The Emergence of Khrushchev and de-Stalinisation

The Death Of Stalin, 1953
1. Stalin's final years were marked by a number of foreign policy failures
  1. Berlin Blockade
  2. NATO Formation
  3. Yugoslavia's defection from COMINFORM
2. Gave the opportunity for better relations between the superpowers and the release of cold war tensions
De-Stalinisation
1. Ending 'personality cult' politics
2. Reforming the secret police
3. Arresting and executing Beria (1953), the head of the secret police
  1. Accused of Spying for the British
    1. Malenkov and Khrushchev didn't trust him
4. Ruled by Malenkov, Molotov, Beriaand Khrushchev
  1. Preventing one-man rule
  2. All potential future leaders though
Khrushchev's Secret Speech, 1956
1. February 1956
2. Khrushchev denounced Stalin's reign of terror. Stalin was attacked for;
  1. Promoting Cult of personality
  2. Using purges and persecution to consolidate his personal rule
  3. Reducing the Communist Party to a compliant body, which endorsed his absolute control
3. Regarded as a sign by the US that real change was happening in the USSR
4. Created the expectation for reform within the USSR
Personality and the role of Khrushchev
1. He out-manoeuvred his revals and emerged as the clear leader of the USSR
  1. Clear by 1956
2. 'man of the people' image
  1. opposite of Stalin
3. Visited Britain (1956) and the USA (1959)
4. His personality allowed the prospect of improved US-Soviet relations
5. Peaceful co-existence policy
6. Prepared to undertake high risk ventures to test the USA's resolve and secure advantages for the USSR
  1. Berlin Crisis 1958-9
  2. Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

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The Emergence of Khrushchev and de-Stalinisation

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