THE STORY OF ONE METAPHOR: «LITTLE WAR» IN SLOVAK AND HUNGARIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

The article is devoted to the role of the Slovak-Hungarian «Little War» in Slovak and Hungarian historiography. The author draws attention to the beginning of research on the «Little War» in national historiographies. The difference in the approach to the events of that time on the part of Slovak and Hungarian historians has been considered. The characteristic features of research on this problem have been emphasized and described. An attempt has been made to answer whether it is possible to talk about interethnic historiographical discussions on this issue? The author tries to trace what chronological periods in the study of the topic can be identified. The work was based on a comparative analysis of the Slovak and Hungarian researchers` texts written in the last thirty years since the actualization of the "Little War" theme in the historiographical space of both countries. As a result of the study, some important conclusions have been which open new perspectives for further research. Firstly, the «Little War» issue is presented in the national historiographies of Slovakia and Hungary very unevenly and disproportionately. An evident intellectual tradition was built around the events of March 1939 in Slovakia with all the features of a national historiographical myth about a heroic complex defensive war against a stronger enemy, while Hungarian scholars practically ignored this issue. The author emphasizes that it is problematic to talk about any historiographical Slovak-Hungarian dialogue but rather about the active participation of Hungarian scholars in Slovak scientific discussions. In particular, the most important of them is the so-called Deak-Chefalvai discussion closely connected with the terminological definition of the «Little War» and the assessment of the political and military goals of the hostile parties. The emphasis is placed on the leading role of Slovak historical opinion in the study of the «Little War», which becomes a model for historiographies of other countries. The attention is drawn to the tendencies of recent years to focus on specific issues, mainly if the Hungarian attack on Slovakia in March 1939 was a carefully thought-out plan? How accurate are the modern chronological frameworks of the «Little War»? What impact do the events under study have on the present and the politics of national memory?