15. The Thaw Flashcards
Who became the leader of the su by 1955?
Nikita Khrushchev after Stalin’s death in 1953
Give a positive point of Stalin
He turned Russia into an industrial superpower
Give some negatives about Stalin
- forced people to work through collectivisation leading to the great famine that killed 7 million
- paralysed society with fear for 2 years
- 6-8 million were arrested and 1 million of those killed in the Great purge of trials
Give some positive points about Khrushchev
- banished reign of terror
- reformed the agricultural sector increasing area of harvested land by 50% in Asia
- free political prisoners from the gulag camp
Give a negative about Khrushchev
Formed the Warsaw Pact reinforcing his belief in communism
How did Khrushchev suggest peaceful coexistence with the west?
Made plans to reduce expenditure on arms and attended the first post war summit between the su and USA, France and Britain in July 1955
Give some political changes brought by Khrushchev
- Khrushchev continued the SU’s policy of creating a buffer zone against the west and created the Warsaw Pact in 1955
- closed cominform and dismissed Stalin’s former foreign minister (Molotov) suggesting east Europe countries had greater independence
- at the Communist Party International in 1956 Khrushchev dredged up the evidence of Stalin’s purges and denounced him as a wicked tyrant
Give some social changes brought by Khrushchev
-wanted to improve living standards of soviet citizens and those of Eastern Europe
-in his virgin lands campaign in 1955 Khrushchev said:
‘We must help the people eat well, live well and dress well. If after fourth years of communism a person cannot have a glass of milk or pair of shoes, he will never believe communism is good, whatever you tell him’.
Give some economic changes brought by Khrushchev
- planned to reduce expenditure on arms
- in his virgin lands campaign of 1955 he said ‘we must produce more grain. The more grain there is, the meat, fruit and lard there will be. Our tables will be better covered’
