1953-1964THE KHRUSHCHEV ERA

Stalin died in 1953.

Khrushchev won a power struggle against

Beria for control of Politburo.

In 1956 – at the 20th Party Congress, he

announced several reforms.

RISE TO POWER

1) De-Stalinization

He praised collectivization and the five year plans but otherwise denounced Stalin.

Rejected Stalin’s political methods and autocratic rule (purges, suppression, etc.)

Wanted to open up Soviet society – many people felt the days of Stalinist terror would be over.

“There are many roads to socialism”. – NK.

Hoped to woo Tito back into Soviet sphere.

KHRUSHCHEV’S REFORMS

While denouncing Joseph

Stalin in a speech one day,

Khrushchev was interrupted

by a voice from the audience:

"You were one of Stalin's

colleagues," the man

declared. "Why didn't you

stop him?"

"Who said that!?"

Khrushchev roared. This was

followed by a terrified silence -

only broken at last by

Khrushchev himself.

"Now..." he said in a quiet

voice, "Now you know why."

Results

• Hundreds of statues of Stalin were destroyed.

• Stalinist leaders in E. Europe came under criticism

and attack (riots in East Germany, Poland &

Hungary in 1956). – See handout.

• Some communist countries criticized Khrushchev

and challenged Soviet control. Albania declared

themselves “Stalinists”.

• Mao was alarmed – this began the “Sino-Soviet

split”.

2) Spread Communism to “Third World”

• Khrushchev realized that the third world was a good

place to spread communism.

• Decolonization movements began around the world

after WW2.

• Many of these new countries were poor and angry

at their former imperial masters.

• Khrushchev sent Soviet aid to rescue them from

“capitalist imperialism” and launch

collectivization and industrialization.

• Examples – aid was sent to India. As a result

they did not join SEATO.

• Had some successes in Africa. Also…Vietnam

and Cuba.

3) Agrarian Reforms

• Khrushchev had to deal with the constant shortages

of food in USSR. Made several changes:

Virgin Lands Campaign

• USSR sent people from western regions to bring

new lands under cultivation in the east and in the

“stans”.

• Over 33 million hectares were cultivated in 1954-55

• In 1956 the USSR had the largest harvest in their

history.

• However, long term it was a failure. Poor practices

led to decline in soil fertility.

“Break Virgin Lands” - 1954

Maize Campaign

• The cure to food shortages were to be a new focus

on maize. Wanted to equal US output by 1962.

• He launched a program of chemicalization to

improve harvests.

• Was a failure:

• Couldn’t produce or buy enough fertilizer.

• Had to buy 12 million tonnes of grain abroad to

make up for shortages.

• This helped lead to Khrushchev’s downfall in 1964.

4) Peaceful Co-existence

Khrushchev wanted to lessen tensions in the

Cold War

Believed that communism and capitalism

could co-exist peacefully.

Rationale

The Cold War was very expensive. 1/3 of

entire Soviet economy went to military when

there were food shortages and lack of

consumer goods.

Did not want a ruinous war.

Felt that capitalism was inferior and would

die out on its own without violent conflict.

Results

A brief détente with USA.

• Both sides agreed to end occupation of Austria and

respect her neutrality (Austrian State Treaty).

• Eisenhower and Khrushchev agree to a series of

meetings starting with the Geneva Summit in 1955 –

“Spirit of Camp David”

• Proposals were made to reduce armaments, disband

NATO and Warsaw Pact, and an “Open Skies” policy

(mutual monitoring of missile sites).

• However, all of these efforts ended in failure.

WHY?

Arms and Technology Race

The U-2 Incident (May 1 1960)

American spy plane shot down over USSR and

pilot captured. Eisenhower had lied about this.

Khrushchev cancels Eisenhower visit.

Tensions over Hungary (56),Germany (58-59),

Cuba (59-62) and Soviet expansion in Third

World – alarmed the west.

Leads to coldest part of Cold War!

BREAKDOWN OF DETENTE

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=ML4_uSDEUcB_AM&tbnid=06L1qxT0oEuTtM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0013.shtml&ei=cuV0U-yiKojjoATQkIKACw&bvm=bv.66699033,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFZn-rkcNIzNLmjDxdNkAj9Urogtg&ust=1400256236658051http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=ML4_uSDEUcB_AM&tbnid=06L1qxT0oEuTtM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0013.shtml&ei=cuV0U-yiKojjoATQkIKACw&bvm=bv.66699033,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFZn-rkcNIzNLmjDxdNkAj9Urogtg&ust=1400256236658051

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=aD_R8iKwpmI8HM&tbnid=QPk4sVWJd6lbaM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.npr.org/2011/12/13/143595594/captured-drone-may-have-limited-benefit-for-iran&ei=nOV0U_epBo-GogTp-YG4DQ&bvm=bv.66699033,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFUSBsFlcOvlq2mujYmgkYO27NxgA&ust=1400256267692601http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=aD_R8iKwpmI8HM&tbnid=QPk4sVWJd6lbaM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.npr.org/2011/12/13/143595594/captured-drone-may-have-limited-benefit-for-iran&ei=nOV0U_epBo-GogTp-YG4DQ&bvm=bv.66699033,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFUSBsFlcOvlq2mujYmgkYO27NxgA&ust=1400256267692601http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=zPvMV5_2z01RFM&tbnid=BJIjWjklJZ46cM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://life.time.com/?attachment_id%3D3640&ei=s-V0U4OpA8ffoASqwoCoAg&bvm=bv.66699033,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFUSBsFlcOvlq2mujYmgkYO27NxgA&ust=1400256267692601http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=zPvMV5_2z01RFM&tbnid=BJIjWjklJZ46cM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://life.time.com/?attachment_id%3D3640&ei=s-V0U4OpA8ffoASqwoCoAg&bvm=bv.66699033,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFUSBsFlcOvlq2mujYmgkYO27NxgA&ust=1400256267692601

HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION 1956

Imre Nagy

The crushing of the Hungarian Revolt

made “de-Stalinization” and “Peaceful

Co-existence” seem like a sham.

SECOND BERLIN CRISIS

Walter Ulbricht – East Germany

Konrad Adenauer – West Germany

From right to left:

1 - East Berlin

2 - Border area

3 - Backland Wall

4 - Signal fence

5 - Different kind of barriers

6 - Watch towers

7 - Lighting system

8 - Column track

9 - Control track

10 - Anti-vehicle trenches

11 - Last Wall, known as the "Wall"

12 - Border

13 - West Berlin