Khrushchev’s Fall From Power Flashcards
What was support like for Khrushchev by 1964 with his birthday
-April 1964 Brezhnev gave Khrushchev’s 70th bday speech loudly leading him for all his devotion + various achievements
-special ceremony in Kremlin when K presented with various honours incl. ‘hero of the SU’ gold medal
What was prevalent despite this praise
-few months later K ousted in a coup orchestrated by Brezhnev + others
What happened when K was on holiday
-K holiday Georgia on the Black Sea Oct 1964 when received urgent call from Brezhnev summoning him to emergency meeting of presidium
How did K react to this urgent phone call
-initially ignored it but sensed opposition so returned to Moscow 13 Oct + taken straight to meeting of presidium where several former supporters voices their criticisms
What did K try to do during this meeting
-tired to interrupt but seemed genuinely surprised by degree of hostility rewards him
-K refused to resign but was denied access to the media to whip up popular support to resist attackers
What happened the following day
-resignation papers presented to K with little option but to sign
-next day Suslov read damning list of his shortcomings + resolutions passed with Brezhnev becoming first secretary + Kosygin becoming premier
What was stated to the public regarding K resignation
-public announcement that K resigned due to ‘advanced age + ill health’ to appease international community too
-within USSR the Izvestia (edited by K son in law) was suppressed day the resignation announced so only the Pravda + radio aired his resignation
What did the Pravda do weeks later
-denounced K for his ‘hare-brained she comes, half-baked conclusions, hasty decisions, unrealistic actions, bragging, phrase-mongering + bossiness’
What happened to K following his forced resignation
-granted a personal pensions + lived in obscurity outside Moscow writing his memoirs which were published in Europe + USA 1970
-dies 1971 aged 77 but received no state funeral + his ashes not interred in Kremlin
How did K personal style of leadership impact his fall from power
-‘one man style’ of ruling + failed to take advice
-meddled in matters he lacked expertise in
-over bearing attitude
-created own cult of personality
What is an example of this
-had an embarrassing + flamboyant behaviour
-e.g. 1960 at a meeting of the UN general assembly he banged the table with a shoe
How did his decentralisation impact his fall from power
-granted autonomy to local party leaders + regional econ councils
-this upset central party member who lost control
How else did decentralisation impact his fall from power
-regional party secretaries offended by way their responsibilities were divided + K’s demand that 1/4 of CC be renewed at every election threatened their influence
How did K agri policies lead to his fall from power
-failure virginity lands c shortfall in food supplies (forcing import of grain from USA + Canada) seen as K personal responsibility
-since he set himself up as agri expert
How did his policies regarding Ind lead to his fall from power
-decision promote production consumer goods offended those who thought he was giving inadequate attention to heavy goods
How did his approach to military impact his fall from power
-offended military by wanting to reduce expenditure on conventional weapons + concentrate in nuclear arms
-K dealings abroad criticised
How did his approach to foreign policy impact his fall from power
-widespread disapproval of K handling Cuban missile crisis
-personally blamed for USSR poor relation with communist china
What happened in the Cuban missile crisis
-1962 USA discovered K supplying nuclear weapons to Castro in Cuba
-US placed quarantine around Cuba + ordered Soviet ships to turn back
-after tense negotiations the ships withdrew a victory for US diplomacy
