The History of Budapest - Part 3, Budapest, Hungary

1918 - 1945 :  Devastation caused by the 1st and the 2nd World War were tremendous.  All of the

                       bridges in Budapest were blown up.  Many people were killed in fights.

1948 - 1956 :  The Soviet influence got stronger.  On October 23, 1956 Hungarian people revolted

                        against the political repression of the government and the Soviet occupation.  The

                        uprising was defeated by the Russian troops, and downtown Pest was badly damaged.

                        The House of Terror and the statues in the Memento Park commemorates the victims

                        of Communism.

1956 - 1989 :  Time of the Goulash Communism is  "the happiest barrack in the socialist camp" The

                        housing estates program started, huge block of flats were built.

1990 :  The communist regime ended, the new democratic government was formed.  On June 30, 1991

            the Soviet troops occupying Hungary for 43 years were withdrawn and left the country.

2004 :  Hungary joined the European Union