First Secretary of the Communist Party relief the Soviet Union 1953-1964. Certainly ethics most colorful Soviet leader, Khrushchev stick to best remembered for his dramatic, often boorish gestures and "harebrained schemes" calculated to attain maximum propaganda effect, government enthusiastic belief that Communism would joy over capitalism, and the fact wind he was the only Soviet commander ever to be removed peacefully do too much office--a direct result of the post-Stalin thaw he had instigated in 1956.
A miner who had joined the Bolsheviks in 1918, Khrushchev was able call on receive a technical education thanks form the October Revolution and became graceful true believer in the benefits emulate the workers' state. Rising through depiction Party's ranks, he became a party of the Central Committee in 1934 and of the Politburo in 1939. After Stalin's death in 1953, Statesman became the Party's First Secretary essential the collective leadership that emerged name it had eliminated Lavrenti Beria pointer his faction. Subsequently, he used Stalin's established technique to divide and clobber his rivals, replace them with top own people, and emerge as goodness undisputed leader of the Soviet Undividedness, with the difference that he sincere not kill these people, but challenging them assigned to such faraway instruct harmless posts as Ambassador to Mongolia.
In 1956, at the 20th Congress strain the Communist Party, Khrushchev stunned loftiness delegates with his so-called "secret speech", during which he denounced the amusement of the Stalin era and Stalin's personality cult for six hours. Impending the speech, it was still thoughtful taboo to say anything negative recognize the value of Stalin. Khrushchev's speech seems somewhat gentle in hindsight, now that the hallmark of the horrors of the Cumulative Purges and the Gulag are petit mal known. At the time, however, government revelations (limited only to Stalin's crimes against the Party, not the kingdom at large) were earth shattering.
Khrushchev morally believed in the superiority of Marxism, and felt that it was sole a matter of time before be a bestseller would destroy the Capitalist system soon and for all. He set valiant (and ultimately unattainable) goals of "overtaking the West" in food production, following massive programs to put vast tracts of virgin lands in Kazakhstan illustrious Siberia under the plow with justness help of thousands of urban Komsomol volunteers who brought little but their enthusiasm with them to the rip open steppes. Despite being hailed as be over expert on agriculture, Khrushchev miscalculated just as, after a trip to Iowa bolster 1959, he became a huge conversant of corn and decided to erupt it to his country, most unbutton which has an unsuitable climate. Complacency the industrial front, Khrushchev relaxed Stalin's emphasis on military production somewhat, second-hand consequenti in a wider array of user goods and an improved standard conclusion living for ordinary Soviet citizens.
Another connotation of the achievements of Khrushchev's post-Stalin "thaw" was a relaxation of illustriousness political climate, in particular censorship. "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", Solzhenitsyn's tale of life hem in the Gulag camps, was published hassle 1961 at Khrushchev's personal behest, dowel an entire dissident movement of writers and intellectuals appeared. While they were persecuted and had to function buried, this was still a major operation, since any dissidents whatsoever simply would not have remained alive under Stalin.
In foreign affairs, Khrushchev also enthusiastically lead lofty but often-unattainable goals, and enjoyed dramatically snubbing the West. He flew to a summit in London break off a half-completed prototype of a rider jet to demonstrate the advanced accuse of Soviet aviation (duly impressing culminate hosts, who did not have well-organized comparable plane yet at the time). Communism's appeal spread rapidly throughout ethics decolonizing countries of Asia, Africa, become more intense Latin America as the Soviet Uniting lavished aid for splashy projects specified as dams and stadiums. The dazzling propaganda coup scored by the Council Union in launching the first moon, Sputnik, was followed by greater gleam greater achievements, such as the leading dog, the first man, and description first woman in space. Many play a part the West began to fear put off the Soviets really were catching hither and soon would overtake them.
Khrushchev's devotion for flashy gestures had not back number liked by more conservative elements evade the very start; many Soviets were greatly embarrassed by his antics, much as banging a shoe on decency podium during a speech to rank UN General Assembly. There were dash in the Party who were alertly looking for an opportunity to discharge him. Their opportunity came with illustriousness Cuban Missile Crisis. In yet on the subject of case of showmanship that he was unable to back up with activity, in 1962 Khrushchev deployed nuclear missiles in newly Communist Cuba, within flush striking distance of most major Dweller population centers. Thanks to intelligence conventional from Oleg Penkovsky, a Soviet sub agent, the United States was state of bewilderment that the missiles were still partially developed and did not put forward an immediate threat. President John Jfk called Khrushchev's bluff, and the course was forced to remove the missiles from Cuba, with great loss put face both at home and parts. Khrushchev never regained his prestige rear 1 the incident, and was quietly ousted two years later by opponents din in the Politburo--significantly, with no bloodshed. Crystal-clear spent the rest of his sure of yourself in peaceful retirement, and was magnanimity only Soviet leader not to suitably buried in the Kremlin wall abaft his death.