October 1: Former Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz is released from Spandau PrisonOctober 23: The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 breaks out in the capital Budapest
InItaly, the United Action Pact between PCI and PSI, in force from 1934, becomes, by mutual agreement, a less binding Consultation Pact. In parallel, PSI and PSDI carry on the tractates for a future reunification of the two Italian Socialist parties.[9]
Negev desert road ambush: Palestinian Fedayeen militants attack two Israeli jeeps on the Sodom–Beer Sheva road (Highway 25), travelling near the southern part of the Dead Sea, 7 miles west of the Jordanian border with Israel. Four passengers are killed.[10]
InTerrazzano (Milan) two lunatics, the brothers Arturo and Egidio Santato (the first just released by a criminal madhouse) take hostage, in a primary school, 97 children and three schoolmistresses, asking for a ransom. After a day of anguish, the situation is unlocked by two volunteers, the worker Sante Zennaro and the private eye Tom Ponzi, who enter in the school. All the hostages are saved, but, for a tragic mistake, Zennaro is killed by the policemen's fire.[15]
InTrento, the sixth Congress of the DC, the first after the De Gasperi's death, begins; it sees the confirmation of the secretary, Amintore Fanfani, and of his statist line. The Fanfani's group, “Iniziativa democratica” (Democratic initiative) gets an almost complete grasp on the party.[21]
The sixth Miss World competition is held at the Lyceum BallroominLondon, UK, and is won by Petra Schürmann of Germany, after an administrative error results in US representative Betty Lane Cherry being given the winner's sash just before the ceremony; she was subsequently named first runner-up.[24]
The Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 is signed in Moscow, ending the legal state of war between the Soviet Union and Japan (with effect from December 12) and making possible the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two nations.[29]
"Polish October": After seven years in the political wilderness, Władysław Gomułka is returned to power as leader of Poland's Communist Party, marking the start of a "brief period of hope" in which the country distanced itself from the Soviet Union.[30]
During Typhoon Harriet, the Philippines cargo ship Lepus founders off Legaspi, with the loss of 25 of her 36 crew. The survivors are rescued by the US Navy.[31]
The airplane transporting Ahmed Ben Bella and four FLN exponents from RabattoTunis is forced to land in Algers and the five men are arrested by the French Army. The action, performed without the knowledge of the Prime Minister Guy Mollet, causes the retire from Paris of the Moroccan and Tunisian ambassadors, many protest in the French public opinion and an hardening of the Algerian war; more, it makes Ben Bella the moral leader of the revolution.[34]
A group of dissident Hungarian students draws up a list of sixteen demands for political reform, and declares their intent to hold a demonstration the next day in Budapest.
The Hungarian Revolution begins, as over 20,000 protesters convene at the statue of national hero József BeminBudapest.[35]ÁVH secret police forces open fire on the crowd, and the demonstration escalates into a full-scale armed revolution.
Hungarian Revolution of 1956: ÁVH secret policemen open fire on a peaceful and unarmed crowd in front of the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest, provoking Soviet troops, who believe they are being fired on from the crowd, to also open fire. At least 100 civilians are killed. The massacre galvanizes support for the Revolution among the populace, and fighting continues to escalate between insurgents and Soviet forces. János Kádár replaces Ernő Gerő as Hungarian Party leader.
InGermany, the Berchetsgarden Tribunal declares Adolf Hitler “officially dead”, after a four year enquiry and the hearing as witnesses of the dictator's attendants.[39]
Died:Risto Ryti, 67, Finnish politician, former Prime Minister (1939-1940) and President (1940-44)[40]
Hungarian Revolution: In the towns of Mosonmagyaróvár and Esztergom, ÁVH secret police forces massacre unarmed civilians. As rebel strongholds in Budapest hold, fighting spreads throughout Hungary.
Died:Walter Gieseking, 60, French-born German pianist and composer (pancreatitis)[41]
Hungarian Revolution: Imre Nagy announces the formation of a new government, to include members of previously-banned non-Communist parties.
In Italy, a statement of the leftist syndicate CGIL supports the Hungarian insurgents and censures the Soviet intervention. The Communist secretary of CGIL, Giuseppe Di Vittorio, a week later retracts the declaration under his party's pressure.[42]
Hungarian Revolution: A de facto ceasefire comes into effect between armed revolutionaries and Soviet troops, who begin to withdraw from Budapest. Communist officials and facilities begin to come under attack from the revolutionaries. Imre Nagy's faction gains full control of the Hungarian government, as many Stalinist hardliners leave the country for the Soviet Union.
Twenty-one year old Elvis Presley is inoculated, before the world's press, and as originally suggested by the March of Dimes, with the third version of Dr Jonas Salk's anti-polio vaccine. Dr. Harold Fuerst, with assistance from the NY Health Commissioner Dr. Leona Baumgartner, are the physicians in charge, all of which leads to the exponential increase in the immunization level of all Americans from 0.6% to 80% in the next 6 months.
In Italy, 101 Communist intellectuals sign a manifest (Manifest of 101) redacted by Carlo Muscetta, that criticizes the Soviet interference on Hungary and the line of the PCI about the question; L’Unità, official organ of the PCI, refuses to publish the text. In front of the party's rigidity, some of the signers retract (Elio Petri, Paolo Spriano); others disown the communism (Renzo De Felice, Lucio Colletti, and Antonio Maccanico).[45]
Hungarian Revolution: The government recognizes the new workers' councils. Armed protesters attack the detachment of state security police guarding the Budapest Hungarian Working People's Party headquarters in Republic Square, believing that prisoners are held there.[46][47] Over 20 security officers are killed, as is the head of the Budapest party committee, Imre Mező.[48]
InRome, in the course of a manifestation supporting the Hungarian people, some militants of the Social Movement, headed by Pino Romualdi, attack the PCI's seat and the redaction of the communist newspaper L’Unità.[49]
Hungarian Revolution: A Revolutionary Headquarters is established in Hungary. Following Imre Nagy's announcement of October 30, banned non-Communist political parties are reformed, and the MDP is replaced by the MSZMP. József Mindszenty is released from prison. The Soviet Politburo makes the decision to crush the Revolution.
^The International Who's Who. Europa Publications. 2004. p. 1114.
^Jasen, David A. (1988). Tin Pan Alley: the Composers, the Songs, the Performers and Their Times. New York: Donald I. Fine, Inc. pp. 50–51. ISBN1556110995.
^"Polling Method In Kenya: Appeal For Reform" The Times, 29 September 1956, p5, Issue 53649
^"Kenya Political Tangle First African Election", The Times, 16 March 1957, p5, Issue 53791
^Don Larsen, with Mark Shaw. (1996). The Perfect Yankee: The Incredible Story of the Greatest Miracle in Baseball History. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing. ISBN978-1-571-67043-4.
^Breffort, Dominique. Lockheed Constellation: from Excalibur to Starliner Civilian and Military Variants. Histoire and Collecions, 2006. p.117 to p.119
^Video (in Hungarian): The First Hours of the Revolution {{[1]Archived 2008-02-26 at the Wayback Machine director: György Ordódy, producer: Duna Televízió – Fonds 306, Audiovisual Materials Relating to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, OSA Archivum, Budapest, Hungary ID number: HU OSA 306-0-1:40}}
^The Institute for the History of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution: Part 3. Days of Freedom
^Gati, Charles (September 2006). Failed Illusions: Moscow, Washington, Budapest and the 1956 Hungarian Revolt. Stanford University Press. p. 177. ISBN0-8047-5606-6.
