Khrushchev 1953 ('56) - 64 Flashcards
Total land VL scheme
40 million HACTARES
1954 (agriculture)
Virgin Lands Scheme begins
Komsomol members involved with VL scheme
40 million
Land cultivated under VL scheme
Siberia/Kazakhstan
Produce from VL scheme
Grain yield increases 50% 1954-58
Negatives of VL Scheme
Insufficient planning/fertilisers, inexperienced administration, drought/dust bowl effect, poor living and working conditions for volunteers
Other agricultural reforms:
Less targets, private plot taxes reduced, fixed wages
1955 key event
Warsaw Pact
Main points on Warsaw Pact
1955, between USSR and satellite states, agreed to give mutual assistance in case communism is threatened, military bond, to counter NATO
Political events 1956
Khrushchev officially in charge, ‘Secret Speech’ at 20th Party Congress, beginning of destalinisation and the thaw
Foreign policy 1956
Hungarian Uprising, Polish thaw
Key points Hungary 1956
- Nagy comes to power
- student demonstrations
- Intends to introduce elections, commercialise state industry, privatise land/abolish kolkhozy, leave Warsaw Pact
- Military intervention is overcome and then defeats rebels
- Nagy is arrested, exacted and replaced with moderate leader Kadar
- 10,000 dead
- 200,000 flee to Austria
Key points Poland (1956)
- Gromulka begins thaw.
- intends to release political prisoners and allow foreign travel
- riots ensue expecting further reform
- forces occupy Warsaw and allow Gromulka to remain in power without reforms
1957
Anti-party plot
Kay points anti-party plot:
Molotov, Bulganin implicated in plot and removed from power: Khrushchev unchallenged. Politburo call for Khrushchev to be ousted in response to events and policies of ‘56, Khrushchev demands CC vote, Zhukov flies supporters in, vote keeps him in power.
1959
CASTRO comes to power in Cuba
1961 events
- Yuri Gagarin orbits earth
- Bay of Pigs in Cuba
- Building of Berlin Wall
1962
Cuban Missile Crisis
Events of Cuba ‘62
Castro asks for protection following bay of pigs. K agrees to place intermediate range missiles on Island (counter American bases in Europe). Kennedy initiates a naval blockade. Series of letters, k backs down and removes in return for USA’s bases in Italy/turkey being removed. K criticised by politburo, sino-soviet split increases
1963
Drought year, USSR forced to import grain - humiliating and embarrassing
1964
Khrushchev ousted from power and replaced with Brezhnev (for his conservative stance)
Causes of Khrushchev’s removal:
Foreign policy/economic failures/party conservative opposition/personality
Economic reforms
105 sovnarkhozy instead of centralised planning
Party reforms
Divided into 2 wings: agriculture/industry. Intense conservative opposition/obstructionism
