Khrushchev - Nature of Government

Question 1

The 3 key debates about Khrushchev’s ‘nature of government’:

1. Was Destalinisation a ____ from the past?
2. Was the USSR internally ____ or not?
3. Was it Destalinisation or other factors that resulted in Khrushchev’s ____?

Answer 1

The 3 key debates about Khrushchev’s ‘nature of government’:

1. Was Destalinisation a break from the past?
2. Was the USSR internally peaceful?
3. Was it Destalinisation or other factors that resulted in Khrushchev’s fall?

Question 2

Destalinisation a ‘break from the past’ key arguments:

1. More economic freedom - ____ through ___ regional councils, MTS stations ____.
2. More political freedom - Gulags ____ and an ____ on non-political prisoners with ____ terms, censorship ____.
3. NKVD brought under ____, and KGB less ____ internally.
4. Party given greater ____, brought back the ____, and ____ leadership encouraged.
5. Anti-Party group members not ____, simply ____.

Answer 2

Destalinisation a ‘break from the past’ key arguments:

1. More economic freedom - decentralised through 105 regional councils, MTS stations dismantled.
2. More political freedom - Gulags emptied and an amnesty on non-political prisoners with short terms, censorship relaxed.
3. NKVD brought under control, and KGB less aggressive internally.
4. Party given greater status, brought back the Politburo, and collegiate leadership encouraged.
5. Anti-Party group members not killed, simply demoted.

Question 3

Destalinisation ‘not or very limited break from the past’ key arguments:

1. Still maintained the ____ economy.
2. Used ____ to quell unrest in Hungary (____ killed) in ____, and internally in Novocherkassk in ____ (__ killed)
3. Censorship ____ after negative books published about ____ regime (One Day in the Life of Ivan _____).
4. Anti-____ and anti-____ policies showed no break from the past.
5. The ____ of enemies during power struggle, including the shooting of ____ and the attack on the ____-____ ____ alike to Stalin and ____ of Trotsky and Zinoviev in ____ ____.

Answer 3

Destalinisation ‘not or very limited break from the past’ key arguments:

1. Still maintained the command economy.
2. Used force to quell unrest in Hungary (200,000 killed) in 1956, and internally in Novocherkassk in 1962 (26 killed)
3. Censorship tightened after negative books published about Stalinist regime (One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich).
4. Anti-religious and anti-semitic policies showed no break from the past.
5. The sidelining of enemies during power struggle, including the shooting of Beria and the attack on the Anti-Party Group alike to Stalin and expulsion of Trotsky and Zinoviev in November 1927.

Question 4

USSR was ‘internally peaceful’ key arguments:

1. No major ____. Peasants satisfied due to the focus on ____ improvement.
2. Relaxation of ____ allowed more ____ freedom.
3. Secret police not as ____ internally.

Answer 4

USSR was ‘internally peaceful’ key arguments:

1. No major unrest. Peasants satisfied due to the focus on agricultural improvement.
2. Relaxation of censorship allowed more literary freedom.
3. Secret police not as invasive internally.

Question 5

Khrushchev’s USSR was maintained through ‘apathy and force’ key arguments:

1. Peasants ____ after horrors of Stalin’s ____. Virigin Lands was not ____ ____.
2. Novocherkassk ____ was motivated by ____ cuts, ____ prices, and bad ____. Led to deaths of __ and arrest without ____.
3. Censorship ____ after negative books published about ____ regime.
4. Anti-____ and anti-____ policies caused _____ rifts.

Answer 5

Khrushchev’s USSR was maintained through ‘apathy and force’ key arguments:

1. Peasants apathetic after horrors of Stalin’s collectivsation. Virigin Lands was not hugely supported.
2. Novocherkassk 1962 was motivated by wage cuts, food prices, and bad housing. Led to deaths of 26 and arrest without trial.
3. Censorship returned after negative books published about Stalinist regime.
4. Anti-religious and anti-semitic policies caused internal rifts.

Question 6

‘Destalinisation main cause of fall’ key arguments:

1. The ____ of government threatened ____ ____ of the party.
2. Allowing greater ____ and ____ within the Politburo made it easier for Brezhnev to ____ him.
3. Weakened Communist Bloc in ____ ____ and caused rift with ____.
4. Secret Speech criticising Stalin, and by proxy his ____ ____ - created internal ____ as well as being _____.

Answer 6

‘Destalinisation main cause of fall’ key arguments:

1. The decentralisation of government threatened key members of the party.
2. Allowing greater debate and freedom within the Politburo made it easier for Brezhnev to overthrow him.
3. Weakened Communist Bloc in Eastern Europe and caused rift with China.
4. Secret Speech criticising Stalin, and by proxy his main supporters - created internal opposition as well as being hyprocritical.

Question 7

‘Other factors’ main cause of Khrushchev’s fall key arguments:

1. Failure of ____ policy.
2. Loss of prestige in ____ (especially amongst ____), and international ____ (UN ‘____ ____’ in ____).
3. Intolerable ____ traits and ____.
4. Contradications over ____.
5. ____-____ Split.
6. Cutting ____ spending lost support of the ____ (____ particularly)

Answer 7

‘Other factors’ main cause of Khrushchev’s fall key arguments:

1. Failure of agricultural policy.
2. Loss of prestige in Cuba (especially amongst military), and international embarrassments (UN ‘shoe banging’ in 1960).
3. Intolerable personality traits and arrogance.
4. Contradications over censorship.
5. Sino-Soviet Split.
6. Cutting military spending lost support of the army (Zhukov particularly)