Khrushchev

Question 1

who were the three contenders for power after stalin’s death (K)

Answer 1

malenkov, khrushchev, beria

Question 2

where was malenkov’s powerbase (K)

Answer 2

state - head of soviet gov

Question 3

where was beria’s powerbase (K)

Answer 3

police - head of MVD (secret political police force)

Question 4

where was khrushchev’s powerbase (K)

Answer 4

party - secretary of central committee, member of politburo

Question 5

name the three ways that gov changed 1953-64 (K)

Answer 5

terror
decentralisation
cadre change

Question 6

how did the gov change in regard to terror 1953-64 (K)

Answer 6

overall it reduced
- gulag pop down 2.4 to 1.6 million
- MVD lost its economic power
- amnesty for non-political prisoners

Question 7

what change in the gulag population was there, 1953 - 1956 (K)

Answer 7

1953 - 2.4 million
1956 - 1.6 million

Question 8

what was the MVD’s economic power before it got removed (K)

Answer 8

used gulag labour for factories, power stations etc

Question 9

when was the amnesty for non-political prisoners (K)

Answer 9

march 1953

Question 10

explain beria’s fall (K)

Answer 10

• his reforms weakened the MVD but rivals were still scared he would use political terror against them
• june 1953 - presidium meeting, accused of sharing secrets to england
• arrested, tried, executed for treason

Question 11

explain malenkov’s downfall (K)

Answer 11

lost his premiership in feb 1955

Question 12

when did malenkov lose his premiership (K)

Answer 12

feb 1955

Question 13

what changes did K make to decentralisation in 1953-64 (K)

Answer 13

• officals had to speak the language of their republic
• official publications in russian and republic languages
• reduced number of ministries (55-25)
• anti bureaucracy campaign

Question 14

by how much did K reduce the number of central soviet ministries (K)

Answer 14

from 55 to 25

Question 15

what was the anti-bureaucracy campaign (K)

Answer 15

devolved power from the soviet gov to republican govs by increasing their economic power

Question 16

when was the anti-bureaucracy campaign (K)

Answer 16

mid 1954

Question 17

what proportion of soviet industry was controlled by the central gov, before and after the anti-bureaucracy campaign (K)

Answer 17

before 68%
after 44%

Question 18

what cadre changes did k make in 1953-64 (K)

Answer 18

replaced 44% of the central committee

Question 19

when was K’s destalinisation (K)

Answer 19

1956-57

Question 20

what were the aims of destalinisation (K)

Answer 20

• end use of terror
• end s’s cult of personality
• improve standard of living
• enrich soviet culture

Question 21

when was the secret speech (K)

Answer 21

25th feb 1956

Question 22

what was said at the secret speech (K)

Answer 22

• quoted criticisms of s from lenin’s testament
• k criticised his use of terror and putting himself above the party

Question 23

when was stalin’s body removed from the red square (K)

Answer 23

1961

Question 24

how did k end the use of terror (K)

Answer 24

may 1964 - commission to review prisoner cases
june 1966 - 51,000 total prisoners released, including 26,000 politicial prisoners

Question 25

when was k's commission to review prisoner cases (K)

Answer 25

may 1964

Question 26

in may 1956 how many total prisoners were released (K)

Answer 26

51,000 including 26,000 political prisoners

Question 27

what three problems did destalinisation cause (K)

Answer 27

- people shocked and questioned legitimacy of rule - moscow state uni incident - hungary revolution

Question 28

when was the moscow state uni incident (K)

Answer 28

1957w

Question 29

what was the moscow state uni incident (K)

Answer 29

demonstration for multi-party democracy supressed

Question 30

what was the hungary revolution about (K)

Answer 30

a revolution began to elect a new prime minister who then ended the military alliance with russia

Question 31

what was khrushchev's aim of democratisation (K)

Answer 31

increase participation of workers in gov

Question 32

how did k achieve democratisation (K)

Answer 32

- expansion of party membership - fixed terms for senior communists

Question 33

what was k's expansion of party membership (K)

Answer 33

6.9 million in 1954 11 million in 1956

Question 34

what was the consequence of k's fixed terms for senior communists (K)

Answer 34

from 1957-61, 2/3 of regional officials and presidium were replaced

Question 35

what was the problem with k's democratisation (K)

Answer 35

many officials lost their jobs, were demoted or moved away from Moscow

Question 36

when did the anti-party group take place (K)

Answer 36

june 1957

Question 37

what happened with the anti-party group (K)

Answer 37

the majority of the presidium voted to replace k, k argued that decision could only be made by central committee

Question 38

how did k consolidate his position after the anti-party group (K)

Answer 38

- sacked opponents - became PM

Question 39

who led the anti-party group (K)

Answer 39

malenkov

Question 40

when was the party split into 2 (K)

Answer 40

1962

Question 41

what was k's final reforms (K)

Answer 41

- split the party and central committee into 2 - agri and indust

Question 42

what was the aim of k's final reforms (K)

Answer 42

boost economic growth

Question 43

was k's final reforms successful (K)

Answer 43

no - failed to boost econ growth

Question 44

how did k lose his position as leader of USSR (K)

Answer 44

oct 1964 - presidium criticised him for mishandling, central committee agreed and he retired

Question 45

when was k forced to resign (K)

Answer 45

1964