Matyas Rakosi (no, that's not a young Dr. Evil pictured here) was the de facto ruler of Hungary from 1947 to 1956. He is known for so-called "salami tactics". Trust us, those are not as delicious as they seem.

Picture the opposition as one giant salami. (Salami being quite popular in Hungary.) One by one, you begin slicing off pieces... until there is nothing left.

That's what Rakosi did. Just like in our illustration, he started with the right side (err... Hungary's right wing), calling it fascist. Then it was the center, and then it was the left, until the salami was reduced to nothing. He ate it all and was left with pretty much absolute power.

It didn't exactly work out for Rakosi. All this slicing boiled into the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Rakosi ended up in exile in the Soviet Union.

Considering Soviet meat shortages, that was probably it for Rakosi and salami.