Thanks to the team of authors from the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces and the published book "The secrecy stamp has been removed", it became possible to speak openly about the events that took place several decades ago outside the USSR, and about the role of our compatriots in these events.

The staff of the Institute of Military History prepared and published the All-Russian Book of Memory. Despite the fact that this work is based on the "List of states, cities, territories and periods of hostilities with the participation of citizens of the Russian Federation", which was published in the Appendices to the Federal Law on Veterans of December 16, 1994 and the Law "On Amendments and Additions to The Federal Law "On Veterans" of January 2, 2000, the authors were forced to include in their book the list of names of servicemen who died during the Cuban Missile Crisis and after it in Cuba in 1962-1964. As well as when troops entered Czechoslovakia in 1968 ( these countries, for some unknown reason, do not appear in the List, but the development of events in them significantly influenced the military-political situation in the world).

The authors, whose competence no one doubts, have already come to the conclusion that one of the main directions of Soviet military participation in the events taking place abroad was the participation of our servicemen in hostilities as a result of actions of the country's top political leadership aimed at preserving the unity of the socialist camp , the retention of allies in the Warsaw Pact Organization. In this case, Europe became the theater of the unfolding action, namely Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968).

The 50-60s in Eastern Europe, and specifically in the countries of the socialist camp, were marked by a number of events that entailed the use of not only political means by the Soviet Union, but also military force.

On May 14, 1955, in response to the formation of the North Atlantic bloc of NATO, the European socialist states signed in Warsaw the "Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance", called the Warsaw Pact.

However, the events in Hungary that took place a year and a half after it was signed, as well as the events in Czechoslovakia that took place more than thirteen years later, were of a pronounced political nature, indicating the presence of certain forces in these countries. The events in 1956 in Hungary and in 1968 in Czechoslovakia also showed the whole world that the Soviet leadership was striving at all costs to preserve the unity of the formed military-political bloc.

The consequence of this was the use in these countries of the Armed Forces of the allied forces, including the Soviet Union.

Let's draw some parallels of events:

Hungary 1956, Operation Whirlwind Czechoslovakia 1968, Operation Danube

Prerequisites for the entry of troops:

In Hungary: - XX Congress of the CPSU, where, in addition to exposing the personality cult, the thesis was proclaimed about the diversity of forms of transition to socialism, which gave support to the reformist forces;

Strengthening opposition protests;

In connection with the events in Poland, the struggle "for the democratization of socialism" - widespread rallies with the threat of escalating into armed clashes, students of the Budapest Technical University held a massive demonstration involving tens of thousands of residents demanding the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary and the establishment of more equal relations with the Soviet Union;

Separate groups of radical youth took possession of several warehouses with small arms, an attempt was made to seize the radio building. For the first time, shots rang out.

For Czechoslovakia:

Unprecedented in the history of the communist movement, profound changes in the country. The growing crisis and political conflicts within the CPC at the end of 1967, which led to the dismissal of the First Secretary of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPC A. Novotny and the election of A. Dubchek;

The economic crisis of 1962-1963;

The protracted nature of the political crisis (including the escape of General Ian Cheyne to the United States after a failed military coup attempt);

Dubcek allowed the creation of a number of new political clubs, abolished censorship;

In the field of foreign policy, it was decided to pursue a more independent course. The leaders of the CPC included the concept of socialism "with a human face" in the "Program of Action";

The reformist programs of Dubcek's leadership led, from the Soviet point of view, to a dangerous situation in one of the key countries of Eastern Europe;

Refusal of the Czechoslovak delegation to arrive at the meeting of the leaders of Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Poland and the USSR in Warsaw (July 1968);

A letter of appeal from a group of party and state leaders of Czechoslovakia to the governments of the USSR and other Warsaw Pact countries with a request for international assistance;

Forecasts at the Congress of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in the Czechoslovak leadership, the reformers will win (September 9, 1968).

Measures taken by the USSR: For Hungary:

October 23, 1956, at a meeting of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee, N.S. Khrushchev spoke in favor of the introduction of troops into the Hungarian capital. In a telephone conversation with the Hungarian leadership, he raised the issue of "the desirability of an official written appeal to the government of the USSR" with a request for military assistance;

On October 23, 1956, at 23:00, the Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces, Marshal V.D.Sokolovsky ordered the command of the Special Corps to move troops to Budapest, where they were to establish control over key facilities in the capital and restore public order in it. And part of the forces to provide cover for the border of Hungary with Austria - but without opening fire;

With the introduction of troops, the organization of the protection of the buildings of the Central Committee, parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, banks, an airfield and weapons depots began. Armed detachments continued to operate in the city;

Total disarmament of the Hungarian army;

The main garrisons of the Hungarian troops were blocked. For Czechoslovakia:

08/13/1968 in Uzhgorod, a meeting of members of the Military Council with the Minister of Defense Marshal of the Soviet Union A.A. terrain. He warned that troops are expected to enter Czechoslovakia in the near future ... It is possible that NATO troops may invade Czechoslovakia from the West, then we will have to act on the basis of the situation .. "

There were all the prerequisites that in August 1968 the world was once again teetering on the brink of a global war.

A grouping of troops was created, which included the formations of the Warsaw Pact countries - the GDR, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria.

The decision to send troops was made at a meeting of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee on August 16, 1968 and approved at a meeting of the leaders of the Warsaw Pact countries in Moscow on August 18, 1968 under the leadership of L.I.

The forces and means involved in the 1st stage: In Hungary:

290 tanks, 120 armored personnel carriers, 156 guns. The main garrisons of the Hungarian troops are blocked.

On October 29-30, 1956, parts of the special corps were withdrawn from Budapest in an organized manner. However, the Hungarian government continued to insist on the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country, and announced its withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact Organization.

10/30/1956 N. S. Khrushchev gave the order to eliminate the rebellion in Hungary. Operation Whirlwind was led by IS Konev. The commanders of the formations received the order to bring in troops from the Minister of Defense G.K. Zhukov.

When the troops of the 2nd stage were sent to reinforce corps units, another division entered Budapest from the territory of the USSR. Two armies from the Carpathian military district: the combined-arms - General Mamsurov and the mechanized - General Babadzhanyan. Their task was to cover the border, prevent possible aggression from the West and thereby provide the rear of the Soviet troops operating in Budapest. Additionally, the following were raised on alert:

Mechanized division of a separate mechanized army stationed in Romania.

In total, five divisions of Soviet troops were raised on alert, consisting of: people - 31,550, tanks and self-propelled guns - ISO, guns and mortars - 615, anti-aircraft guns - 185, armored personnel carriers - 380, motor vehicles - 3930. At the same time, our aviation was put on alert: fighters - 159 and bombers - 122.

For Czechoslovakia:

The first echelon consisted of

Up to 250 thousand, the total number is up to 500 thousand people.

About 5 thousand tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Three fronts have been formed - on the basis of directorates and troops of several military districts and groups of troops.

The date of entry was set for the evening of August 20, 1968. According to the order on the formation of the High Command of Operation Danube, General of the Army I.G. Pavlovsky was appointed Commander-in-Chief.

The combat alert was announced at 23:00. "Orders for interaction for Operation Danube" were developed. All military equipment of Soviet and allied production without white stripes was subject to "neutralization." In case of resistance, the bandless tanks and other military equipment were to be destroyed without warning. do not shoot without a command.

At 00.00 o'clock on August 21, the troops of the USSR, Bulgaria, Poland, the German Democratic Republic and Hungary from four directions at twenty points from Tsvikov to Nemetsk crossed the Czechoslovak border. Within a day, objects in the areas of Prague and Brno were already under the control of the allied forces. The main efforts were directed at the seizure of the buildings of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the government, the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, as well as the buildings of the radio station and television. According to a previously developed plan, columns of troops were sent to the main administrative and industrial centers of Czechoslovakia. Formations and units were located in all major cities. The military garrisons of the Czechoslovak army in cities and towns, warehouses with weapons and ammunition were blocked by the allied forces. Particular attention was paid to protecting the western borders of Czechoslovakia, seizing airfields, blocking Czechoslovak military units. The swift and coordinated entry of troops into Czechoslovakia, as well as the establishment of control over Czechoslovak territory, made it possible to minimize the losses of our troops.

A special role belonged to the Commander-in-Chief of the united armed forces of the Warsaw Pact countries, Marshal of the Soviet Union I.I.

Actions of national extremists:

Hungary:

The shelling of our troops, the organization of ambushes, the throwing of bodies of armored personnel carriers and tanks with grenades and Molotov cocktails. Extremists played the main role not only in stirring up national psychosis, but also in creating hotbeds of armed struggle.

By November 11, 1956, the pockets of resistance in Budapest had been suppressed, and Operation Whirlwind ended. For Czechoslovakia:

The construction of barricades on the path of the advancement of tank columns, armored personnel carriers, automobile equipment, throwing them with bottles with a combustible mixture and grenades, shelling from buildings and ambushes, device blockages and their mining. The operation of clandestine radio stations, the distribution of leaflets and messages, armed attacks on servicemen, the spread of weapons and ammunition, attempts to disable communications and transport, poisoning of water, destruction of monuments to Soviet soldiers in cities and villages of Czechoslovakia.

Irrecoverable losses of soldiers and officers of the USSR in Hungary amounted to 707 people, 1.5 thousand soldiers were injured. A significant number of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other military equipment were knocked out and damaged (the data needs to be clarified).

According to the initial statistics, the irrecoverable losses in Czechoslovakia amounted to 98 people (according to the updated data, the figure is more than 100 people), 87 servicemen were injured, including 19 officers, 87 people died in accidents and died from diseases. More than 10 units of tanks were destroyed, more than 350 units of automobile equipment were damaged (the data needs to be clarified, since on the second day, namely on August 23, at a meeting, the commander of the army, Lieutenant General AM Mayorov, published the figures: 7 military vehicles were set on fire, more than 300 vehicles were damaged, 12 people died, 76 were injured of varying severity).

United Nations response:

Hungary:

The UN has appointed an emergency meeting of the Security Council to discuss the issue of the Soviet attack on Hungary. For Czechoslovakia:

On August 21, 1968, a group of countries (USA, England, France, Canada, Denmark and Paraguay) addressed the UN Security Council with a demand to bring the "Czechoslovak question" to a meeting of the UN General Assembly, seeking a decision on the immediate withdrawal of the troops of the Warsaw Pact countries. The situation in Czechoslovakia was also discussed in the permanent council of NATO, where bellicose statements were made. On the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, large-scale maneuvers were deployed with the development of various scenarios for the outbreak of a European war. The Western media have stepped up their propaganda campaign. All this affected the attitude of Czechoslovak citizens towards Soviet soldiers. In the town of Kromeriz at the headquarters of 3 MED CHNA, a large number of anti-Soviet leaflets were distributed, calling for armed resistance to the allied forces. However, the task of fulfilling the international duty was completed.

None of the responsible leaders, when considering the issues of "protecting the interests of the Soviet Union," raised questions about the price at which this protection would be achieved. And here and there short notes flashed: "To reward the military. Provide the families of the victims." Basically, all this remained only on paper.

On this, officials, as a rule, consider the case closed, and the event forgotten. But it is not forgotten by the relatives and friends of the victims, who received a "funeral" in peacetime. It should not be forgotten by compatriots, by all of us - fellow citizens of those young people who will never have to grow old, servicemen who gave their lives to fulfill their military duty. After all, a person is alive in the memory of him ...

Direct participants in Operation Whirlwind in Hungary in 1956 draw their own parallels to the events in Hungary and Czechoslovakia:

Kochegura Anatoly Kuzmich, participant in Operation Whirlwind in Hungary, in 1956 - private, shooter of the 8th line of the company of the 3rd battalion of the 112th rifle regiment of the rifle division, pp 33513, Southern Group of Forces. Has a certificate "Participant in the war".

"... On October 23, 1956, we were raised on alarm, in a formed convoy we arrived at the railway station, where T-34 tanks were loaded onto railway platforms, and the personnel were loaded into teplushki. and the echelon moved towards the border with Romania.At one of the stations on the territory of Romania, 11 km from the Hungarian border, the echelon stopped.There was also the unloading of equipment. region, said that we had come to provide fraternal assistance to the people of Hungary.Likewise, the battalion's political commander Major Korotchenko and the regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel Tumanov (they were all front-line soldiers) spoke before the formation, who announced that our mission was to fulfill our international duty. ammunition. Each of us received 120 rounds of ammunition for the "AK-47" submachine gun and two grenades. the democratization of the social system in the country and the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary. Several youth groups seized weapons depots that had been distributed and tried to take over the national radio building. Shooting began. The measures taken by the police were unsuccessful. The wounded and killed appeared.

In Moscow, it was decided to send Soviet troops into Hungary.

As part of the column, we crossed the border, took up positions on a large bridge over the river. Tissou in the city of Szeged. Our company was entrusted with the task of protecting the bridge from mines and putting it out of action by the counter-revolutionaries. Outpost was posted, in the middle of the bridge - 2 tanks and a platoon of soldiers, also 2 tanks on each side and machine guns.

After some time, units of a rifle division from the Odessa Military District under the command of Colonel Dubrovin went across the bridge. In the town of Szeged, all communications were taken under protection, including the post office, telegraph office, radio center, and administrative buildings. In this large city, factories and factories did not work under the influence of counter-revolutionary elements, who intimidated the workers by direct threats, reprisals and murders. The Hungarian army was disintegrated, the soldiers voluntarily left their units. Units of the Hungarian army, with the participation of one regiment, in the absence of ammunition, tried to resist the national extremists in Budapest. The internal troops and the state security also failed to cope with the tasks.

Our soldiers were ambushed, grenades and Molotov cocktails were used.

The border guard with Austria and Yugoslavia was removed. Armed attacks on Soviet servicemen by counterrevolutionaries began. In the town of Beteshyaba, crowds of people organized an armed uprising. Several families of Soviet officers were massacred in Budapest. In those conditions, it was possible to influence only with weapons and tanks.

According to the "special officer" Captain Limarev, a woman of Hungarian nationality who commanded an armed gang was identified and detained.

In the area of ​​the bridge, counter-revolutionaries installed machine guns on the roofs of houses. As a result of shelling from our company, four soldiers and an officer were killed. It happened on the 4th day of my stay. We opened fire, tanks fired several volleys from tank guns.

In addition to fulfilling the main task assigned to us, we were involved in checking passing cars. From the Romanian side, we detained a driver and a car with a group of people transporting a large box filled with banknotes.

In public places, on houses there were inscriptions: "Invaders - get out", "Russians, get out home", etc.

When setting combat missions, junior commanders, primarily political commanders, were informed of the situation: “In Budapest, our column was fired upon, fire was fired from a residential building. people of 18 years old, there were also quite teenagers ... "

At the end of October, according to the political officer, Khrushchev ordered the elimination of the rebellion in Budapest. Operation Whirlwind began on November 4, several hundred Soviet soldiers and officers were killed in clashes with counter-revolutionaries. Our tanks and vehicles were set on fire in Budapest. The landed assault forces from the Carpathian and Moscow VOs were fired upon by counter-revolutionaries when the paratroopers were still on parachutes in the area of ​​Lake Balaton and the border with Austria.

The fighting took place during October-November 1956. We buried our dead comrades in the same place, on the territory of Hungary, and Romania too.

During the introduction of troops on October 24, as a result of armed terrorist attacks on our soldiers, several dozen Soviet servicemen of the special corps who were in Hungary were killed. At the same time, there was a command - not to open fire first. In the following days, over a hundred of our soldiers were killed.

Our division after the end of hostilities remained in the Southern Group of Forces.

In 1968, I served in the GSVG pn 92846. As head of the secret unit of a mobile missile technical base as part of the 1st Guards. TA. Its formations took part in Operation Danube in Czechoslovakia, and its commander, Lieutenant General K.G. Kozhanov was awarded the Order of Lenin.

Ex officio, I had access to some classified documents about the events in Czechoslovakia. And after the return of units and subunits to the "winter quarters" in the GSVG, I had to communicate a lot with the direct participants in the "Danube" operation. From their stories, the situation seemed to me very familiar and similar to the events in Hungary in 1956, where I personally happened to take part ... "

Ovcharenko Alexey Ivanovich, currently lives in the Rostov region, Aksaysky district, Rassvet (in 1956, senior sergeant, driver-mechanic of T-34, PT-76 tanks, according to the class gradation of the military specialty "Master" , as part of a tank regiment of the mechanized division of the rifle corps of the Carpathian Military District, awarded the medal "For Military Merit", has the certificate "Participant in the war."

In 1953, I was called up for active military service. He ended up serving in Austria, where the troops of the Soviet Army were at that time. After graduating from the tank "training" I served in a tank unit of a tank division in the military specialty as a driver-mechanic of a T-34 tank, in which I served for almost a year under the hull number "226".

In 1955, our troops began to withdraw from Austria. Our regiment was redeployed to the territory of the Soviet Union in Transcarpathia as part of a mechanized division.

In 1956, in the summer, we received new equipment, and I mastered the amphibious tank "PT-76", twin-screw with powerful armament at that time.

Approximately in October, we began to prepare for the "demobilization", and some time later, parting with the unit's banner took place in a solemn atmosphere. And literally three hours later (it was about October 23rd) some movement began in the unit. The officers did not walk in the location, they moved only at a run. And after a while they announced the alarm. Everyone, including me, took their places, as provided and worked out over the years of service. Our crew received the task to enter the disposal of the reconnaissance battalion. At that time I was a driver-mechanic for the commander of the 5th tank company. (I would give a lot for meeting him). Then there was the formation by crews, by subdivisions. The commanders announced that our unit was sent, in accordance with the combat order, to Hungary to fulfill the international duty of providing fraternal assistance to the Hungarian people and suppressing the counter-revolutionary insurrection.

The situation in the country got out of control, physical reprisals against the communists began, groups of people, led by counter-revolutionaries, seized warehouses with weapons, which were handed out without encountering any obstacles. We received ammunition for small arms and standard ammunition for tank weapons. We handed over personal documents to the foreman.

At midnight on October 24, we left the "winter apartments" in columns in the direction of the state border with Hungary. At dawn, the convoy stopped in a forest near the border, everyone was lined up, the commanders gave briefings and set specific tasks. And the next command: "By car". While on the move, in the direction of the cities of Szolnok, Yasbereni, Debreceni, the commander was informed by radio that there were already killed and wounded among our soldiers who were in the vanguard. When it was already quite light, we noticed through the eyepieces of the panoramas how flashes appeared and disappeared from tall buildings in a certain town. The front-line commander immediately determined that there was an automatic fire. But we had an order: "Don't shoot." And about an hour later, a command from the headquarters came over the radio: "To respond to fire with fire." During a short stop, the communications officer told our company commander that such an order had indeed come from Marshal Konev, Commander-in-Chief of the Warsaw Pact Joint Forces. By that time, part of the armed population had gone to the mountains and forests to wage a guerrilla war against us. Some remained in cities and towns for armed resistance. Basically, these were young people, arrogant and armed.

We rarely saw Hungarian troops, military towns were blockaded by our troops. In Buda and Pest, across the bridge, we saw burnt buses and cars. In some places, bursts of automatic weapons were heard. Basically, the shelling was at our troops from the side of counter-revolutionaries who used young people and students.

After some time, already on November 9, our military scouts reported that a group of armed youth rebels would soon arrive on the northern outskirts of Budapest near the village of Chepel to sabotage our soldiers.

We took a position and began to wait. Taking advantage of the seemingly calm atmosphere, the loader, opening the hatch, got out halfway and wanted to empty the half-empty empty cartridges from the container. At this time, an automatic burst was heard, and he was wounded. We returned fire in the direction of the forest, from where the shooting rang out. And having passed several hundred meters along the way, an explosion thundered. The explosion of a grenade on the tank damaged the "caterpillar", and we asked for support over the radio. Our loader had to be pulled out through the lower hatch and took up defensive positions. I well remembered that the last round must be kept. The tank commander took over the duties of the entire crew. Fortunately, we did not have to wait long, two armored personnel carriers with infantry approached, which dispersed and proceeded to sweep the area.

In the evening, at a kind of halt, the special officer reported that in Budapest that day a soldier blew up a grenade and himself when the crowd surrounded him and wanted to tear him to pieces. In another case, a barrel with the remnants of gasoline was thrown from the roof onto the turret of the tank, since the commander was standing in the hatch. The entire crew was killed. All these events took place in the month of November. On the territory of Hungary, in the area of ​​the village of Alyponemedi near Budapest, we had to bury the dead soldiers and officers of the Soviet Army - our comrades in arms.

Soon we moved to the area of ​​Lake Balaton, where our troops landed. On our armored vehicles, we easily overcame water obstacles.

When the situation began to stabilize, our unit was left in Hungary. So I and my fellow soldiers got a new "winter apartment", where I stayed for another 6 months.

After a while, I said goodbye to the unit's banner for the second time. Now the "demobilization" has really come. Thus, I served three years and eight months. He was awarded the medal "For Military Merit".

The meeting with the dawn of the day when we entered Hungary remained in my memory for the rest of my life.

After 12 years, the whole country became aware of the introduction of our troops into Czechoslovakia. When I read the TASS statement, on the second day I went to the military registration and enlistment office and wrote a statement so that I, as a master of tank driving, would be sent to any tank unit in Czechoslovakia, as a volunteer. A few days later I went to the recruiting office again. Presenting the events in Czechoslovakia, I could not find a place for myself. But I was told to wait, they will call. At that time I was 34 years old, and apparently I was not destined to take part in international assistance to another people.

Fidelity to military duty and oath will remain in me until the end of my days. Feelings of pride in our army and solidarity with participants in military conflicts and local wars, regardless of their age, are inherent and understandable to me, and to people like me ... "

The events in the USSR in 1956 radically changed the course of the development of the state. This year has been replete with successful discoveries, political announcements and important laws. If you analyze the course of events, then you can see a certain logical connection in the chronology.

Event # 1

On February 13, 1956, the Soviet Antarctic was opened. The construction of the facility was carried out as soon as possible. Shock construction began on January 5, 1956, when the Soviet ship "Ob" approached the coast of Antarctica. Until February 13, the ship's crew built 21 buildings for research and accommodation for members of the expedition, as well as an airfield. could already fly great distances, so the path through the air was much faster than through water. The grandiose construction was completed the day before the opening of the fateful 20th Congress of the CPSU. Is it logical? Undoubtedly! We tried not to be in time!

February 1956: an event in the USSR that changed attitudes towards Stalin

Soviet life from the early 1930s until Stalin's death in 1953 was filled with horror. Repressions, deaths, denunciations, executions, the destruction of the best military before the start of the war, the exaltation of the personality of Joseph Stalin. Such moments were obvious excesses and were not prescribed in the Marxist-Leninist theory, which in its essence was quite interesting and democratic.

The convention opened on February 14, 1956. More than 1400 delegates from all the republics of the Union took part in its work. The importance of this event was that the 19th Congress took place back in the 1930s. It was necessary to reset all spheres of life in Soviet society. Congress delegates condemned the political excesses that took place during Stalin's rule. It was emphasized that Stalin did not become a follower of Lenin in the implementation of the provisions of the Marxist-Leninist theory. At this congress, a creative rethinking of the life of the USSR took place in the past 20 years. The delegates agreed on important decisions of the Council of Ministers concerning a gradual increase in wages, strengthening the development of agriculture. The so-called thaw began in cultural life. The apogee of the congress and the entire political life of the state over the years came. It was on this day that Nikita Khrushchev made his famous speech on the debunking of the personality cult.

Kuibyshev - the city of mysticism and faith in God

Atheism ... Godlessness ... 1956 ... The events in the USSR in Kuibyshev proved to many supporters of the absence of heavenly powers that their views were erroneous. Zoe's Stand is a miracle that shook the entire city. Important events in the USSR in 1956 did not always become public knowledge. For example, only the residents of Kuibyshev, the internal affairs bodies and the church knew about "Zoya's standing". What happened on the evening before the New Year in an ordinary Soviet family? The girl wanted to celebrate the New Year with friends, dancing, etc. Her mother dissuaded her from such a celebration, because the Nativity Fast had not yet ended. It is clear that the youth of that time did not respect the church order. Mother went to church to pray, and the party started at home. Girlfriends came with their young people, but Zoya's boyfriend Nikolai was a little late. It turned out that she had no one to dance with. The girl took in her hands the image of St. Nicholas, saying: "I will dance with this Nicholas!" Almost immediately after that, a glow appeared in the room, the girl turned to stone in the literal sense of the word. The peculiarity of this fact was that she did not die, because the palpitations were felt. A pilgrimage literally began from all over the city to Zoya's house, so they set up a police guard there. Church dignitaries also came and read prayers over Zoya. "Zoe's Stand" lasted 128 days and ended on May 6, 1956 at Easter. After this event, atheism in Kuibyshev ended - people began to go to church, pray and undergo baptism. The year 1956 was marked by such a sensation.

Events in the USSR: football

Football went on as usual. The USSR Championship was already held in several divisions. This year, the geography of the championship participants has expanded at the expense of teams from remote Soviet republics and teams from the Far East. In the major league, the standings at the end of the season are undoubtedly headed by the capital's clubs. Spartak became the champion with 34 points. Moscow “Dynamo” lagged behind by 6 points, and CDSA - by as much as 9 points. Who do you think became the best non-Moscow club? Right! Dynamo (Kiev) took 4th place in the tournament. "Trudovye Rezervy" (Leningrad) and "ODO" (Sverdlovsk) took off in the first league.

Football events in the USSR in 1956 were not limited to the championship. Summer Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia. The main favorites of the football tournament, despite the participation of the German, British, Yugoslav teams (all these countries sent young people), were the national teams of the USSR and Bulgaria. In addition to these teams, several openly weak national teams took part in the tournament. The Soviet team played 5 matches (4 wins and a draw). In the tournament, our players passed the German youth, Indonesia (we had to replay with them), Bulgaria. In the final, they beat the Yugoslavian team with a score of 1: 0.

Labor law transformations

The significant events of 1956 are not limited to football, the Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the opening of a station in Antarctica. Important changes were adopted in the labor legislation. On May 26, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On the establishment of a six-hour working day for persons aged 16 to 18" was signed. On July 14, 1956, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted the Law "On State Pensions", which provided for a slight increase in pensions to persons entitled to them, as well as the possibility of assigning pensions to collective farm workers if they had a passport and the opportunity to confirm their seniority.

Treaty with Japan

Let's talk about what happened in the USSR in 1956 yet. From foreign policy events, it is worth recalling the reconciliation with Japan. Until now, in wide circles of the public, it is believed that the Second World War is not officially over, because the successors of the USSR did not sign a peace treaty with Japan. On October 19, Soviet and Japanese diplomats held talks, which resulted in the signing of a Declaration on the end of the state of war between states. The countries restored diplomatic relations and exchanged ambassadors.

Development of virgin lands

As we have already noted, many events in the USSR in 1956 left a significant mark on history. The development of virgin lands is one of them. In the Central Asian republics, many lands were not cultivated, which could potentially become sown. To do this, they had to be processed. In 1956, the Council of Ministers issued a resolution "On the development of virgin lands". The trip to the development of virgin lands has become the most popular Komsomol route in the country. Already in 1956, more than 50 thousand people attended these works for the benefit of the Soviet homeland.

Aircraft construction

In 1956, Soviet engineers surprised the whole world with a new model of a passenger liner. This is a TU-104 jet aircraft. This model was demonstrated at air shows. The liner made its first regular flight on the route "Moscow - Omsk - Irkutsk". Fast, convenient and inexpensive is the main principle in Aeroflot's work. Soviet engineers never ceased to amaze the world with new achievements all the time.

Conclusion

Probably, the most intense important moments turned out to be February 1956. Event in the USSR No. 1, of course, which determined the development trends of the state for years to come. Many resolutions of the Council of Ministers and the Presidium of the Supreme Council, issued in 1956, implemented the decisions adopted at the congress. 1956 became one of the most important and fruitful years in the history of the USSR.

1956 was one of the most significant and fateful years for the USSR.
Nikita Khrushchev's closed speech at the XX Congress of the CPSU in February 1956 exposing the "cult of the personality of IV Stalin" caused a shock in the international communist movement and in Soviet society itself. In fact, a course was taken to "de-Stalinize" the USSR and the socialist camp, which would soon lead to a split in the latter.

In October, the Hungarian uprising began. On October 23, 1956, the "student rallies for democratic socialism" suddenly developed into a well-organized uprising. These unrest led to the fact that the Hungarian leadership decided to change its foreign policy, withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and change its internal political guidelines. But this did not please the Kremlin, which considered Hungary to be its satellite. Therefore, on November 4, 1956, Soviet troops entered Hungary.

The following photo shows the intensity of battles on the streets of the Hungarian capital:

According to statistics, in connection with the uprising and hostilities on both sides in the period from October 23 to December 31, 1956, 2,652 Hungarian citizens were killed and 19,226 injured. The losses of the Soviet Army, according to official figures, amounted to 669 people killed, 51 people missing, 1540 - wounded.

For modern Hungary, the symbol of those events became "Stalin's boots" - the remains of a monument to the Soviet leader demolished by a crowd:

From the countries of the socialist camp, unrest in 1956 also affected Poland, and again because of Khrushchev's games of "de-Stalinization". Like Hungary, Poland was only a superficially "Sovietized" country, behind the facade of the People's Republic of Poland remained the same old Rzeczpospolita - a zealous Catholic peasant country with a strong nationalist spirit:

It was calm in Czechoslovakia, Prague celebrates May Day 56 with portraits of communist leaders of different times and peoples:

The development of events in Hungary coincided with the Suez Crisis. On October 29, Israel, and then NATO members Great Britain and France, attacked Egypt, backed by the USSR, with the aim of seizing the Suez Canal, next to which they landed their troops. The second Arab-Israeli war began, which in Israeli historiography is called "Operation Kadesh." As a result of this war, the Israelis inflicted a crushing defeat on the Egyptian army in just a few days and seized the Sinai Peninsula, that is, took control of an area several times larger than the area of ​​Israel itself.

Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Moshe Dayan played a key role in planning Operation Kadesh. Here he is in the picture from 1956:

However, the military victory soon turned into a diplomatic fiasco for Israel, England and France. Under pressure from the international community (it is interesting that at the same time the United States and the USSR acted as a united front), after a few months they were forced to withdraw their troops from Egyptian territory.

US President Eisenhower forced Britain, France and Israel to withdraw their troops from the Suez Canal after three states, without an agreement with the United States, opposed Egyptian President Nasser. Although Eisenhower strongly rejected the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Nasser, he was still deeply angry with the willful actions of the European powers.

He put massive economic and monetary pressure on Britain to bring about an end to the conflict and the liberation of Egypt. Thus, he consolidated the fall of the European colonial powers, which completely yielded to the forefront of the "superpower" of the United States.

Suez Canal in 56th:

Egyptian President Nasser, 1956:

Winston Churchill, who finally retired on January 11, 1956, was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal. Portrait of a politician in 1956:

Queen Elizabeth II of England pays a visit to Nigeria, then a British colony, 1956:

Red China in 1956 is experiencing an unprecedented upsurge: Soviet specialists from scratch are creating whole industries there: the automotive industry, aircraft construction, tank construction, and heavy metallurgy.

60 years ago, the USSR did not buy electronics and cars in China, but itself laid the foundations of heavy industry there, transferred the latest technologies. The Russians taught the Chinese everything they knew and could.

Chinese trainees at a heavy machine tool plant in Novosibirsk, photo from Fridland, 1956:

Meanwhile, Taipei takes Beijing's seat on the UN Security Council. The Americans covered Taiwan with their fleet and turned the island into their "unsinkable aircraft carrier."

Military parade in Taipei in 1956:

The Cold War is waning, but its echoes are shaking the world.

On May 20/21, 1956, the first aerial explosion of a hydrogen bomb was carried out on the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean:

One of the most visible changes in Moscow's foreign policy was the restoration of relations with socialist Yugoslavia, which were severed in 1948.

Not long ago, Josip Tito, who was considered the "leader of the fascist clique," was again hospitably greeted on Soviet soil.
Khrushchev and Tito during the latter's visit to the USSR, 1956:

By 1956, Khrushchev was already the undisputed leader of the USSR, having removed Malenkov, but his power had not yet become almost uncontrolled, but was balanced by the old "Stalinist guard" in the Presidium of the Central Committee.

1956 became for the USSR a year of new breakthroughs in technological and economic development, a year of great construction projects and big ambitious plans.

Exactly 60 years ago, the country received a nuclear missile shield, thanks to which it continues to be considered a great power today.
The R-5M missile system, put into service on June 21, 1956, became the first domestic missile system with nuclear warheads.

The 56th turned out to be very favorable for the country's agriculture. It was in this year that great success was marked on the virgin soil - the harvest was a record.

In 1956, Khrushchev put forward the slogan: "Catch up and overtake America", referring to competition in the production of meat and dairy products. At the meeting, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU issued a verdict - to move on to rapid, wide and widespread sowing of corn. Corn crops began in 1957, and in 1959 they began to expand strongly: 37 million hectares were allotted for them. Corn has actually supplanted traditional grains. The culture was sown even in the northern regions.

By 1956, oil production in the USSR had increased by about 10 times compared with 1913. At the same time, the development of Siberian deposits has not even begun yet, the main production was in Baku and the Volga region.

Baku oil workers in the picture of the German photographer Peter Bock-Schroeder, 1956:

Construction of the Novosibirsk hydroelectric power station in the photo by S. Fridlyand, 1956:

The Soviet auto industry in 1956 the next (second after the war) "change of generations". New models were born and put on the conveyor, which will remain basic until the middle or even until the end of the 1960s.

In April 1956, the production of small-class cars "Moskvich-402" began, quite modern by European standards of that time.
One of these cars has already managed to get into the frame of S. Fridlyand on one of the central Moscow streets, 1956:

In connection with the end of the Cold War (more precisely, its first episode), there has been some activation of cultural ties with Western countries. Various delegations became frequent in the USSR, and the Soviet people had much more opportunities for direct contacts.

British models in a circle of enthusiastic admirers. Moscow, 1956:

A little about fashion.

Business suits of American women in San Francisco, 1956:

Ski fashion 1956:

Beach Fashion:

Travel Suit, 1956:

And this is how one of the Soviet fashion magazines suggested dressing women of fashion:

In the pictures it looks no worse than theirs, in my opinion.

Now let's plunge into the cultural life of the 56th.

On February 21, 1956, Elvis Presley made his debut on American radio charts with the song "Heartbreak Hotel". Elvis not only sings, but also dances rock and roll:

The rising star has met with mixed reactions from the American public. The conservative press calls it "a plague sent by the communists to corrupt American youth." In the southern states obscurantists crush Elvis records with tractors.

1956 filmography and gossip.

"Bus Stop" with Marilyn Monroe:

Gina Lollobrigida in the 1956 film Notre Dame Cathedral:

In 1956, Brigitte Bardot gained worldwide popularity thanks to her role in the film And God Created Woman:

In 1956, the fugitive Ingrid Bergman triumphantly returned to Hollywood, which she left in 1949 due to her marriage to the Italian director Roberto Rossellini, with the film Anastasia about a girl who believed that she was the daughter of Nicholas II. For this work in 1957, the Swede received the second Oscar and Golden Globe statuettes:

Audrey Hepburn as Natasha Rostova, War and Peace, 1956:

Sophia Loren attends the Cannes Festival in 1956:

Marlene Dietrich in Monte Carlo, 1956:

Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier wedding, 1956:

Marilyn Monroe? No, this is British actress Diana Dors, who, by the way, was also a Hollywood sex symbol. 1956:

In 1956, Soviet cinema experienced a new heyday.

In the musical comedy "Carnival Night" by Eldar Ryazanov, the star of Lyudmila Gurchenko, the future legend of Soviet cinema, flashed for the first time:

The film became the leader of Soviet film distribution in 1956 with a total of 48.64 million tickets sold, and Lyudmila Gurchenko became a style icon for millions of Soviet women for many years.

One of the most daring films of the 56th is the drama "The Forty First" by Grigory Chukhrai about the love of a red sniper and a White Guard officer with a natural tragic ending. Oleg Strizhenov and Izolda Izvitskaya, "Forty-first":

At the X International Film Festival in Cannes (1957) this film was awarded the prize "For original script, humanism and romance."

In 1956, the film Spring on Zarechnaya Street (directed by Marlen Khutsiev) was shot, which became one of the most popular films of the 1950s, gathering 30.12 million viewers in the Soviet box office.

Nikolay Rybnikov and Nina Ivanova, "Spring on Zarechnaya Street":

The film "Different Fates" about young Leningraders is interesting for the mass of everyday details. In Leningrad in 1956, there are still wooden platforms:

Filming was underway for The Quiet Don, which will be completed next year:

And children of several subsequent generations will watch the film "Old Man Hottabych", staged at the Lenfilm studio in 1956 by director Gennady Kazansky based on the fantastic children's story of the same name by Lazar Lagin.

Moscow 1956 in the film "The Old Man Hottabych". Wonderful view from the roof of the Beijing Hotel:

It's hard to believe now, but in 1956 Moscow ended in the south just behind Moscow State University! In place of the current endless reinforced concrete jungle, then endless fields lay.

View of the current Michurinsky Prospect from the main building of Moscow State University, photo by J. Dupakier:

Other major cities in the USSR have changed even more since then. For example, Tashkent.

The main avenue of Tashkent in 1956 in the photo by J. Dupakier:

In 1956, in the USSR, the construction of standard five-story buildings by an industrial method began with might and main. The idea was borrowed from France, but the design was redesigned taking into account the specifics of the USSR by the Soviet architect Lagutenko.
Tens of thousands of people began to move from barracks and basements to houses that were relatively comfortable at that time, later called "Khrushchevs".

"Housewarming", photo from the magazine "Ogonyok", 1956:

Of course, we cannot help but take a look at what the inhabitants of the USSR looked like 60 years ago, what they were wearing.

Vacationers at the Voroshilov sanatorium (Sochi), 1956:

More Sochi in the photo by Peter Bock-Schroeder, 1956:

Ordinary Soviet people came to see the main square of the country (the author of the photograph, Frenchman J. Dupakier, designated them in the caption as "provincials"):

One of the Moscow streets:

Simple Soviet boys in the picture of the German photographer Peter Bock-Schroeder, 1956:

Kindergarten for a walk in Leningrad, J. Dupakier, 1956:

It is only in the film "Hipsters" that the Soviet people of the 1950s dressed in all gray))

Odessans in 1956:

Nowadays, few people will remember what the Soviet school uniform looked like 60 years ago. Even those who managed to grow up in the late USSR did not find these white collars.

Moscow schoolchildren in the Central Park of Culture and Leisure. Gorky, J. Dupakier, 1956:

Students in the library of Tomsk University, photo by S. Fridlyand, 1956:

At the Bolshoi Theater, 1956:

Muslims praying in the center of Tachent in the photograph by J. Dupakier, 1956:

Now let's take a quick glance at the life of cities in 1956.

11 years after the war, Berlin is still in ruins:

Soviet "Victory" on the streets of Helsinki in 1956:

Atmospheric Parisian traffic 1956:

The following double-decker trolleybuses traveled around Barcelona on 56th:

There are also double-decker trams in Glasgow:

In Istanbul in 1956, before the era of bridges and tunnels, boatmen were one of the main city signs:

Avenida Juarez in Mexico City, almost Broadway, 1956:

In the southern United States, racial segregation still reigned.
Separate entrance for "colored" in a department store in Mobile, Alabama, 1956

The exemplary American family of the mid-1950s does not listen to rock and roll, but goes to church.

Segregated tobacco planter Marshall Joyner and his family bowed their heads in prayer before dinner, Greenville, North Carolina, July 1956:

Saigon 1956:

Bangkok has already entered an era of prosperity, but before the highways and skyscrapers in 1956 it was still as before the Moon, and cars (then entirely imported) shared narrow streets with cycle rickshaws:

Taipei in 1956 was still quite archaic:

In Shanghai in 1956, cars almost disappeared, but there are still many boats:

60 years ago in Greece it was possible to shoot the 19th century without decorations:

The era of "automobile baroque" reached the culmination in the USA, the cars were not just big, but luxurious, shining with an abundance of chrome-plated parts and bizarre curves of lines. At the same time, the lineup seemed simply endless: 40 car brands exhibited several new models annually.
Panoramic windows and "fins" on the rear fenders were obligatory attributes of the car.

The "fins" on the rear fenders mimicked the rocket stabilizer wings, for some companies the rocket fashion went even further.

And on the other side of the ocean, manufacturers were competing to make the car more compact.

FIAT Multipla Taxi, 1956:

The design of European cars was by no means rocketry, but simply round-bellied. And on the assembly line, they were not a year or two, as in the States, but many times longer.

Renault Dauphine was produced from 1956 to 1968 (photo of 1956):

The pretentiousness of American cars contrasted with the laconicism of the new architectural design.

Sunrise Shopping Center in Florida, 1956:

Shopping center in Edina, Minnesota, 1956:

An American experiment with an analogue of our Khrushchevs dates back to the mid-50s.

Pruitt Igoe Community Community, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Officially opened in 1956:

The American experiment with "social neighborhoods" is known to have completely failed. They quickly turned into ghettos.

Civil aviation is rapidly developing in the world. The first models of jet liners have already appeared, but propeller driven machines such as the famous Constellation (1956) still dominate the sky:

Stewardess aboard a BOAC aircraft, Britannia, 1956:

The USSR was also striving upward. Very soon, the first artificial Earth satellite will fly into space. In the meantime, for the Soviet people of the 56th "space" technologies were jet civil aviation.

On September 15, 1956, the Tu-104 jetliner made its first regular flight on the Moscow-Omsk-Irkutsk route:

The slender handsome Tu-104 was a huge technological breakthrough in comparison with the Soviet propeller-driven aircraft fleet of those years. Then they flew all over the USSR on "oldies" Li-2 of pre-war development and post-war IL-14.
The IL-14 aircraft at the Vilnius airport in the photograph by J. Dupakier, 1956:

The 16th Summer Olympic Games were held in Melbourne, Australia from November 22 to December 8, 1956:

During the artistic gymnastics competitions, the Soviet flag was raised 11 times in one hour and the Soviet anthem sounded. Sportsmen of the USSR took away 11 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze medals, becoming the absolute world champions.

Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics Larisa Latynina, Melbourne, 1956:

USSR women's national artistic gymnastics team, Melbourne, 1956:

Great attention was paid to sports in the USSR.

Athletes parade during the opening ceremony:

1956 who? 1956 what animal? 1956 is the year of the Red Fire Monkey, one of the most interesting and funniest animals, multifaceted and in many ways similar to ourselves. The monkey is an intelligent, rather eccentric animal, loves attention and therefore always tries to get into the spotlight.

Red Fire Monkey is restless, proud, curious, passionate, even a little aggressive, she always tries to win the respect of others. It is very important for her to be the first in everything, she always strives forward and does not stop there. She always sets many goals for herself, which are not at all difficult for her to achieve, because she is very smart and energetic, while she has a very good business sense.

The Fire Monkey never gives up, she believes that any problem can be solved. You can rely on her, but your desires and interests must match. The Fire Monkey is not the most faithful partner in a love relationship, as she is very fond of new sensations and emotions.

In the year of the Red Fire Monkey, one must always be ready for any unexpected event. In the field of business, this year will often have to make risky deals, luck will go to the most dexterous businessman who knows how to adapt to any situations and conditions.

In the sphere of personal relationships, everything will also be unpredictable. This year will be a real test for lovers, only true love can withstand all the tests of the Fire Monkey. In order for your life to improve this year, you need to add romance and flirting to your life. The year will be full of love adventures, but it will not be rich in legal marriages.

The Monkey is in great demand among the opposite sex. She is loyal and always loyal to her partner. The Monkey's home and family always come first. She is a good mother and wife who preserves and protects the hearth and her love. She chooses a worthy and faithful life partner as her husband. And if she really wants this, then she will definitely meet her love, dreaming of a strong and big family.

Born this year, they always strive to open up new paths. The resourceful approach, coupled with the flexibility and curiosity of the Monkey, leads to good results in the field of research activities. Since the Monkey is a tireless worker, material success is ensured in the chosen field of activity.

The positive traits inherent in the Monkey are persistence, curiosity, confidence in their knowledge and strength. All these qualities will help you achieve your goals in the coming year, but do not become too selfish, forgetting about others, as this can only lead to difficulties in relationships with your loved ones and best friends.

Of course, the Monkey also has negative traits, such as arrogance, superficiality, cunning and vanity. You need to learn to see your bad sides and qualities and put yourself in your place in time.

In the year of the Monkey, important and large-scale events often happen. This happens not only in the life of an individual, but also in the history of entire states.

The year 1956 was marked by many events that left a noticeable mark on the history of Soviet art. Contents 1 Events 2 Born 3 Died ... Wikipedia

1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 See also: Other events in 1956 ... Wikipedia

1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 Portal: Rail transport See also: Other events in 1956 History of the underground in 1956 ... Wikipedia

1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 Portal: Theater See also: Other events in 1956 Events in music and Events in cinema Contents ... Wikipedia

1954 - 1955 1956 1957 - 1958 See also: Other events in 1956 In 1956 there were various scientific and technological developments, some of which are presented below. Contents 1 Events ... Wikipedia

1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 See also: Other events in 1956 History of rail transport in 1956 History of public transport in 1956 This article lists the main events in the history of subways ... Wikipedia

1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 See also: Other events in 1956 Other events in the history of the subway Other events of railway transport This article lists the main events from the history of public ... Wikipedia

Contents 1 Selected films 1.1 World cinema 1.2 Soviet cinema ... Wikipedia

Years in the literature of the 20th century. 1956 in literature. 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 ← XIX century 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 ... Wikipedia

Aviation years 19th century ... Wikipedia

Books

• The magazine "Hunting and hunting economy". Semi-annual filing for 1956 (numbers 7 - 12),. The magazine "Hunting and hunting economy" is the oldest domestic periodical about hunting, the flagship of the hunting periodicals in Russia, the record holder - a long-liver among all, ever ...
• A Year in the Woods, Sokolov-Mikitov Ivan Sergeevich. The modest Russian forest will not leave anyone indifferent. Even on the coldest winter days, life does not stop here: the black grouse burrow into the snow, packs of wolves wander along the winding paths ... Happy ...