Hungarian State

Infobox Former Country
native_name = "Magyar Állam"
conventional_long_name = Hungarian State
common_name = Hungary
continent = Europe
region = Hungary
country = Hungary
era = World War II
status = Client state
empire = Nazi Germany|
event_start =
year_start = 1944
date_start = October 16, 1944
event_end = Surrender of Germany
year_end = 1945
date_end = May 8, 1945|
p1 = Kingdom of Hungary (Regency)
flag_p1 = Flag_of_Hungary_1940.svg‎
s1 = Kingdom of Hungary (Regency)
flag_s1 = Flag_of_Hungary_1940.svg‎ |


flag_type = Flag


flag_type = Flag

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symbol =
symbol_type =

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capital = Budapest
national_motto =
national_anthem = "Himnusz"
common_languages = Hungarian
religion = Roman Catholic
currency = Pengő
government_type = Dictatorship|
title_leader = Leader of the Hungarian Nation
leader1 = Ferenc Szálasi
year_leader1 = 1944 - 1945|

The Hungarian State ("Magyar Állam") was a short-lived client state of Nazi Germany formed on 16 October 1944 after Regent Miklós Horthy was removed from power during Operation Panzerfaust ("Unternehmen Eisenfaust") [http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/mirror/mirror03.htm] . This state replaced the Kingdom of Hungary ("Magyar Királyság") which had preceded it for almost a thousand years.

The Arrow Cross leader and Hungarian National Socialist Ferenc Szálasi became the "Nationleader" ("Nemzetvezető") and Prime Minister of Hungary. Szálasi was an ardent fascist, and his Quisling government had little other intention or ability but to maintain fascism and control in Hungary as the Soviet Union invaded, in order to reduce the threat to Germany.

On 21 December 1944, with the aproval of the Soviet Union, Béla Miklós was elected as the Prime Minister of a "counter" Hungarian government. Miklós was a former commander of the Hungarian First Army. He had failed in his efforts to convince many of the men under his command to switch sides. The government that Miklós oversaw was an "interim government" and was replaced with a fully Communist government soon after the war.

History

Upon the total fascist takeover, Hungary faced impending occupation by the Soviet Union which resulted in German armed forces destroying Hungarian infrastructure as the Red Army closed in.

In December 1944, days after the government's formal creation, the Battle of Budapest began where fascist-loyal forces of the badly damaged remnants of the Hungarian First Army fought alongside German forces against the Red Army to no avail.

By February 1945, all of Budapest was under Soviet control. [http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/mirror/mirror03.htm] .

In March 1945, during Operation Spring Awakening ("Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen"), Fascist Hungarian forces of the Hungarian Third Army fought alongside German forces in the last major offensive in Hungary against the Soviet forces. For ten days the Axis forces made costly gains. However, within twenty-four hours, the Soviet counterattack was able to drive the Germans and Hungarians back to the positions they held before the offensive began.

Between 16 March anf 25 March 1945, the remnants of Hungarian Third Army was overrun and virtually destroyed. By the end of March, what remained of the Hungarian armed forces was forced into Slovakia and Austria as Soviet forces occupied all of Hungary. Nazi Germany itself was on the verge of collapse.

The Ferenc Szálasi regime, which had fled Hungary, was dissolved in 1945 after Germany's surrender. Szálasi was captured by American troops and returned to Hungary, where he was tried for crimes against the state, and executed.

ee also

* Szent László Infantry Division