Humanitarianism versus Restrictionism: The United States and the Hungarian Refugees

Abstract

The waning days of October 1956 marked start of what President Dwight David Eisenhower referred to his memoirs as the most crowded and demanding three weeks of my entire Presidency. The presidential election was entering its final most hectic stage a severe drought was menacing agriculture Southwest Suez War was raging and threatening to cut off vital oil supplies to Western Europe and President’s chief foreign policy advisor Secretary of State John Foster Dulles had been taken to Walter Reed Army Hospital to undergo a serious emergency operation for cancer of intestine. Finally to further compound this domestic uncertainty and foreign turmoil American policymakers were confronted with Russian suppression of a revolution which had erupted Soviet Eastern European satellite of Hungary. Despite some hawkish saber-rattling American press and Congress United States says Eisenhower could do nothing to aid rebels because of danger of a war with Soviet Union. However President felt that it was imperative for United States to help in every way possible those refugees fleeing from the criminal action of Soviets. (excerpt)