The secret speech and destalinisation policy

Question 1

What did the collective leadership criticise stalin for?

Answer 1

-arbitrary arrests.
-economic and political reforms
-cult of personality

Question 2

Why was Khrushchev cautious of criticising Stalin?

Answer 2

-threat of revolt due to a population taught to worship Stalin.
-‘attack on their souls’

Question 3

What did the CSPU (communist party) do in 1953?

Answer 3

-report to economic commitee admitted USSR in economic mess- blamed on Beria.
-broke up and replaced with KGB under party control
-released several thousand political prisoners.

Question 4

What did the communist party do in 1955?

Answer 4

-central commitee- got party historian Pospelov to write a report on abuses of power under Stalin.

Question 5

What were the strict guidelines Pospolev had to adhere to when writing a report on the abuses of power under Stalin?

Answer 5

-No crticism of purges against political opponents.
-no investigation of collectivisation.

Overall v modest.

Question 6

Which party congress suggested more criticism of Stalin?

Answer 6

-20th party congress in February 1956
-when the secret speech occured.

Question 7

What were Khrushchev’s key criticisms of Stalin during the 20th party congress?

Answer 7

-flagrant abuses of power
-personally responsible for mass arrests + purges (innocent party members suffer).
-Examples of brutality + torture.

Question 8

What was the reaction of listeners of the secret speech?

Answer 8

-outbursts of amazement and disbelief as he haave details.
-foreign communists leaked the story to the press.

Question 9

Why can the secret speech be labelled as weak?

Answer 9

-no mention of trotsky
-no mention of ww2
-no mention of failure of communism.

Question 10

What did Khrushchev do in 1961 at the 22nd party conference

Answer 10

-publically denounced Stalin
-blamed him for WW2
-body removed from Mausoleum.