Fraternity-Testvériség, 1960 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1960-10-01 / 10. szám
FRATERNITY 5 THE REAL NIXON Selections from the Book of Béla Kornitzer: MISSION TO VIENNA Because it was a more recent affair, and because assassination attempts were made against his life, the people of America and the world are likely to remember Nixon’s Latin America trip in 1958 — and, even more significantly, his visit to the Soviet Union — as the most momentous of his extensive foreign journeys. This is not necessarily true. In December, 1956, in the wake of the Hungarian uprising against Communism, he visited the refugee camps in Austria. 'The public knows little of the impact of that visit, and much less of the emotional reaction it had on the Vice President. I accompanied him on his odyssey into the makeshift barracks of the victims of tyranny. Because of my Hungarian origin, I was able to observe at close range the refugees' reaction toward him. Furthermore, I had an opportunity to assess his mood when he was by himself, secluded from the press and the prying eyes of television. It seemed to me then — and in retrospect I still believe — that his three-day pre-Christmas trip to Austria was the most exciting and most meaningful diplomatic mission so far in his career. I have reason — and indeed evidence — to believe that he shares this opinion. His trip to Austria was in the midst of world tension resulting from the heroic uprising of the Hungarian people against Communism and Russian occupation. When the trip was decided upon, the revolt had not been sunffed out completely, and thousands of refugees were still making desperate efforts to reach Austria, which offered haven to the homeless. Prior to the trip, I conferred at the White House with Kevin McCann, the President's administrative assistant, and Maxwell M. Rabb, cabinet secretary in charge of the Hungarian refugee problem. Both indicated their concern about the outcome of the mission. Ironically enough, the rebellious Hungarians and the Communists shared a common platform in one respect. Both were furious against the United States. The Communists were incensed over what they i
