In this thesis, research has been done into the role that the US Radio broadcast played before and during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The overarching research question was: Does the United...Show moreIn this thesis, research has been done into the role that the US Radio broadcast played before and during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The overarching research question was: Does the United States share part of the blame for the Hungarian Revolution because of the anti-communistic radio propaganda they send to the Hungarian people before and during the Revolution in 1956? Two methods were used to find an answer to this question. Firstly, a wide variety of literature to determine the state of the historiographical field and a stand in the discussion if the US shares part of the blame. With this literature, the essential background information was provided to be able to understand the historical setting of the primary sources. Secondly, a case study was carried out while reviewing a good amount of primary material (93 interviews with Hungarian Refugees in the U.S. provided by the Columbia University Research Project on Hungary (CURPH) in 1957 and 1958) in a qualitative way. With this combination, new information about the thoughts and views of the Hungarian people on the Western radio broadcast and their influence embedded in the existing debate was provided. The final conclusion of this thesis is that the Hungarian people enjoyed listening to the radio programs that were sent to them by the U.S. It gave them news and entertainment from the outside world and therefore a sense of freedom. Yet, they did not believe everything they heard and remained critical, especially on the RFE. The influence of the anti-communistic propaganda was that most people expected help from the western world, especially the U.S., if a revolt were to take place. During the Revolution, the U.S. radio broadcast kept giving the Hungarian people this hope, but the U.S. did not intervene in the Revolution. Therefore, many Hungarians were rightly disappointed in the U.S. It can therefore be stated that the U.S. does indeed share part of the blame for the Hungarian Revolution.Show less
In the 1950s, when refugee aid was mostly organized by men, the Dutch Federation for Female Voluntary Aid (Nederlandse Federatie voor Vrouwelijke Vrijwillige Hulpverlening, FVVH), representing 500...Show moreIn the 1950s, when refugee aid was mostly organized by men, the Dutch Federation for Female Voluntary Aid (Nederlandse Federatie voor Vrouwelijke Vrijwillige Hulpverlening, FVVH), representing 500.000 Dutch women, had already implemented its own aid program concerning refugee camp Spittal an der Drau in Austria. After the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, several Dutch private organizations joined forces to help Hungarian refugees both in Austria and the Netherlands. This thesis centres around the question in what ways the FVVH was involved in the resulting committee, and why. Based on an extensive range of archival sources of the FVVH and other voluntary and women's associations, it becomes clear that the origins of the FVVH's refugee aid can be traced back to local initiatives in 1951. Furthermore, this thesis explores the ways in which the FVVH's involvement was supported by the Dutch government and the UNHCR. Lastly, it is found that the FVVH used its refugee aid activities to attain better relations within Civil Society. Regularly being excluded and ignored by both the Dutch Federation for Refugee Aid (Nederlandse Federatie voor Vluchtelingenhulp) and the committee concerning Hungarian refugees, the FVVH tried to influence their decision-making processes by emphasizing its own expertise, by vocally expressing its point of view in meetings and letters, and through lobbying, making use of the personal network within the women's and voluntary movement. Thus, this thesis not only explores developments within post-war refugee aid, but also contributes to discourse on the methods used by marginalized groups in order to gain influence and resist exclusion.Show less
