Khrushchev’s reversal was undoubtedly also influenced by the American response to Hungary—or, rather, the lack thereof. Despite Soviet propaganda to the contrary, the United States had done nothing to aid the revolutionaries, and if they hadn’t done so by now, a week into the troubles, it seemed a safe bet that they never would. Instead, other than a few feeble denunciations on the Soviets’ use of force, the Eisenhower administration had foisted the Hungarian issue on the United Nations, where it had to know nothing would be done. It all pointed to the Americans’ tacit understanding that
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