Krhrushchev’s Rise To Power Flashcards
What was decided on the 6th March 1953
-malenkov combine roles of sec of party central committee + chairman of council of ministers
What happened with this
-within few days his rivals forced him step down as party secretary + concentrate in gov role
What was significant about this development
-signif because Khrushchev took his position as party sec
-collective leadership est with Molotov (foreign minister) + Beria exerting influence
What did Khrushchev immediately begin doing
-appointing his own protégés to important party posts
-although underestimated by others as serious contender for power he built himself strong support network in party’s admin machinery
What occurred in the following weeks regarding Beria
-Beria emerged as leader most anxious depart from stalinist policies
How did he want to do this
-advocated for real ease of all by lost dangerous pol prisoners
-took moderate line in foreign policy
-denounced mingrelian purge
-sought scale back some of Stalins costly construction projects
How did beria’s power create alarm
-crated alarm at top as malenkov, Khrushchev + other presidium members conspired against Beria
-arranged for his arrest at yards of military June 1953
How was Beria’s arrest justified
-anti-Beria campaign in press
-accused of criminal anti-party + anti-state activities where was secretly tried + executed dec 1953 with supporters being purged
What caused further splits
-policy differences as leadership divided on foreign policy, Ind + agri policy + the role of party
What did malenkov want to do
-with molotov’s support he wanted to use his influence to launch a ‘new course’
-wanted to change collective farm policy, reduce peasant taxes + more investment into consumer goods
What did Khrushchev want that was different
-placed party before gov unlike malenkov
-offered less radical proposal for parallel developments of heavy + light Ind + sold himself as an agri expert launching virgin lands scheme 1954
What happened to malenkov in light of these policy differences
-found himself alone
-forced to step down as chairman of council of ministers
What was malenkov’s new position following this step down
-new relatively unimportant role of minister for power stations
-was succeeded by Bulganin
What was the relationship like between Bulganin and Khrushchev
-they acted as joint leaders until 1958
-although an attempt unseat Khrushchev 1957 when visit Finland
What occurred with this attempted unseating of Khrushchev
-majority in presidium voted for Khrushchev dismissal but K insisted matter before central committee
-before vote he ensured those favourable to him were brought to Moscow to vote in his favour
How else did Khrushchev benefit
-from support of Zhukov who was brought back as deputy minister for defence bringing Red army support
-Zhukov spoke against malenkov, Molotov + kaganovich
What happened to these potters trying to unseat Khrushchev
-known as ‘anti-party group’ + outvoted by central committee, accused of conservatism + involvement in purges 1930s
-expelled from central committee
How did Khrushchev react
-not content being reliant on others so dismissed Zhukov 1957 + propaganda a campaign against his accused him hindering party work in army + creating own personality cult 1958
What occurred with Bulganin
-accused of encouraging anti-party group + forced step down
-Khrushchev took over as gen sec of party this two jobs combined once more
