Who was the Premier of Hungary (1953-1956) who attempted to withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw Pact and was executed in 1958?

• A. Imre Nagy
• B. Janos Kadar
• C. Miklós Horthy
• D. Ferenc Szalasi

Answer: (A)

Imre Nagy led Hungary as prime minister in the 1950s and again during the 1956 uprising. He pushed to withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw Pact, signaling a move toward neutrality and independence from Soviet control. The Soviets crushed the revolution, and Nagy was arrested, subjected to a show trial, and executed in 1958. This combination of attempting to exit the Warsaw Pact and the subsequent execution is what sets him apart. The other figures held different roles and outcomes: Janos Kadar came to power after the crackdown and ruled for decades without execution, Miklós Horthy was the regent before and during WWII, and Ferenc Szalasi led the Arrow Cross regime in 1944 and was executed earlier in 1946.