Khrushchev. rise Flashcards
what was destalinisation
removal of Stalin from pedestal in Russian ideology – attack personally for 1930s – includes treatment national minorities
who were the 5 men in charge after stalin death
malnekov Beria Molotov Voroshilov + Khrushchev
what wreathe 5 to rule on
collective leadership
malenkov role in presidium
prime minister
Beria role in presidium
minister interior head secret police
molotov role in presidium
foreign minister
Voroshilov role in presidium
head of state (ceremonial)
Khrushchev role in presidium
party secretary
what was Beria’s early action
release 1 million prisoners + dismantle gulag
Beria’s early action w/ east germany
reforms - accept neutral non communist BUT 1953 East German rising blamed on Beria
why was it difficult to remove beria
head secret police - bugged the Kremlin
how did Khrushchev remove Beria
army - presidium meeting 26 June General Zhukov arrest - accused being British agent - executed
how was Beria denounced
central committee endorse arrest - denounced in Pravda as enemy agent
what was malenkov blamed for in 1953
harvest
what did Khrushchev launch 1954
virgin lands scheme - gains rapid momentum - promise end grains shortage
what was malenkov known as
‘man without a biography’ - intelligent but no charisma / personal image
example of Khrushchev adjusting policy to gain support against malenkov
adopts social service chiefs rejection of malenkovs view that the USSR having H bomb meant they could invest in consumer goods - SWITCHES policy upon defeating malenkov
similarities to stalin
-change policies to outmanoeuvre colleagues
-exploit position as secretariat party to win votes at central committee
why were Molotov + Voroshilov against destalinisation
members of politburo since 1930s ( Khrushchev from 1938)
motive for destalinisation - remove competition
rivals members politburo since 1930 - if criticise stalin actions they become symbols of return of terror
motives for destalinisation - party
-liberate party from fear + repression = more efficient mechanism - go further in permanent revolution
examples of what Khrushchev said in 20th party speech
-spoke on Lenin’s criticism Stalin
-NKVD - in terror + purges
-criticise Stalin’s war performance
what did Khrushchev stress about Stalin’s actions
abberation form Marxism-Lenninism
what did Geoffrey Hosking say of secret speech
‘torn veil away from inner sanctum to reveal blood stained toture chamber’
evidence of acceleration of freeing political prisoners following secret speech
-7,000 rehabilitated before, 617,000 in 10 months after
how was secret speech dispersed among ppl
sent to local party organisations - 25 million ppl
motives for destalinisation
Khrushchev dissociates from stalins mistakes so cannot take blame
-co-existence w/ west
-justifying economic reforms – consumer goods dismissed under Stalin
-quality of life reform
-strengthen communism – party for ppl
ppl reaction to secret speech
students tear up pictures of stalin
what was the Warsaw Pact
1955 military alliance of Communist states ( in response to west germany nato)
Poland’s reaction to destalinisation
new gov formed under gomulka - own form socialism
Hungary response to destalinisation
1956 uprising - new leader Nagy denounces Warsaw Pact - 20,000 casualties
china reaction destalinisation
mao Zedong critica of khrushchev ( and betrayed he had no warning)
long term consequence of secret speech
‘beginning of end of party’ - party admitted fault lose respect
by 1957 what was Khrushchev outvoted by
7 to 4
how did Khrushchev regain control
support of Zhukov, head of army + KGB + support of central committee (secretary)
who opposed Khrushchev
Molotov / Kaganovich / Voroshilov - use minority east states uprisings against him
what did Khrushchev frame opposition group as
factionalists - named anti party group
Khrushchev’s use of Bulganin to not weaken party
1957 sided w/ Khrushchev’s opponents - was khruschev’s prime minister - not removed until 1958 to not draw attention to party
what did Khrushchev adopt in replace
Leninist principles
how did Zhukov turn
(reputation era Taylor) 1957 introduce military reforms w.o consulting party
when was 22nd party congress
-1961
what happened at 22nd party congress
-stalin mummified body removed from Lenin –mausoleum - Stalingrad became volgograd
-monuments destroyed
when were Malenkov Molotov + kaganovich removed from power
1957
