Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1998. [Vol. 5.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 25)
Studies - Tamás Magyarics: From the Rollback of Communism to Building Bridges: The U.S. and the Soviet Block Countries from the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 to the Prague Spring in 1968
East, it did not do too much to do the same as far as Hungary was concerned. Dulles concluded with some satisfaction in mid-December, 1956 that the 60 satellite divisions "could no longer be regarded as an addition to Soviet forces —in fact they may immobilize certain Soviet forces." 3 The U.S. Congress realized the need for a shift in the policy toward Europe in general, and Eastern-Europe in particular. A Congressional delagation was dispatched to the West-European capitals in April 1957, two members of the delegation, Alwin M. Bentley and James G. Fulton visited Poland and Yugoslavia as well. The Congressmen in their report called for a more active American policy concerning the East-European nations in the fields of international relations, economic ties and even propaganda. 4 Senator John F. Kennedy urged that the administration do its best to promote "peaceful change behind the Iron Curtain whenever this would help wean the so-called captive nations from their Kremlin masters." This shift in tone was noticed — among others —by the Hungarian chargé, Tibor Zádor, who reported about a changing American-Polish relationship: Wladyslaw Gomulka was treated as a "Communist but a good Polish patriot", the so-called national Communism (the Yugoslav model) was promoted by the American leaders, and even the American-Bulgarian relations improved: the two countries broke off diplomatic relations because of a spy-case in 1951, but in the summer of 1957 the American administration lifted the prohibiton for American citizens visiting Bulgaria and the administration was even busy preparing an answer lo two former Bulgarian notes, which suggested the restoration of the diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Bulgaria. 6 In a broader sense, the exchange of messages between the Soviet Union and U.S. in late 1957 and early 1958 can also be seen as a sign of easing the tension between the two blocs. The Soviets, namely Premier Bulganin, suggested the freeze of nuklear testing, the demilitarization of CentralSee John Lewis Gaddis's remark; In: Immermann, Richard H. ed. John Foster Dulles and the Diplomacy of the Cold War. Princeton, N.J., 1990. 65. 4 Congressional Record. 85th Congress, 1st Sess., Vol. 103. XIII. (H) 9324-9326. (June 26. 1957). 3 New Hungarian Central Archives. XIX-J-1-j, USA TÜK Box 9, 5/b 001338/6; 001338/3; and 001338/5. 6 Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS). 1958-1960. Vol. V. Part 1. Eastern Europe Region: Soviet Union; Cyprus. NSC 581 1/1, May 24. 1958. Washington, DC. 1993. 18-30.
