In the film we see Soviet tanks and troops in the streets of Budapest, Hungary’s capital. Small groups of people stand around looking. A column of tanks and trucks is then filmed from a car travelling in the opposite direction.
Context
In 1956 the people of Hungary elected a new leader called Imre Nagy. He planned to take Hungary out of Soviet control and make Soviet troops leave the country. In response, Soviet leader Khrushchev sent tanks and troops in to crush the rebellion. Hungarians resisted at great cost. The casualty figures are not reliable, but estimates suggest that 3,000 Hungarians were killed, and around 7,000 Russians. Some 300,000 Hungarians fled into exile, mainly in Austria.
Interesting or important points about the film
An ITN cameraman in Hungary shot this film sequence in 1956. Almost all the shots were taken in secret. The Soviets closed down all the radio and TV stations in November 1956. Some of the fiercest fighting was around those buildings. This is also the reason why there is no commentary with the film.