See Also

Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchyov was the leader of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 after the death of Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

. He was First Secretary General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the title synonymous with leader of... 

 of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Communist Party of the Soviet Union

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union [i] was the name used by the successors of the Bolshevik [i] faction [i] ... 

 from 1953 to 1964 and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. He was removed from power by his party colleagues in 1964 and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev ; – November 10 [i], 1982 [i]) was the effective ruler of the Soviet Union [i] ... 

. He spent the last seven years of his life under close supervision of the KGB KGB

KGB is the Russian-language abbreviation for Committee for State Security, . ... 

. He is famous for his "knot of war" analogy which was directed towards President John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F.... 

 during the Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War [i] between the Soviet Union [i] and th ... 

: "Mr.

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Timeline

1894   Born

1953   After an all-night dinner with Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 interior minister Lavrenty Beria Lavrentiy Beria

Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria .... 

 and future premiers Georgi Malenkov Georgy Malenkov

Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov was a Soviet [i] politician, Communist Party [i] ... 

, Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev, Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

 collapses, having suffered a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body.

1953   Nikita Khrushchev becomes head of the Soviet Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 Central Committee.

1956   Nikita Khrushchev attacks the veneration of Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

 as a "cult of personality."

1958   Nikita Khrushchev becomes Premier of the Soviet Union

1959   At the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow Moscow

Moscow is the capital [i] of Russia [i] and the country's principal political, economic, financial, edu ... 

, US vice-president Richard Nixon Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States [i], serving from 1969 to 1974. ... 

 and Nikita Khrushchev have a "kitchen debate."

1960   March 23 — Nikita Khrushchev meets Charles De Gaulle Charles de Gaulle

Charles Andr Joseph Marie de Gaulle , in France [i] commonly referred to as Gnral de Gaulle, ... 

 in Paris Paris

native_name = Ville de Paris |common_name = Paris ... 

.

1960   May 16 — Nikita Khrushchev demands an apology from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was an American [i] soldier and politician. ... 

 for U-2 spy plane Lockheed U-2

The Lockheed [i] U-2, nicknamed Dragon Lady, is a single-seat, single-engine, ... 

 flights over the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

, thus ending a Big Four summit in Paris Paris

native_name = Ville de Paris |common_name = Paris ... 

.

1960   October 12 — Cold War Cold War

The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical [i], ideological [i], and economic [i] ... 

: Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe on a table at a United Nations United Nations

name = United Nations Nations Unies ... 

 General Assembly meeting, to protest discussion of Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 policy toward Eastern Europe Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the east [i]ern region [i] of Europe [i] variably defined. ... 

.

1961   John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F.... 

 and Nikita Khrushchev meet during 2 days in Vienna Vienna

Vienna is the capital [i] of Austria [i], and also one of the nine States of Austria [i]. ... 

. They discuss nuclear tests, disarmament and Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

.

   More Events >>



Encyclopedia

Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchyov was the leader of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 after the death of Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

. He was First Secretary General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the title synonymous with leader of... 

 of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Communist Party of the Soviet Union

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union [i] was the name used by the successors of the Bolshevik [i] faction [i] ... 

 from 1953 to 1964 and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. He was removed from power by his party colleagues in 1964 and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev ; – November 10 [i], 1982 [i]) was the effective ruler of the Soviet Union [i] ... 

. He spent the last seven years of his life under close supervision of the KGB KGB

KGB is the Russian-language abbreviation for Committee for State Security, .
... 

.

He is famous for his "knot of war" analogy which was directed towards President John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F.... 

 during the Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War [i] between the Soviet Union [i] and th ... 

: "Mr. President, we and you ought not to pull on the ends of the rope in which you have tied the knot of war, because the more the two of us pull, the tighter the knot will be tied. And a moment may come when that knot will be tied so tight that even he who tied it will not have the strength to untie it, and then it will be necessary to cut that knot, and what that would mean is not for me to explain to you".

Early days

Nikita Khrushchev was born in the village of Kalinovka, Dmitriyev Uyezd, Kursk Kursk

[i], at the confluence of [[Kur River, Russia|Kur]... 

 Guberniya, Russian Empire Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until it was declared a republic in August 1917.
... 

, now occupied by the present-day Kursk Oblast Kursk Oblast

Kursk Oblast is a federal subject [i] of Russia [i]. ... 

 in Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

. His father was the peasant Sergei Nicaronovich Khrushchev. In 1908, his family moved to Yuzovka Donetsk

Donetsk is a city in eastern Ukraine [i] on the Kalmius [i] river. ... 

, what is now Donetsk Donetsk

Donetsk is a city in eastern Ukraine [i] on the Kalmius [i] river. ... 

, Ukraine Ukraine

Ukraine is a country [i] in Eastern Europe [i]. ... 

. Although he was apparently highly intelligent, he only received approximately two years of education Education

Education is the process by which an individual is encouraged and enabled to develop fully his or her in... 

 as a child and probably only became fully literate in his late twenties or early thirties.

He was trained, and worked, as a joiner in various factories and mines. During World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War... 

, Khrushchev became involved in trade union Trade union

"A Trade Union , ... is a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or imp... 

 activities, and, after the Bolshevik Bolshevik

Bolsheviks were members of the Bolshevik faction of the Marxist [i] Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party [i]... 

 revolution in 1917 Russian Revolution of 1917

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political events in Russia [i], which, after the eliminat ... 

, he fought in the Red Army Red Army

The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, , the armed ... 

. He became a Party member in 1918 and worked at various management and Party positions in Donbass Donets Basin

[i]
... 

 and Kiev Kiev

Kiev, also written as Kyiv is the capital [i] and the largest city of Ukraine [i], lo ... 

.

In 1931, Khrushchev was transferred to Moscow and, in 1935, he became 1st Secretary of the Moscow City Committee of VKP. In 1938, he became the 1st Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ukrainian Communist Party Communist Party of Ukraine

[i]
... 

.

Beginning in 1934, Khrushchev was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and he was a member of Politburo from 1939.

Great Patriotic War



During the Great Patriotic War Eastern Front (World War II)

The Eastern Front of World War II [i] was the theatre of war [i] covering the conflict in centra ... 

 , Khrushchev served as a zampolit with the equivalent rank of Lieutenant General.

In the months following the German invasion Operation Barbarossa

Operation Barbarossa was the codename [i] for Nazi Germany [i]'s invasion of the Soviet Union [i] ... 

, in 1941, Khrushchev, as a local party leader, was coordinating the defense of Ukraine, but was dismissed and recalled to Moscow after surrendering Kiev. Later, he was a political commissar at the Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in World War II [i] and is considered the bloodiest battle in human history [i] ... 

 and was the senior political officer in the south of the Soviet Union throughout the war time period - at Kursk Kursk

[i], at the confluence of [[Kur River, Russia|Kur]... 

, entering Kiev Kiev

Kiev, also written as Kyiv is the capital [i] and the largest city of Ukraine [i], lo ... 

 on liberation, and in the suppression of the Bandera Stepan Bandera

> [i]
... 

 nationalists of the Ukrainian Nationalist Organisation, who had earlier allied with the Nazis Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, refers to Germany in the years 1933 to 1945, when it was governe... 

 before fighting them in the Western Ukraine.

Rise to power



After Stalin's death in March 1953, there was a power struggle between different factions within the party. Initially Lavrenty Beria Lavrentiy Beria

Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria .... 

 controlled much of the political realm by merging the Ministry of Internal Affairs and State security. Fearing that Beria would eventually kill him and others, Georgy Malenkov Georgy Malenkov

Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov was a Soviet [i] politician, Communist Party [i]... 

, Lazar Kaganovich Lazar Kaganovich

Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich was a Soviet [i] politician and administrator and a close asso... 

, Vyacheslav Molotov Vyacheslav Molotov

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, Soviet [i] politician [i] and diplomat [i], was ... 

, Nikolai Bulganin and others united under Khrushchev to denounce Beria and remove him from power. With Beria imprisoned awaiting execution , Malenkov was the heir apparent. Khrushchev was not nearly as powerful as he would eventually become even after his promotion. Few of the top members of the Central Committee saw the ambition lurking within him. Becoming party leader on September 7 of that year, and eventually rising above his rivals, Khrushchev's leadership marked a crucial transition for the Soviet Union. He pursued a course of reform and shocked delegates to the 20th Party Congress on February 23, 1956 by making his famous Secret Speech denouncing the "cult of personality Cult of personality

A cult of personality is a political [i] institution in which a country's leader uses mass media [i] to ... 

" that surrounded Stalin, although he himself had no small part in cultivating it, and accusing Stalin of the crimes committed during the Great Purges. This effectively alienated Khrushchev from the more conservative elements of the Party, but he managed to defeat what he termed the Anti-Party Group after they failed in a bid to oust him from the party leadership in 1957.

In 1958, Khrushchev replaced Bulganin as prime minister and established himself as the undisputed leader of both state and party. He became Premier of the Soviet Union on March 27, 1958. Khruschev promoted reform of the Soviet system and began to place an emphasis on the production of consumer goods rather than on heavy industry.

In 1959, during Richard Nixon Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States [i], serving from 1969 to 1974. ... 

's journey to the Soviet Union, he took part in what was later known as the Kitchen Debate Kitchen Debate

The Kitchen Debate was an impromptu debate between [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]... 

. Khrushchev reciprocated the visit that September, spending thirteen days in the United States. His new attitude towards the West as a rival instead of as an evil entity alienated Mao Zedong Mao Zedong


Mao Zedong was a Chinese Marxist [i] military and political leader, who led China's communist [i]... 

's China. The Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, too, would later be involved in a similar "cold war" triggered by the Sino-Soviet Split Sino-Soviet split

The Sino-Soviet split was a major diplomatic conflict between the People's Republic of China [i] and th ... 

 in 1960.

In 1961, Khrushchev approved plans proposed by East German German Democratic Republic

The German Democratic Republic was a Socialist state [i], which existed from 1949 to 1990 in the Soviet ... 

 leader Walter Ulbricht Walter Ulbricht

Walter Ulbricht was a German [i] communist [i] politician.... 

 to build the Berlin Wall Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall , an iconic symbol of the Cold War [i], was initially constructed starting on August 13 [i] ... 

, thereby reinforcing the Cold War division of Germany and wider Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

.

Khrushchev's personality

Khrushchev was regarded by his political enemies in the Soviet Union as boorish, with a reputation for interrupting speakers to insult them. The Politburo accused him once of 'hare-brained scheming' - referring to his erratic policies. He regularly humiliated the Soviet nomenklatura, or ruling elite, with his gaffes. He once branded Mao, who was at odds with Khruschev ever since the denunciation of Stalin at the 1956 Congress, an "old boot". In Mandarin, the word "boot" is regularly used to describe a prostitute or immoral woman. The Soviet leader also famously condemned his Bulgarian Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in Southeastern Europe [i].... 

 counterpart, making several xenophobic comments about the Bulgarian people as well.

Khrushchev's blunders were partially the result of his limited formal education. Although intelligent, as his political enemies also admitted after he had defeated them, and certainly cunning, he lacked knowledge and understanding of the world outside of his direct experience and so would often prove easy to manipulate for scientific hucksters that knew how to appeal to his vanity and prejudices. For example, he was a supporter of Trofim Lysenko Trofim Lysenko

Trofim Denisovich Lysenko was a Soviet [i] biologist [i] who, during the 1930s [i] ... 

 even after the Stalin years and became convinced that the Soviet Union's agricultural crises could be solved through the planting of maize Maize

Maize , also known as corn, is a cereal [i] grain [i] that was domesticated in Mesoamerica [i]. ... 

  on the same scale as the United States, failing to realize that the differences in climate and soil made this inadvisable.



Khrushchev repeatedly disrupted the proceedings in the United Nations United Nations

name = United Nations
Nations Unies
... 

 General Assembly in September-October 1960 by pounding his fists on the desk and shouting in Russian Russian language

Russian is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia [i] and the most widespread of the Slavic languages [i] ... 

. On September 29, 1960, Khrushchev twice interrupted a speech by British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan Harold Macmillan

Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM [i], PC [i] ... 

 by shouting out and pounding his desk. The unflappable Macmillan famously commented over his shoulder to Frederick Boland, the Assembly President , that if Mr. Khrushchev wished to continue, he would like a translation.

At the United Nations two weeks later, in one of the most surreal moments in Cold War history, the premier waved his shoe and banged it on his desk, adding to the lengthening list of antics with which he had been nettling the General Assembly. During a debate over a Russian resolution decrying colonialism, he was infuriated by a statement, expressed from the rostrum by Lorenzo Sumulong. The Filipino Philippines

The Philippines , officially the Republic of the Philippines , is an island nation [i] located in ... 

 delegate had charged the Soviets with employing a double standard, pointing to their domination of Eastern Europe as an example of the very type of colonialism their resolution criticized. Mr. Khrushchev thereupon pulled off his right shoe, stood up, brandishing it at the Philippine delegate on the other side of the hall. The enraged Khrushchev accused Mr. Sumulong of being "????? ? ?????????? ????????????" , which was translated as "a jerk, a stooge and a lackey of imperialism". The chaotic scene finally ended when General Assembly President Frederick Boland broke his gavel calling the meeting to order, but not before the image of Khrushchev as a hotheaded buffoon was indelibly etched into America’s collective memory. At another occasion, Khrushchev said in reference to capitalism, "?? ??? ?????????!", translated to "We will bury you". This phrase, ambiguous both in the English language English language

English is a widely distributed language that originated in England [i] but is now the primary language ... 

 and in the Russian language Russian language

Russian is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia [i] and the most widespread of the Slavic languages [i] ... 

, was interpreted in several ways.

Forced retirement

Khrushchev's rivals in the party deposed him at a Central Committee meeting on October 14 1964. His removal was largely prompted by his erratic and cantankerous behaviour, which was regarded by the Party as a tremendous embarrassment on the international stage. The Communist Party subsequently accused Khrushschev of making political mistakes, such as mishandling the 1962 Cuban missile crisis Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War [i] between the Soviet Union [i] and th ... 

 and disorganizing the Soviet economy, especially in the agricultural sector.

Following his ousting, Khrushchev spent seven years under house arrest. He died at his home in Moscow Moscow

Moscow is the capital [i] of Russia [i] and the country's principal political, economic, financial, edu ... 

 on September 11, 1971 and is interred in the Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery

Novodevichy Cemetery is the most famous cemetery in Moscow, Russia [i], situated next to the World Heritage Site [i]... 

, Moscow, Russia Moscow

Moscow is the capital [i] of Russia [i] and the country's principal political, economic, financial, edu ... 

.

Key political actions



  • In his Secret Speech, Krushchev denounced Stalin Joseph Stalin

    Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

     for his personality cult Cult of personality

    A cult of personality is a political [i] institution in which a country's leader uses mass media [i] to ... 

     and his regime for "violation of Leninist norms of legality", marking the onset of the Khrushchev Thaw.
  • Dissolved the Cominform organization and reconciled with Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz Tito

    Josip Broz Tito was the leader [i] of Yugoslavia [i] ... 

    , which ended the Informbiro period in the history of Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

    The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state [i] that existed from the ... 

    .
  • Established the Warsaw Pact Warsaw Pact

    he Warsaw Pact or Warsaw Treaty, officially named the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mu... 

     in 1955 in response to the formation of NATO NATO

    Aznar also proposed a strategic co-operation with India [i] and Colombia [i]. ... 

    .
  • Ordered the 1956 Soviet military intervention in Hungary Hungary

    Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked [i] country in Central Europe [i], ... 

     .
  • Ceded Crimea Crimea

    Crimea /kra?'mia/ or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is an autonomous republic [i] of Ukraine [i] ... 

     from the Russian SFSR to the Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

    The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 

     in 1955.
  • Provided support for Egypt Egypt

    [i] country in [[North Africa]... 

     against the West during the 1956 Suez Crisis Suez Crisis

    The Suez Crisis was a war [i] fought on Egyptian territory in 1956. ... 

    .
  • Promoted the doctrine of "Peaceful co-existence" in the foreign policy, accompanied by the slogan "To catch up and overtake the West" in internal policy.
  • Triggered Sino-Soviet Split Sino-Soviet split

    The Sino-Soviet split was a major diplomatic conflict between the People's Republic of China [i] and th ... 

     by talks with the U.S. and refusing to support the Chinese nuclear program.
  • Initiated the Soviet space program Soviet space program

    Having learned a bitter lesson during World War II [i] at a cost of 20 million lost lives and the devastation ... 

     that launched Sputnik I Sputnik 1

    Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite [i] to be put into orbit [i], on October 4 [i], 1957 [i]. ... 

     and Yuri Gagarin Yuri Gagarin

    Colonel Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin , was a Soviet [i] cosmonaut [i] who in 1961 [i] became t ... 

    , getting a head start in the space race Space Race

    The Space Race was an informal competition [i] between the United States [i] and the Soviet Union [i] t ... 

    . Participated in negotiations with U.S. President John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy

    John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F.... 

     for a joint moon program, negotiations that ended when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
  • Cancelled a summit meeting over the Gary Powers Gary Powers

    Francis Gary Powers Capt.... 

     U-2 incident U-2 Crisis of 1960

    }

The U-2 Crisis of 1960 occurred when an American [i] U-2 [i] spy [i] ... 

.
  • Met with Richard Nixon Richard Nixon

    Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States [i], serving from 1969 to 1974. ... 

     in Iowa Iowa

    Iowa is a Midwest [i] state [i] of the United States [i]. ... 

    .
  • Initiated the deployment of nuclear missiles Nuclear weapon

    A nuclear weapon derives its destructive force from nuclear reaction [i]s of fission [i] ... 

     in Cuba Cuba

    Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, consists of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth [i] and a ... 

    , which led to the Cuban missile crisis Cuban Missile Crisis

    The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War [i] between the Soviet Union [i] and th ... 

    .
  • Approved East Germany German Democratic Republic

    The German Democratic Republic was a Socialist state [i], which existed from 1949 to 1990 in the Soviet ... 

    's construction of the Berlin Wall Berlin Wall

    The Berlin Wall , an iconic symbol of the Cold War [i], was initially constructed starting on August 13 [i] ... 

     in 1961, after the West ignored his ultimatum that West Berlin West Berlin

    West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin [i] between 1949 [i] and 1990 [i]. ... 

     be incorporated into a neutral, demilitarized "free city".

Key economic actions

  • Second wave of the reclamation Land reclamation

    Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices.... 

     of virgin and abandoned lands .
  • Introduction of sovnarkhozes, , regional organizations, in an attempt to combat the centralization and departmentalism of the ministries
  • Reorganization of agriculture, with preference given to sovkhozes , including conversion of kolkhozes into sovkhozes, introduction of maize Maize

    Maize , also known as corn, is a cereal [i] grain [i] that was domesticated in Mesoamerica [i]. ... 

     .
  • Coping with housing House

    People construct houses as dwelling-spaces for human habitation.... 

     crisis by quickly building millions of apartments according to simplified floor plan Floor plan

    A floor plan in architecture [i] and building engineering [i] is a scale diagram [i] of the arrangements ... 

    s, dubbed khrushchovka Khrushchovka

    The khrushchovka was a type of panelled or brick three to five-storied residential block which was const... 

    s.
  • Created a minimum wage in 1956.
  • Redenomination of the ruble Russian ruble

    The ruble or rouble is the name of the currency [i] of the Russian Federation [i] and the t ... 

     10:1 in 1961.

Legacy




On the positive side, he was admired for his efficiency and for maintaining an economy which, during the 1950s and 1960s, had growth rates higher than most Western countries, contrasted with the stagnation beginning with his successors. He is also renowned for his liberalisation policies, whose results began with the widespread exoneration of political sentences.

With Khrushchev's amnesty program, the former political prisoners and their surviving relatives could now live a normal life without the infamous "wolf ticket".

His policies also increased the importance of the consumer, since Khrushchev himself placed more resources in the production of consumer goods and housing instead of heavy industry, precipitating a rapid rise in living standards.

The arts also benefited from this environment of liberalisation, where works like Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn [i], originally publishe ... 

created an attitude of dissent that would escalate during the subsequent Brezhnev-Kosygin era.

He also allowed Eastern Europe Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the east [i]ern region [i] of Europe [i] variably defined. ... 

 to have a greater freedom of action in their domestic and external affairs, without the intervention of the Soviet Union.

His De-Stalinization History of the Soviet Union (1953-1985)

... 

 caused a huge impact on young Communists of the day. Khrushchev encouraged more liberal communist leaders to replace hard-line Stalinists throughout the Eastern bloc. Alexander Dubcek, who became the leader of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia was a country in Central Europe [i] that existed from 1918 until early 1993 . ... 

 in January 1968, accelerated the process of liberalisation in his own country with his Prague Spring Prague Spring

The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia [i] starting January 5 [i] ... 

 programme. Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov was leader of the Soviet Union [i] from 1985 until 1991. ... 

, who became the Soviet Union's leader in 1985, was inspired by it and it became evident with his policies of glasnost and perestroika Perestroika

Perestroika is the Russian word for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 [i] by the Soviet [i] ... 

. Khrushchev is sometimes cited as "the last great reformer" among Soviet leaders before Gorbachev.

On the negative side, he was criticized for his ruthless crackdown of the 1956 revolution in Hungary 1956 Hungarian Revolution

The 1956 Hungarian Revolution, also known as the Hungarian Uprising or simply the Hungarian Rev... 

, despite the fact that he and Zhukov Georgy Zhukov

Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, GCB [i] , was a Soviet [i] military comma ... 

 were pushing against intervention up until the declaration of withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact Warsaw Pact

he Warsaw Pact or Warsaw Treaty, officially named the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mu... 

, and also for encouraging the East German authorities to set up the notorious Berlin Wall Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall , an iconic symbol of the Cold War [i], was initially constructed starting on August 13 [i] ... 

 in August 1961. He also had very poor diplomatic skills, giving him the reputation of being a rude, uncivilised peasant in the West and as an irresponsible clown in his own country. He had also renewed persecutions against the Russian Orthodox Church Russian Orthodox Church

The Russian Orthodox Church , also known as the Orthodox Catholic Church of Russia, is that body of ... 

, publicly promising that by 1980 "I will show you the last priest!"

His methods of administration, although efficient, were also known to be erratic since they threatened to disband a large number of Stalinist-era agencies. He made a dangerous gamble in 1962 over Cuba, which almost made a Third World War inevitable. Agriculture barely kept up with population growth, as bad harvests mixed with good ones, culminating with a disastrous one in 1963 that was triggered by bad weather. All this damaged his prestige after 1962 and was enough for the Central Committee, Khrushchev's critical base for support, to take action against him. They used his right-hand man Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev ; – November 10 [i], 1982 [i]) was the effective ruler of the Soviet Union [i] ... 

 to lead the bloodless coup.

Due to the results of his policies, as well as the increasingly regressive attitude of his successors, he became more popular after he gave up power, which led many dissidents to view his era with nostalgia as his successors began discrediting or slowing down his reforms.

Other information

Since he spent much time working in Ukraine, Khrushchev gave off the impression of being Ukrainian. He supported this image by wearing Ukrainian national shirts.

Due to various Reforms of Russian orthography, the ? letter is often replaced by ? in writing. Hence Khrushchev is the standard English transliteration, even though it is more closely rendered as Khrushchyov.

Khrushchev's eldest son Leonid died in 1943 during the Great Patriotic War. His younger son Sergei emigrated to the United States and is now an American citizen and a Professor at Brown University Brown University

Brown University is a university located in Providence, Rhode Island [i]. ... 

's Watson Institute for International Studies Watson Institute for International Studies

Summary
The Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University [i] is a center for research ... 

. He often speaks to American audiences to share his memories of the "other" side of the Cold War Cold War

The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical [i], ideological [i], and economic [i]... 

.

Khrushchev's first wife, Yefrosinya, died in 1921 of hunger and exhaustion during the famine following the Russian Civil War Russian Civil War

The Russian Civil War was fought from 1917 to 1922.... 

; she had borne Leonid and a daughter, Julia. His second wife was Nina Petrovna Kukharchuk , whom he married in 1924; besides Sergei, they had two daughters, Rada and Lena.

Books

  • William Taubman: Khrushchev: The Man and His Era - London, Free Press, 2004
  • Khrushchev Remembers: The Glasnost Tapes - translated and edited by Jerrold L. Schecter, Boston, Little Brown, 1990
  • Khrushchev Remembers - edited by Strobe Talbott, 1970
  • Khrushchev, Sergei N.: "Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Superpower", Penn State Press, 2000.
  • Nazi Hunter The Wiesenthal files by Levy, Alan 1993, 2002 barnes and noble books

Part III, Raoul Wallenberg. Chapter 19. pg 202. The Wallenberg disappearance.
  • Khrushchev, Sergie N., translated by William Taubman: "Khrushchev on Khrushchev", Little, Brown and Company, 1990.

In fiction

  • The video game Computer and video games

    A computer game is a computer [i]-controlled game. ... 

      features Khrushchev shortly before his ousting by Brezhnev, demanding that the United States prove they had nothing to do with a nuclear explosion caused by the game's primary antagonist, Volgin, or he will be forced to take military action against the United States. Volgin is a member of the Brezhnev faction who wants to replace Khrushchev with Brezhnev.
  • In the 2001 motion picture Film

    Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general.... 

     Enemy at the Gates Enemy at the Gates

    Enemy at the Gates is a 2001 [i] movie [i] directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud [i], ad... 

    , a dramatization Drama

    Drama is a literary form involving parts written for actor [i]s to perform. ... 

     of the Battle of Stalingrad, Khrushchev is portrayed by British United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

     actor Actor

    An actor is a person who acts [i], or plays a role, in a dramatic production. ... 

     Bob Hoskins Bob Hoskins

    Robert William "Bob" Hoskins Jnr is an English [i] and Academy Award [i]-nominated actor [i] bes ... 

    , though his surname is spelled as Krushchev in the closing credits.
  • He's mentioned in Billy Joel Billy Joel

    William Martin Joel is an American [i] singer [i], songwriter [i], pianist [i], and composer [i] ... 

    's history-themed song "We Didn't Start the Fire We Didn't Start the Fire

    "We Didn't Start the Fire" is a song by Billy Joel [i] which chronicles 120 well-known events, people, t ... 

    ".
  • Is mentioned numerous times in the Queen song Killer Queen.
  • The Sting Sting

    Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, CBE [i], usually known by his stage name [i] ' ... 

     song "Russians" mentions Khrushchev.

External links

  • , by Nina Khrushcheva , New Statesman, Oct. 2, 2000.
  • , Film chronicles the plot to expel Nikita Khrushchev from his post as KPSS Secretary General.