Sir, - Angela Long's article on the Hungarian uprising made interesting reading. She correctly states that the rising was put down by Soviet tanks in early November.
This was actually the second invasion, the first, in late October failed to quell the rebellion. This was partly due to the fact that older type T 34 tanks were used, and partly due to the fact that they were manned by Soviet troops based in Hungary. These showed some sympathy with the local population.
Against the Soviet invader. the Hungarians relied mainly on improvisation and Molotov cocktails. The tanks were relatively late while they kept moving. The Hungarians would use upturned soup plates lying in formation in streets, to give the impression that the street was mined. The tank would stop. and a Molotov cocktail would explode on its fuel tanks. Or alternatively, some Pieces of scrap metal would be forced into its tracks, immobilising the vehicle.
The second invasion was a different story. This time the tanks were modern T 54s manned by troops from Rumania, Czechoslovakia and the USSR. These had no compunction about dealing ruthlessly with the Hungarians. Artillery and rockets bombarded Budapest; then the tanks moved in to mop up any resistance. This was the same type of action the Russia army had used in the last days of the second World War.
Even though the were defeated, the Hungarians did put down a marker; it was the first real crack in the communist system. Yours, etc..
Foylesprings.
Derry.