ABSTRACT
In 1989-1990 Hungarian politicians and military planners had to decide on and then execute a comprehensive program that was to lead to a democratized armed forces subordinated to the state and the constitution. In addition, they needed to acquire security guarantees for the country that found itself in a security vacuum following the Warsaw Treaty Organization's dissolution. This chapter describes the program and to assess the successes and failures of its execution. The armed forces played the least active role in the transition in Hungary and Poland where the liberalization process was gradual, civil-military relations were of the "professionalized" type, and Communist elites gave up power voluntarily. Following the spring 1994 national elections, the coalition dominated by the Hungarian Democratic Forum was replaced by a socialist-liberal government. Hungary's first postcommunist government recognized the importance of democratic civil-military relations early on in its tenure.
