Egy revizionista könyv 1956-ról
A revisionist book about the events of 1956

Summary/Abstract: The occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution saw the publication of a vast array of historical works. However, the only historical review that could claim to present the Hungarian events of 1956 in a new light, and to evaluate them differently from the historical studies hitherto published, is probably that written by Charles Gati. The author does not provide a chronological account of the history of 1956, nor does he strive to prove that it could have turned out differently. His main thesis, and his conclusion supported by arguments, is that the protagonists of the events had fallen prey to an illusion. Bereft of adequate leadership, the insurgents believed they were fighting for a just cause and that the “entire civilized world” was thus behind them, giving them the sufficient strength to force the Soviet Union to back off. The United States government, on the other hand, was living in a mirage created by its own words, embodied in its promise to “liberate enslaved nations.” It not only misled the world regarding its intentions vis-a-vis communism, but it deluded itself too. When the time for action came, the US thus proved impotent. Finally, argues Gati, the majority of the Soviet political elite believed that because Stalinist methods were the most suitable means for preserving an “alliance” that had been established on the basis of violence anyway, Khrushchev had no choice but to order the invasion. Charles Gati: Vesztett illúziók: Moszkva, Washington, Budapest és az 1956-os forradalom. (Failed Illusions: Moscow, Washington, Budapest, and the 1956 Hungarian Revolt.) Published in Hungarian by Osiris Kiadó, Budapest, 2006. Translated by Benjámin Makovecz.

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