Following are notes from a meeting of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee six days before Soviet tanks entered Budapest to stop the uprising in Hungary. In the meeting, top U.S.S.R. officials discuss the turmoil in Hungary following Imre Nagy's rise to power and attempt to create a government separate from the Soviets. Central Committee members discuss possible courses of action. In the end, Soviet tanks stayed out of Budapest until November 4, when -- in reaction to Nagy's decision to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact -- they drove into the city, quelled the rebellion and arrested Nagy.

Working notes from the session of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Central Committee on October 28, 1956

Those taking part: Voroshilov, Bulganin, Kaganovich, Malenkov, Molotov, Saburov, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Zhukov, Shvernik, Shepilov, Furtseva, Pospelov, Zorin

On the Situation in Hungary

[Communist Party General Secretary Nikita] Khrushchev: The matter is becoming more complicated. They're planning a demonstration. [Hungarian Party Chief Janos] Kadar is leaning toward holding negotiations with the centers of resistance. We must set Sobolev right at the U.N. The workers are supporting the uprising (therefore they want to reclassify it as something other than a "counterrevolutionary uprising").

[Minister of Defense Georgy] Zhukov provides information. They would refrain from stamping out one of the centers of resistance. An order was given not to permit a demonstration. They're dismantling the railroad tracks in a number of localities. In Debrecen power has passed to our troops.

Comrade Khrushchev provides information. The situation is complicated.

[Soviet Official Mikhail] Suslov is to fly back to Moscow. A Directory has not been declared. They propose that [Former Hungarian Prime Minister Andras] Hegedus be removed from the Directory (4 in favor, and 6 against). The plenum is going on now.

[Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet Kliment] Voroshilov: They are poorly informed.

Comrades [Presidium Member Anastas] Mikoyan and Suslov are behaving calmly, but are poorly informed. We're in a bad situation. We must devise our own line and get a group of Hungarians to embrace it.

Comrade Mikoyan is not able to carry out this work. What we intended to do (to send a group of comrades) must now be done. We should not withdraw troops -- we must act decisively. [Hungarian Prime Minister Imre] Nagy is a liquidator.

[Former Foreign Minister Vyacheslav] Molotov: Things are going badly. The situation has deteriorated, and it is gradually moving toward capitulation. Nagy is actually speaking against us. Our comrades are behaving diffidently. It is agreed up to what limit we will permit concessions. This pertains now to the composition of the government and to the Directory. They are excluding Hegedus, and this means they're no longer showing regard for us. The bare minimum is the question of friendship with the U.S.S.R. and the assistance of our troops.

Comrade Mikoyan is reassuring them. If they don't agree, we must consider what will happen with the troops.

Comrade [Lazar] Kaganovich [of the Energy Administration]: A counterrevolution is under way. Indecisiveness of the Hungarian Communists. Kadar should make certain concessions to the workers and peasants and thereby neutralize the movement. Decisive action is needed against the centers of resistance; we cannot retreat.

[Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai] Bulganin: the HWP is acting ambivalently. Kadar kept lurching. The main thing is to demand greater decisiveness from Kadar. We must act as follows -- summon Mikoyan to the phone and say: The HWP Politburo must act decisively; otherwise, we will take action without you. Perhaps will have to appoint the government directly.

[Presidium Member Georgy] Malenkov: We shouldn't lay blame for the situation on our comrades. They're firmly carrying out a line aimed at suppressing the uprising. Nagy from the government so he can put forth a program.

Comrade Zhukov: Regarding Comrade Mikoyan's role, it's unfair to condemn him right now. The situation has unfolded quite differently compared to when we decided to send in troops. We must display political flexibility. We must organize the Central Committee for more flexible actions. We must organize armed workers' brigades. Our troops must be kept in full readiness. The main center of resistance must be suppressed.

Comrade Saburov: Agrees with Comrade Zhukov. They must take up their positions at large enterprises. A program is needed.

Comrade Khrushchev: We will have a lot to answer for. We must reckon with the facts. Will we have a government that is with us, or will there be a government that is not with us and will request the withdrawal of troops? What then? Nagy said that if you act he will relinquish his powers. Then the coalition will collapse. There is no firm leadership there, neither in the party nor in the government. The uprising has spread into the provinces. The [Hungarian] troops might go over to the side of the insurgents. We can't persist on account of Hegedus. Two options. The government takes action, and we help. This might soon be completed, or Nagy will turn against us. He will demand a cease-fire and the withdrawal of troops, followed by capitulation. What might the alternatives be?

1. The formation of a committee, which takes power into its hands (this is the worst alternative), when we...

2. This government is retained, and officials from the government are sent into the provinces. A platform is needed. Perhaps our appeal to the population and to workers, peasants and the intelligentsia should be prepared, or else we're just shooting.

3. Would it not be appropriate if the Chinese, Bulgarians, Poles, Czechs and Yugoslavs appealed to the Hungarians?

4. Decisively suppress the armed forces of the insurgents.

Comrades [Presidium Member Leonid] Brezhnev, Pospelov, [Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmitri] Shepilov and Furtseva are to prepare documents.

It is agreed: The fraternal parties should appeal to the Hungarians. Do we support the present government once the declaration is issued? Yes, support it. There is no alternative.

Comrade Voroshilov: We acted correctly when we sent in troops. We should be in no hurry to pull them out. American secret services are more active there than Comrades Suslov and Mikoyan are. A group of comrades should go there. Arrange to form a government and then withdraw the troops. We sent you there for nothing.

(Comrades Khrushchev and Kaganovich object.)

Comrade Bulganin: We acted properly when we sent in troops, but I can't agree with the assessment offered by Comrade Voroshilov. We should endorse the actions taken by Comrades Mikoyan and Suslov. We must draw the right conclusion: In Budapest there are forces that want to get rid of Nagy's and Kadar's government. We should adopt a position of support for the current government. Otherwise we'll have to undertake an occupation. This will drag us into a dubious venture.

Comrade Kaganovich: Regarding the sending of troops, we acted properly in sending them. There is no reason to attack Mikoyan and Suslov. They acted properly. It's unfair to lay the blame on them. If we don't offer support, there'll be an occupation of the country. That will take us far afield. We should do what is needed to support the government. Changes shouldn't be made in the declaration regarding the withdrawal of troops. ... The question is how to strengthen the party. We don't need to send additional people there.

Comrade Malenkov: The actions that were taken were correct. There is no point at all in condemning Comrades Mikoyan and Suslov. We should support the new government. We should keep troops there with the approval of the government.

Comrade Malenkov: So many people were involved there that there'll have to be a guarantee of an amnesty.

Comrade Molotov: We acted properly when we sent in troops. The initial messages from Comrades Mikoyan and Suslov were reassuring about their view of the government. The influence of the party on the masses is weak. With regard to the new government, we should support it. But regarding friendship with the U.S.S.R., they're talking about the withdrawal of troops. We must act cautiously.

Comrade Zhukov: We must support the new government. The question of a troop withdrawal from Hungary -- this question must be considered by the entire socialist camp. The authority of the HWP CC must be raised. We should appeal to the fraternal parties so that they, in turn, will issue appeals to the Hungarians. In Budapest, we should pull troops off the streets in certain regions. Perhaps we should release a statement from the military command. With regard to the assessment of Comrades Mikoyan and Suslov, it's inappropriate to say the things that Comrade Voroshilov did.

Comrade Saburov: We must support this government. The authority of the government must be increased in the eyes of the people. We shouldn't protest their assessments of events, and we shouldn't protest about the withdrawal of troops, albeit not an immediate withdrawal.

Comrade Khrushchev: Agrees with the comrades we must support this government. We must devise our tactics. We must speak with Kadar and Nagy: We support you; the declaration -- you evidently are not able to do more. We will declare a cease-fire. We are ready to withdraw troops from Budapest. We must make this conditional on a cease-fire by the centers of resistance.

Comrade Molotov: Second, we must look after the Hungarian Communists.

Comrade Bulganin: The regime of people's democracy in the country has collapsed. The HWP leadership no longer exists. Power has been gained by ...

Comrade Kaganovich: We're not talking here about concessions, but about a war for the people. The declaration must be adopted. A troop withdrawal from Budapest.

Comrade Voroshilov: If only a group could be formed there, we could leave our troops in place. There's no one to rely on. Otherwise there's war.

Comrade Khrushchev: I support the declaration. Politically this is beneficial for us. The English and French are in a real mess in Egypt. We shouldn't get caught in the same company. But we must not foster illusions. We are saving face. Fundamentally, the declaration must be adopted. But adopt it with corrections. Life in the city must be put right. An appeal from the fraternal parties. A ciphered cable to Yugoslavia. ...

On the Situation in Hungary

Comrade Suslov: The situation is complicated. On 23 Oct. our troops entered. On 25 Oct. only one pocket of resistance was left; we found out about it on 26 Oct. It was in the "Corvin" cinema, a group headed by a colonel from the Horthyite army. Single gunshots are heard (often). They're beating officers. 3,000 wounded, 350 dead (Hungarians). Our losses are 600 dead. The popular view of our troops now is bad (and has gotten worse). The reason is the dispersal of the demonstration on 24 Oct. 56. Shooting began ... ordinary citizens were killed. Many flags were hung up on the sidewalk. Workers are leaving their enterprises. Councils are being formed (spontaneously) at enterprises (around various cities). There is an anti-Soviet trend in the demonstrations. How can we regain control of the situation? The establishment of a relatively strong government. Our line is not to protest the inclusion of several democrats in the government. Yesterday a government was formed. On the morning of 28 Oct., at 5:00, Kadar arrived and pointed out that the trade unions had demanded a reassessment of the insurgents, reclassifying the events as a national-democratic uprising. They want to classify it according to the example of the Poznan events. Kadar reported that he had succeeded in agreeing with the trade unions to eliminate the formula of a national-democratic movement and about the organs of state security. In his address, Nagy inserted a point about the withdrawal of Soviet troops. They're also insisting on a cease-fire. Our line now: This time the government is recommending a cease-fire, and the military command is devising an order for the withdrawal of troops from Budapest. Nagy and Szanto raised the question of removing Hegedus from the Directory. There's no need to hold elections.