged and Kecskemét.
3. Carrying out the assigned tasks, the troops by 12.00 on October 24 this year. occupied the position:
   • a special rifle corps, having entered Budapest on October 24 between 2.00 and 4.00 local time, occupied the most important objects of the city and, continuing to establish order, cleared the radio station area of ​​demonstrators, as well as the editorial office of the party newspaper Szabad Nep and the Astoria Hotel. There is a shootout in several areas of the city. There were individual killed and wounded both in the corps units and among the Hungarian population. Losses are being clarified. In the city, together with Soviet troops, units of the Hungarian state security and internal security operate;
   • On the night of October 24, the PrikVO rifle corps crossed the Soviet-Hungarian border and with its main forces passes through the cities of Nyiregyhaza and Debrecen, having an advanced detachment on the outskirts of the city of Szolnok;
   • On October 24, at 4.15–6.20 local time, the OMA mechanized division entered the territory of Hungary with its main forces and by 9.20 reached the area of ​​​​the city of Kecskemét. One regiment of the division was left in the city of Szeged;
   • fighter aircraft cover the troops on the march. Bomber aircraft are in readiness at airfields.

Zhukov
Sokolovsky

APRF. F. 3. Op. 64. D. 484. L. 85–87. Script; RGANI. F. 89. Per. 45. Doc. No. 6. Photocopy.

Sources

1. Kostin B. A. Margelov. - M.: Young Guard, 2005. - 318 s
2. Excerpt from the article by V. Feskov “Combat composition of the rifle (motorized rifle) troops of the Soviet Army in 1945-1991.”
// www.chrono.ru. // gvardeiskiy.narod.ru.
3. // refsight.ru.

On this day, the Day of the Special Forces of the Sn GRU, FSB, OMON... and further on the list, I would like to congratulate my colleagues and fellow soldiers who serve and have served there.
Having put aside all the tinsel and show-off of this day, I want to... tell you “about a memorable day” that our specialists missed. Namely the events in Hungary in 1956.
And about this. I repeat...
Twice a year the Magyars (Hungarians) have an attack of national pride and dislike for Russians
Namely October 23rd , Soviet tanks entering Budapest in 1956)
And to the Russians, together with the Austrians (March 15, the suppression of the Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs in 1848 with the active participation of the Russian Empire).
I think it’s useful for paratroopers and patriots to remember this.

Why, as a paratrooper, did I visit this cemetery? Not only as a patriot of Russia and its traditions and history.
Because he served in the Carpathian Military District and in the 7th Guards Airborne (which included the 381st Regiment from the 31st Division) the combat composition of the USSR Armed Forces that participated in the events of 1956 included (below)... .
And I remember (!).....that from the 80th Guards Parachute Regiment my 39 ODSBr.

In the fall of 1956, an anti-Soviet uprising broke out in the Hungarian capital Budapest, in response to which the USSR sent troops into Hungary, and real battles broke out on the streets of the city between the Soviet army and Hungarian protesters. This post contains a photo story about these events.

How did it all start? In November 1945, elections were held in Hungary, in which the Independent Party of Smallholders gained 57% of the votes, and the communists received only 17% - after which they began blackmail and fraud, relying on the Soviet troops stationed in Hungary, as a result of which the Hungarian communists ( The Hungarian Workers' Party (HWP) became the only legal political force.

The leader of the VPT and the chairman of the government, Matthias Rakosi, established a dictatorship in the country modeled on Stalin's - he carried out forced collectivization and industrialization, suppressed dissent, created an extensive network of special services and informants, about 400,000 Hungarians were sent to camps for hard forced labor in mines and quarries.

The economic situation in Hungary was deteriorating, and in the VPT itself an internal political struggle began between the Stalinists and supporters of reforms. Matthias Rakosi was eventually removed from power, but this was not enough for the people - the emerging political organizations and parties demanded urgent anti-crisis measures, the demolition of the monument to Stalin, and the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country.

On October 23, 1956, riots broke out in Budapest - demonstrators tried to seize the Radio House in order to broadcast the program demands of the demonstrators, and clashes began with the Hungarian state security forces AVH. As a result, the demonstrators disarmed the guards of the Radio House, and they were joined by many soldiers from the three battalions that were based in the city.

On the night of October 23, columns of Soviet troops moved towards Budapest - as the official wording sounded - "to assist the Hungarian troops in restoring order and creating conditions for peaceful creative work."

02. In total, about 6,000 soldiers of the Soviet army, 290 tanks, 120 armored personnel carriers and about 150 guns were brought into Hungary. Part of the Hungarian troops went over to the side of the rebels, and combat detachments were formed to defend the city. In the photo - the rebels and the Hungarian military are discussing organizational issues, almost all are armed with PPSh.

03. During the rally near the parliament building, an incident occurred: fire was opened from the upper floors, as a result of which a Soviet officer was killed and a tank was burned. In response, Soviet troops opened fire on the demonstrators, as a result, 61 people were killed on both sides and 284 were wounded.. Historian László Kontler writes that “in all likelihood, the fire was carried out by security forces hiding on the roofs of nearby buildings,” and nearly 100 demonstrators were killed.

Almost immediately, fierce fighting broke out on the streets of the town. In the photo, rebels set fire to a Soviet armored personnel carrier with Molotov cocktails.

04. Soviet T-34 tanks on the city streets. The photo was taken from the upper floors of one of the city houses, which was turned into ruins during the fighting.

05. People burn the Soviet flag at one of the demonstrations:

06. Armed Hungarian rebels:

08. Demonstrators arrest a secret employee of the Hungarian secret services and take him to the commandant’s office. The Hungarian rebels shot many state security officers right on the streets.

09. Protesters toppled the statue of Stalin:

10. Tanks and armored personnel carriers on the city streets:

11. Houses damaged during the fighting. In the foreground of the photo there are Soviet cannons, and in the background there is a crowd of people in search of food; during the days of the uprising, the city’s supply practically did not work.

12. Soviet tank T-34 in a city park. On the right, in my opinion, is the church building.

13. Another tank:

14. Residents of the city are looking for their missing relatives in the city cemetery...

15. Houses destroyed by shots from tanks.

16. Destruction in the city center.

17. Traces of fighting in the city - a destroyed house and the remains of a tank with a flying turret - apparently the ammunition detonated.

18. Workers clear away the rubble left as a result of the fighting.

19. This is what many buildings looked like. The arched window of the first floor, blocked with bricks, is either a former firing point, or an improvised defense against looters.

20. Some houses were almost completely destroyed...

21. Machine gun point in one of the entrances.

22. Improvised street stalls selling food - in those days they were the only opportunity to buy at least something edible, most often these were the simplest products - bread, apples, potatoes.

23. Long lines of townspeople immediately lined up at stores that sold at least something.

24. Tram line destroyed during the fighting.

On November 4, additional Soviet forces were brought into Hungary against the rebels who had already believed in victory - the order of the Soviet commander-in-chief said something about “Hungarian fascists” and “a direct threat to our Fatherland.”

A second wave of Soviet troops and equipment crushed the uprising, and mass arrests immediately began. The reaction in the Western world to the Hungarian events was quite clear - intellectuals supported the rebels, and Albert Camus compared the non-interference of Western countries in the Hungarian events with non-intervention in the Spanish Civil War:

“The truth is that the international community, which, many years late, suddenly found the strength to intervene in the Middle East, on the contrary, allowed Hungary to be shot. Even 20 years ago, we allowed the armies of a foreign dictatorship to crush the Spanish revolution. This wonderful zeal found its reward in World War II. The weakness of the UN and its split are leading us gradually to the third, which is knocking on our door."

Airborne troops. History of the Russian landing Alekhin Roman Viktorovich

OPERATION VORTEX IN HUNGARY

OPERATION VORTEX IN HUNGARY

In 1956, the Airborne Forces of the 7th (80th and 108th Guards Infantry Division) and 31st (114th and 381st Guards Infantry Division) divisions took part in the Hungarian events as part of Operation Whirlwind.

In October 1956, Soviet units were sent to Budapest to suppress the counter-revolutionary armed rebellion. In the city at this time, the rebels deliberately destroyed representatives of the Communist Party and the legitimate government. Many Hungarian law enforcement officers, armed forces soldiers loyal to the government, and ordinary people sympathizing with the legitimate government were killed. In other words, there was a real massacre in the city. It smelled like the overthrow of the communist regime, which was unacceptable for the USSR. A Special Corps entered Hungary under the command of Lieutenant General P. N. Lashchenko.

On November 1, 1956, the 114th and 381st Guards RPD were landed at the Veszprem airfield, where the paratroopers captured several important military installations and destroyed the airfield's anti-aircraft air defense batteries.

On November 3, 1956, the 108th Guards Airborne Division landed at Tekel airfield. During the short battle, the paratroopers disabled six anti-aircraft batteries. Since November 4, the regiment's units, together with the 80th Guards PDP, which made a march from the Mukachevo region with a length of about 400 kilometers, took part in the fighting to liberate Budapest from the rebels.

The 381st Guards Airborne Division of the 31st Guards Airborne Division seized the university campus. The 80th Guards Infantry Division of the 7th Guards Airborne Division, together with the 100th Guards Infantry Division, cleared a number of blocks in the city center. The paratroopers acted decisively and assertively. House by house they cleared the city's neighborhoods of rebels, disarming them or destroying them in case of resistance.

The 80th Guards PDP, together with the 100th Guards Tank Regiment, cleared the Kispest suburbs of Budapest, as well as Yllei Street.

By the end of November 12, 1956, the fighting in Budapest had ended. Units of the 7th and 31st Airborne Divisions in battles with the rebels lost 85 people killed, 265 paratroopers were wounded and 12 were missing. In particular, during Operation Whirlwind the Special Corps lost 669 people killed and 51 were missing. During the period of fighting, units of the Soviet Army seized 44,000 firearms and 62 guns from the rebels. 35,000 Hungarians were disarmed. The dead soldiers of the Soviet Army were buried in Hungary.

For the courage and heroism shown during combat missions in Hungary, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to the following paratroopers: Captain N. I. Kharlamov, Art. Lieutenant P. G. Volokitin (posthumously), Art. Lieutenant M.S. Zinukov (posthumously), Captain N.V. Muravlev (posthumously).

Vortex The vortex of the vector field A, the vector characteristic of the “rotational component” of the field A. It is denoted by the symbol rot AB. V. can be interpreted as follows. Let A be the field of fluid flow velocities. Let us place a small wheel with blades at this point in the flow

Pecs (city in Hungary) Pecs (P?cs), a city in Hungary, at the southern foot of the Mecsek Mountains. Administrative center of Baranya county. 145.3 thousand inhabitants (1970). An important transport hub and industrial center. In the vicinity of P. there is coal mining and thermal power plants. The city has mechanical engineering, a variety of food

Attached vortex Attached vortex, a conditional vortex, which is considered to be motionlessly connected to a body streamlined by a flow of liquid or gas, and replaces, in terms of the magnitude of the velocity circulation, the actual vorticity that is formed in the boundary layer

Whirlwind In popular belief, a whirlwind is a spinning wind, hence its other name “spin.” It was considered unclean and the most dangerous wind for people. A rushing whirlwind looks like a pillar with straw, leaves, and various objects twisted in it. Most often he