Who is this man?Who is this man?

Nikita Khrushchev Lesson Nikita Khrushchev Lesson ObjectivesObjectives

ｷｷ To identify the key features of Destalinisation.

ｷｷ To produce a clear definition of the concept Destalinisation.

ｷｷ To establish why Khrushchev denounced Stalin.

ｷｷ To discuss reasons why Khrushchev emerged as leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Stalin.

But First, an overview of But First, an overview of Khrushchev…Khrushchev…

Create a rough mindmap with the headings: Create a rough mindmap with the headings: De-stalinisation & the Thaw, Agriculture, De-stalinisation & the Thaw, Agriculture, Industrialisation, Rise to Power, Foreign Policy Industrialisation, Rise to Power, Foreign Policy & Fall from Power& Fall from Power

Take rough notes as you watch the next few Take rough notes as you watch the next few slides, you will be translating them into neat slides, you will be translating them into neat notes later after we have finished the unit.notes later after we have finished the unit.

Make sure you leave space to add more rough Make sure you leave space to add more rough notes later.notes later.

Nikita Khrushchev Nikita Khrushchev

Fast facts that you Fast facts that you need to know!need to know!

Stalin dies!Stalin dies! Stalin died March 1953 Stalin died March 1953 The period 1953-56 sees The period 1953-56 sees

a ‘collective leadership’ of a ‘collective leadership’ of 10, from which emerged 10, from which emerged 3 key rivals for power: 3 key rivals for power: Khrushchev, Beria & Khrushchev, Beria & MalenkovMalenkov

The contendersThe contenders

1953-561953-56

KhrushchevKhrushchev Secretary of of the Central Secretary of of the Central

Committee of the Communist Committee of the Communist Party, he has the power to Party, he has the power to appoint large numbers of appoint large numbers of committee memberscommittee members

MalenkovMalenkov

Head of the Head of the GovernmentGovernment

BeriaBeria

Minister of Internal Minister of Internal Affairs. Control of the Affairs. Control of the security policesecurity police

19561956

Khrushchev has Khrushchev has outmaneuvered his outmaneuvered his rivals and becomes rivals and becomes effectively the leader effectively the leader of the USSRof the USSR

His Actions & PoliciesHis Actions & Policies

De-StalinisationDe-Stalinisation Secret speech given in Secret speech given in

19561956 Criticizes Stalin and Criticizes Stalin and

accuses him of crimes accuses him of crimes against the Communist against the Communist PartyParty

Exposes some of Stalin’s Exposes some of Stalin’s crimescrimes

Greeting with a mixture of Greeting with a mixture of shock, disbelief and relief!shock, disbelief and relief!

The ThawThe Thaw Generally greater openness, Generally greater openness,

freedom and less censorshipfreedom and less censorship Didn’t extend to the Eastern Didn’t extend to the Eastern

European countries under European countries under USSR control: these were kept USSR control: these were kept in a tight gripin a tight grip

Agricultural ReformAgricultural Reform

Khrushchev was an Khrushchev was an ex-peasant ex-peasant

He really focused on He really focused on the problems in the problems in agriculture in the agriculture in the USSRUSSR

Mixed successMixed success

Virgin Lands Virgin Lands The USSR had millions of The USSR had millions of

square kilometers of square kilometers of unused landunused land

Idea was to bring this Idea was to bring this land into useland into use

Especially in what is now Especially in what is now known as Kazakhstan known as Kazakhstan

Initial successInitial success

In the beginning In the beginning grains harvests up grains harvests up spectacularly spectacularly

SetbacksSetbacks

However the land was However the land was often unsuitable for often unsuitable for the crops used and the crops used and the amount they the amount they produced reduced produced reduced rapidlyrapidly

IndustryIndustry

Increased focus on Increased focus on consumer goodsconsumer goods

Some successes, but Some successes, but still far behind the still far behind the western countrieswestern countries

The Space RaceThe Space Race Soviet Union took the Soviet Union took the

leadlead First human space flight First human space flight

in 1961 (first dog as well in 1961 (first dog as well before this!)before this!)

ExpensiveExpensive Boosted prestige of the Boosted prestige of the

USSR, seemed to be USSR, seemed to be ‘beating’ the USA.‘beating’ the USA.

Relations with ChinaRelations with China Chinese Communist Chinese Communist

Party disagreed with Party disagreed with Khrushchev’s criticism of Khrushchev’s criticism of StalinStalin

Khrushchev refused to Khrushchev refused to help China develop its help China develop its own Nuclear Bomb!own Nuclear Bomb!

Eastern EuropeEastern Europe States under USSR States under USSR

control thought that ‘De-control thought that ‘De-Stalinisation’ meant Stalinisation’ meant freedom for them toofreedom for them too

Khrushchev crushed Khrushchev crushed rebellions with the Red rebellions with the Red ArmyArmy

Built the Berlin Wall.Built the Berlin Wall.

Downfall - removed from power Downfall - removed from power 19641964

Personal Style: banging shoe Personal Style: banging shoe on the table during UN on the table during UN meeting!meeting!

Cuban Missiles crisis: had to Cuban Missiles crisis: had to back downback down

Handling of Eastern EuropeHandling of Eastern Europe

In his own wordsIn his own words

““I am old and tired. I’ve done the main I am old and tired. I’ve done the main thing. Relations among us, the style of thing. Relations among us, the style of leadership, has changed drastically…The leadership, has changed drastically…The fear’s gone. That’s my contribution.” fear’s gone. That’s my contribution.” KhrushchevKhrushchev

You need to know about:You need to know about:

Rise to Power 1953-Rise to Power 1953-5656

De-stalinisationDe-stalinisation Agricultural and Agricultural and

Industrial PoliciesIndustrial Policies Downfall including Downfall including

Eastern Europe and Eastern Europe and foreign affairsforeign affairs

Khrushchev’s rise to powerKhrushchev’s rise to power

Beria:Beria: Controlled powerful NKVDControlled powerful NKVDDisliked by army as he helped purge it in Disliked by army as he helped purge it in

the late 1930’sthe late 1930’sDidn’t fight in the ‘Great Patriotic War’Didn’t fight in the ‘Great Patriotic War’

What happened to Beria?What happened to Beria?

Soviet Commander in Chief (head of the army) Soviet Commander in Chief (head of the army) Marshall Zhukov admired KhrushchevMarshall Zhukov admired Khrushchev

Khrushchev was able to get the support of the Khrushchev was able to get the support of the armyarmy

Surrounded his house, arrested him, put on trial Surrounded his house, arrested him, put on trial and shot. and shot.

This was the exception rather than the rule: from This was the exception rather than the rule: from now on leaders tended to be demoted or now on leaders tended to be demoted or removed from power rather than shot from this removed from power rather than shot from this point forward, but Beria was never likely to ‘go point forward, but Beria was never likely to ‘go quietly’!quietly’!

MalenkovMalenkov Soviet ‘Premier’ (Prime minister/head of government) Soviet ‘Premier’ (Prime minister/head of government) Able organiser and began some of the relaxation in terror Able organiser and began some of the relaxation in terror

and improvement in relations with the outside worldand improvement in relations with the outside world But Khrushchev controlled the PARTY and had a forceful But Khrushchev controlled the PARTY and had a forceful

personalitypersonality Malenkov was undermined by Khrushchev who travelled the Malenkov was undermined by Khrushchev who travelled the

country criticising the government (and therefore Malenkov)country criticising the government (and therefore Malenkov) In 1955 Malenkov resigns and gives up any hope of In 1955 Malenkov resigns and gives up any hope of

becoming the next leaderbecoming the next leader Replaced by Bulganin for a time, but he is very much Replaced by Bulganin for a time, but he is very much

dominated by Khrushchevdominated by Khrushchev

KhrushchevKhrushchev

Controlled the PartyControlled the PartyPopular with the army and Zhukov in Popular with the army and Zhukov in

particularparticularForceful personalityForceful personalityTraveled the country widelyTraveled the country widelyBy late 1955 / early 56 we can really talk By late 1955 / early 56 we can really talk

about Khrushchev as the ‘leader’ of the about Khrushchev as the ‘leader’ of the USSR.USSR.

DestalinisationDestalinisation

The Secret SpeechThe Secret Speech

CrimesCrimes

Mass RepressionMass Repression Brutality / ViolenceBrutality / Violence Intolerance towards colleaguesIntolerance towards colleagues Moral and physical annihilationMoral and physical annihilation Illegal means illegalityIllegal means illegality Stigmatized peopleStigmatized people LiarLiar FalsehoodsFalsehoods Abuse of powerAbuse of power