The Cult of Khrushchev

Question 1

When does Khrushchev condemn Stalin’s Cult?

Criticising it for GLORIFYING LEADER (monstrously) at expense of role played by PEOPLE

Answer 1

1956 Secret Speech

Question 2

Why might it have been politically useful for Khrushchev to condemn Stalin’s Cult?

Answer 2

He can push his policy of de-stalinisation

Question 3

Why might it be useful for Khrushchev to develop his own cult?

Answer 3

Seen as MORE IMPORTANT LEADER when power was originally SHARED with Malenkov after 1953

Question 4

Why did a Cult of Personality suit Khrushchev’s style of leadership?

Answer 4

He PERSONALLY MET soviet citizens on a much greater scale than Stalin:
eg. PHOTOS with peasant on collective farms

This developed into ADULATION: articles, books, posters

Question 5

Who did Khrushchev appoint as EDITOR of IZVESTIYA?

What impact did this have on his publicity?

Answer 5

His son-in-law, Alexei Adzhubei

It increased

Question 6

The Cult emphasised what side of Khrushchev’s personality?

Answer 6

The egotistical

Question 7

What happened to the tone of propaganda (via radio, cinema, tv) used for self publicity as Khrushchev’s policy failures mounted?

Answer 7

Became more desperate

Question 8

Khrushchev’s Cult of Personality was NEVER on the scale of Stalin’s

BUT….

Answer 8

It was evident enough to be one of the REASONS for his DISMISSAL, 1964

Question 9

What did Khrushchev do to the Cult of Lenin?

Answer 9

Revived it BUT part of move away from Stalinism so rediscovered it
1) Change:
-1930s, stressed Lenin’s death
-1950s: “Lenin Lives!”
2) Lenin depicted as FUN, APPROACHABLE, HUMANE. A lover of children, family and simple lives.
»»
Resembled Khrushchev himself
3) Lenin’s revolution, not Stalin’s terror, founded soviet government.

Question 10

The slogan that formed the basis of Khrushchev’s Cult of Lenin?

Answer 10

“Lenin Lives!”

Question 11

How was Lenin presented under Khrushchev?

Answer 11

Fun, approachable, humane, loved children & family ————> like Khrushchev himself

Question 12

The Cult of Lenin was used to move away from Stalinism by rediscovering Leninism.

Khrushchev wanted to remind the people that the government was founded on Lenin’s revolution, rather than

Answer 12

Stalin’s terror

Question 13

By what year did Khrushchev have a personality cult of his own?

Answer 13

1958

Question 14

KHRUSHCHEV ACCORDING TO HIS CULT: a ________, competing the journey he started

Answer 14

Disciple of Lenin

Question 15

KHRUSHCHEV ACCORDING TO HIS CULT:

Responsible for NEW SUCCESSES, such as

Answer 15

The Soviet space programme

Rising harvests in the Virgin Lands

Question 16

KHRUSHCHEV ACCORDING TO HIS CULT:

a __________ who negotiated with the US President as __________.

Answer 16

respected statesman

an equal

Question 17

KHRUSHCHEV ACCORDING TO HIS CULT:

A hero of __________

Answer 17

The Second World War

Question 18

KHRUSHCHEV ACCORDING TO HIS CULT:

An authority on ___________________

Answer 18

Literature 
Art
Science
Industry 
Agriculture

Question 19

KHRUSHCHEV ACCORDING TO HIS CULT:

The great _______ who was _______ the Soviet system.

Answer 19

Reformer

Perfecting

Question 20

Why did the Khrushchev Cult actually become more problematic during the 1960s?

Answer 20

By associating himself so strongly with the success of the Virgin Lands Scheme,

He was damaged by its failure.

Question 21

Why did Khrushchev’s claim to expertise become less credible?

(60s problematic)

Answer 21

The disastrous results of his Corn Campaign.

Question 22

What led to a collapse in confidence in Khrushchev’s fitness to govern?

(International relations - 60s problematic)

Answer 22

Embarrassing foreign policy climb-downs

Failure to deliver on wildly optimistic promises about out producing the USA