World War II and Hungary’s international relations

1. World War II and Hungary’s international relations Hungary’s foreign policy and its external economic relations since 1914 up till the present Prepared by Endre Domonkos, Dr. habil. (PhD) Academic Year, 2018/2019 Spring Semester

2. I. Hungary in World War II • After the attack on Yugoslavia + invasion of Greece in April 1941: Germany’s focus on preparation of invasion of the USSR. • Serious dilemma for Hungary’s leading politicians (see west-leaning conservatives, opposition democrats versus pro-German and anti-Bolshevik right-wing extremists and the army command). • The memoranda of General Werth to Miklós Horthy in June 1941: strong support and loyalty to the Axis Powers. • On 22nd June 1941, Hungary only broke of relations with the Soviet Union.

3. I. Hungary in World War II • On 26th June 1941: air raids were carried out on the northern town of Kossice and a train leaving Raho. • The Regent declared war on the USSR and ordered retaliation on 26th June 1941. • Hungarian troops contingents crossed the Soviet frontier on 1st July 1941 (‚Carpathian Group’ led by Lieutenant General Ferenc Szombathelyi). • The Mobile Corps’ units were withdrawn from the Eastern front in November 1941. • Declaration of war on Hungary by Great Britain on 7th December 1941.

4. I. Hungary in World War II • The United States: it regarded Hungary as vassal state of Nazi Germany (it did not want to declare war with Hungary from its side). • On 12th December 1941. Declaration of war against the USA by Prime minister, László Bárdossy. • From 1942 Germany made pressure on Hungary to provide greater military support in the Eastern front. • The transportation of the 207,000-strong Hungarian Second Army in April 1942 by General GusztávJány to the Eastern front.

5. I. Hungary in World War II • The poor equipment of the Hungarian Army + additional supplies promised by Germany did not arrive at all. • Cold winter and supply difficulties: Soviet offensive launched on 12th January 1943 smashed through the Hungarian lines (serious losses both in terms of army’s weaponry and human lives). • The slow deterioration of the standard of living in Hungary (industrial production was subordinated to war needs + 90% of agricultural products and raw materials were delivered to the Third Reich).

7. I. Hungary in World War II • The Nazi regime paid less and less for goods: German indebtedness increased towards Hungary. • Serious imbalances in the current account and annual budgets. • Rationing was introduced for from September 1941 for bread and flour, and later for consumer articles as well. • System of compulsory deliveries covering all agricultural producers: Jurcsek Plan (foil the hoarding + fight against black marketeering). • For Jewish population: harsh measures (Law of XV 1941 and Law of 1942) were introduced.

8. I. Hungary in World War II • The social conditions did not deteriorate as much as in World War I. • Lack of basis of mass support for opposition or a search of alternatives to the war. • In February 1942: the creation of Historical Memorial Committee. • The demonstration held on 15th March 1942 in Budapest was broken up by the police (detentions). • The long memorandum of the Smallholders’ Party to the Prime Minister Miklós Kállay: take firm actions to distance itself from Germany + withdrawal from the war.

9. I. Hungary in World War II László Bárdossy Miklós Kállay

10. I. Hungary in World War II • Main problem: the conservative government refused the programmes, by the Democrats-Smallholders. • The appointment of Miklós Kállay as Prime Minister by the Regent on 7th March 1942. • Kállay: to establish contacts with the Western Allies through several intermediary channels. • The American and British diplomats: they did not support the restoration of Hungary’s historical frontiers + assisted the complete change of leadership in Hungary linked to reforms of land and democratic institutions.

11. I. Hungary in World War II • The Americans and British were not averse negotiating with the Kállay government on the conditional terms for an armistice. • The amount of one-sided list of pledges that Hungary would be expected to make. • At the end of November 1943: the Allied leaders took a decision at the Teheran Conference to proceed with plans for the invasion of France. • The provisional surrender: was no more than a statement of intent.

12. I. Hungary in World War II • In September 1943: Hitler ordered plans to invade Hungary – variations of these were code-named Margarethe I and II). • Hitler’s meeting with Horthy at Klessheim on 18th March 1944 (face-to-face talk was broken because Horthy refused to sign a communiqué, declaring that the German troops were entering Hungary by mutual agreement of the two states). • Horthy did not resign the regency + appointed a new pro-German government. • The message of General Ferenc Szombathelyi to Budapest.

13. II. The German occupation and its consequences I. • German occupation on 19th March 1944. • The appointment of Döme Sztójay as Prime Minister (the abolition of bourgeois opposition parties, arrest of anti-German politicians and intellectuals + ban on all daily newspapers). • More divisions were sent to the front (by June 1944 some 330,000 soldiers were fighting occupation duties beyond the Carpathians). • Bombing raids on Hungary started by the British and American forces on 3rd April 1944.

15. II. The German occupation and its consequences II. Edmund Veesenmayer Döme Sztójay

16. II. The German occupation and its consequences II. • The introduction of anti-Jewish measures + deportations started in April 1944 to the concentration camps. • Lack of armed clandestine resistance in Hungary (only some acts of sabotage and leaflet distribution in the capital after the German invasion). • The creation of the Hungarian Front in May 1944 (the call for a popular uprising against the German occupiers was refused). • The appointment of Géza Lakatos on 23rd August 1944 as Prime Minister by the Regent (in the ending of the war, his activity was marked by hesitation).

18. III. The failed attempt to change sides, Arrow-Cross terror I. • The sign of the agreement on cease-fire on 11th October 1944 in Moscow: to evacuate all territory gained since 31 December 1937 by Hungary + end all hostilities against Soviet forces. • The broadcasting of Horthy’s proclamation of the armistice on 15th October 1944: lack of preparation the attempt at changing sides failed. • Szálasi was appointed as Prime Minister by Horthy. • Szálasi and his adherents: believe fanatically in the Germans’ ultimate victory (to increase the country’s war effort).

20. III. The failed attempt to change sides, Arrow-Cross terror II. • The remaining Jewish population was once more in deadly danger (liquidation of ghettos and systematic annihilation of the Jewish population). • The creation of the Hungarian National Uprising Liberation Council on 9th November 1944 (the national uprising failed as a result of betrayal). • By Christmas 1944 Budapest was under siege (Szálasi and his government pulled out of the capital and set up in West Hungary). • From 24 December 1944 to 13 February 1945: the siege of Budapest.

21. III. The failed attempt to change sides, Arrow-Cross terror III. • After the loss of Budapest: final offensive by the Germans on Hungarian soil in March 1945 (the offensive collapsed). • The last German formation withdrew from Hungary on 13th April 1945. • War losses: more than five times the country’s 1938 national income and 40% of its national wealth was destroyed. • The loss of human life: about 900,000 out of a population (6.2%) of 14.5 million perished.

23. IV. References Ignác Romsics (1999): Hungary in the twentieth century. Corvina – Osiris, pp. 211-216. István Tóth György (2005): A Concise History of Hungary. The History of Hungary from the Early Middle Ages to the Present. Corvina – Osiris, pp. 545-548.

24. Thank you for your attention!