26 nov 2024
Khrushchev & After
Stalin’s Death 1953
- Politburo endorses collective leadership of Malenkov, Molotov, Bulganin and
Khrushchev
- Communist Party wanted to avoid one-man rule Why was Beria a threat?
- leader of Secret
- Beria took the lead and introduced reforms to Police
reduce use of terror - Had been Stalin’s
- Party attempted to reform Stalinist system: right-hand man
- Would not want to
- ending ‘personality cult’ politics change things
- Reforming the Secret Police (KGB)
- Arresting and executing Beria 1953 - claimed Beria’s Reforms:
he was a British spy 1) Denounced ‘Doctor’s Plot’
as false & released
- ‘New course’ in economic policy put more prisoners
emphasis on production of consumer goods 2) Amnesty that released 1
Million political prisoners
Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971)
- Rustic background meant he was underestimated, outgoing, cunning, ‘a man of
the people’ - he was seen as more human compared to Stalin
- Became First Secretary of the Communist Party and Premier (renamed
Stalin’s titles)
- Appointed his followers: nearly 50% of those elected to the Central
Committee were removed
- Adopted a softer and more constructive attitude towards the West
- Wanted peaceful economic competition between Communism/Capitalism
- Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 marked his period in o ce
- Wanted a strong hold on Eastern Europe
- e.g violent repression of the Hungarian Uprising 1956
- Forced to retire 1964
1
ffi
, Aims & Reforms:
De-Stalinisation Process of discrediting Stalin and reforming the USSR after his
death, started because of Khrushchev’s secret speech
‘Virgin Lands’ To encourage farming in the Kazakh Republic (Kazakhstan)
campaign
Space program Government investment led to development of rst arti cial
satellite to ever orbit the earth, Sputnik I in 1957 (and rst man in
space 1961)
Led to shortage of government funds in other areas e.g economy
‘Socialist Legality’ Idea that Party and Government were not exempt from the law,
aimed at curbing the actions of the secret police
Return to legality of Leninism, humanise USSR by reducing terror
Decentralisation of Separate Party and spread power to local governments to avoid
power corruption and unbalance
Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy
Event Success Failure
Polish ‘We will bury you!’
Embassy Received negatively by Western Audience
Reception Khrushchev overplayed his hand
1956
Berlin Wall Stopped mass emigration (3 Million Khrushchev wanted to provoke USA
1961 East Germans had ed through Wall became a symbol of oppression
Berlin) ; economic stability Cold War tensions escalated
Showed Soviet resolve Did not achieve control of Berlin
Preserved Soviet culture in Berlin
(prevent Western in uence)
Sino-Soviet USSR/PRC relationship gradually
Split 1961 - 89 worsened during Cold War
China rejected USSR’s de-stalinisation and
peaceful coexistence with the West
Diverged in applications of Leninism
Sino-American relations got better (e.g
Nixon 1972)
Cuban Missile USA promised to never attack Forced to back down against ess
Crisis 1962 USSR experienced president, warmongering
Turkey missiles removed (NATO reputation lost, forced to resign and
allies criticised USA) replaced in 1964
USSR dismantled missiles in Cuba
2
fl fi fifi
Khrushchev & After
Stalin’s Death 1953
- Politburo endorses collective leadership of Malenkov, Molotov, Bulganin and
Khrushchev
- Communist Party wanted to avoid one-man rule Why was Beria a threat?
- leader of Secret
- Beria took the lead and introduced reforms to Police
reduce use of terror - Had been Stalin’s
- Party attempted to reform Stalinist system: right-hand man
- Would not want to
- ending ‘personality cult’ politics change things
- Reforming the Secret Police (KGB)
- Arresting and executing Beria 1953 - claimed Beria’s Reforms:
he was a British spy 1) Denounced ‘Doctor’s Plot’
as false & released
- ‘New course’ in economic policy put more prisoners
emphasis on production of consumer goods 2) Amnesty that released 1
Million political prisoners
Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971)
- Rustic background meant he was underestimated, outgoing, cunning, ‘a man of
the people’ - he was seen as more human compared to Stalin
- Became First Secretary of the Communist Party and Premier (renamed
Stalin’s titles)
- Appointed his followers: nearly 50% of those elected to the Central
Committee were removed
- Adopted a softer and more constructive attitude towards the West
- Wanted peaceful economic competition between Communism/Capitalism
- Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 marked his period in o ce
- Wanted a strong hold on Eastern Europe
- e.g violent repression of the Hungarian Uprising 1956
- Forced to retire 1964
1
ffi
, Aims & Reforms:
De-Stalinisation Process of discrediting Stalin and reforming the USSR after his
death, started because of Khrushchev’s secret speech
‘Virgin Lands’ To encourage farming in the Kazakh Republic (Kazakhstan)
campaign
Space program Government investment led to development of rst arti cial
satellite to ever orbit the earth, Sputnik I in 1957 (and rst man in
space 1961)
Led to shortage of government funds in other areas e.g economy
‘Socialist Legality’ Idea that Party and Government were not exempt from the law,
aimed at curbing the actions of the secret police
Return to legality of Leninism, humanise USSR by reducing terror
Decentralisation of Separate Party and spread power to local governments to avoid
power corruption and unbalance
Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy
Event Success Failure
Polish ‘We will bury you!’
Embassy Received negatively by Western Audience
Reception Khrushchev overplayed his hand
1956
Berlin Wall Stopped mass emigration (3 Million Khrushchev wanted to provoke USA
1961 East Germans had ed through Wall became a symbol of oppression
Berlin) ; economic stability Cold War tensions escalated
Showed Soviet resolve Did not achieve control of Berlin
Preserved Soviet culture in Berlin
(prevent Western in uence)
Sino-Soviet USSR/PRC relationship gradually
Split 1961 - 89 worsened during Cold War
China rejected USSR’s de-stalinisation and
peaceful coexistence with the West
Diverged in applications of Leninism
Sino-American relations got better (e.g
Nixon 1972)
Cuban Missile USA promised to never attack Forced to back down against ess
Crisis 1962 USSR experienced president, warmongering
Turkey missiles removed (NATO reputation lost, forced to resign and
allies criticised USA) replaced in 1964
USSR dismantled missiles in Cuba
2
fl fi fifi
