When the Soviet Union annexed the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, it began to expand its communist influence among the countries. After the death of Joseph Stalin, the new leader of the Soviet Union, Nika Khrushchev, began to modify Stalin's repressive policies, opening the door for Central and Eastern European countries to challenge the power of the Soviets. In Hungary and Czechoslovakia, uprisings took place for independence from the Eastern bloc. Although the Hungarian Revolution and the Prague Spring experienced a similar crushing defeat at the hands of a Soviet invading force, the two uprisings had different results due to Hungary's nationalist attempt to free itself from communism and attempts Czechoslovaks to reform communism within the country. After World War II, the Hungarian people were given the opportunity to vote in elections for the first time in over a hundred years and created their own government based on democratic principles. The Soviets had troops on the Hungarian border and did not care to assess their control over Hungary until 1948. At that time, local favorites Imre Nagy and Laszlo Rajk were dismissed and replaced by the partisan of Stalin's hard line, Rakoski. Rakoski asserted his absolute control over Hungary. He purged the Hungarian Communist Party of “Titotists” and forced the indoctrination of Stalinism into the educational intuitions of all Hungary. Hungary was one of the most repressed countries in Central and Eastern Europe until 1953, with the death of Joseph Stalin. When Joseph Stalin died and the leadership of the Soviet Union was replaced by Nika Khrushchev, the period of Soviet thaw had a profound effect on the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Nagy was appointed Prime Minister ... middle of paper ...... to ask for help from the allies and to give the impression that the entire Warsaw Pact would not tolerate Dubcek's reforms. The Czechs did not have the military might to oppose the Warsaw Pact countries and renounced all of the reforms of the Dubcek era. Unlike Nagy of Hungary, Dubcek was arrested but his life was spared by the Soviets. The Prague Spring ended in the same way as the Hungarian Revolution. Brezhnev would not allow any Warsaw Pact country to reform or change communism in the country. He called on all neighboring Warsaw Pact countries to invade Czechoslovakia to stop the reforms. The difference with the Hungarian revolution was that there was not much loss of life. The invasion of Prague was swift and rapid and Soviet control was restored. Brezhnev said “