| − | [[File:Von.jpg|thumb|[[John von Neumann]]]] | + | [[File:Von.jpg|thumb|[[John von Neumann]], a Hungarian emigrant to the U.S. whom many consider to have been the smartest man of the 20th century.]] |
| | Hungary has long been an integral part of Europe. It converted to Western Christianity before AD 1000. Although Hungary was a monarchy for nearly 1,000 years, its constitutional system preceded by several centuries the establishment of Western-style governments in other European countries. | | Hungary has long been an integral part of Europe. It converted to Western Christianity before AD 1000. Although Hungary was a monarchy for nearly 1,000 years, its constitutional system preceded by several centuries the establishment of Western-style governments in other European countries. |
| − | Following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy (1867-1918) at the end of [[World War I]], Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory and nearly as much of its population. It experienced a brief but bloody communist dictatorship under [[Bela Kuhn]] in 1919, followed by a 25-year regency under Adm. [[Miklos Horthy]]. Although Hungary fought in most of World War II as a German ally, it fell under German military occupation following an unsuccessful attempt to switch sides on October 15, 1944. Under occupation, the Hungarian Government deported or executed and seized the property of hundreds of thousands of its minority citizens, mostly members of the Jewish community. On January 20, 1945, a provisional government concluded an armistice with the Soviet Union and established the Allied Control Commission, under which Soviet, American, and British representatives held complete sovereignty over the country. The Commission's chairman was a member of Stalin's inner circle and exercised absolute control. | + | Following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy (1867-1918) at the end of [[World War I]], Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory and nearly as much of its population. It experienced a brief but bloody communist dictatorship under Bela Kuhn in 1919, followed by a 25-year regency under Adm. [[Miklos Horthy]]. Although Hungary fought in most of World War II as a German ally, it fell under German military occupation following an unsuccessful attempt to switch sides on October 15, 1944. Under occupation, the Hungarian Government deported or executed and seized the property of hundreds of thousands of its minority citizens, mostly members of the Jewish community. On January 20, 1945, a provisional government concluded an armistice with the Soviet Union and established the Allied Control Commission, under which Soviet, American, and British representatives held complete sovereignty over the country. The Commission's chairman was a member of Stalin's inner circle and exercised absolute control. |