3.2 De-Stalinization

De-Stalinization

• The main focus of the first wave of de-Stalinization was criticizing Stalin's rule and personality cult.
• Criticizing Stalin was a huge risk due to the potential consequences, including persecution and even death.

The Secret Speech

• The Secret Speech was delivered by Khrushchev on February 25, 1956, during the 20th Party Congress.
• Khrushchev focused on Stalin's brutal suppression of dissent and the resulting harm to the Communist Party.

De-Stalinization Consequences

• The content of the Secret Speech was fully published in the Soviet Union in 1989.
• In Hungary, de-Stalinization led to a popular uprising against the communist government in 1956.

Khrushchev and Malenkov's Reforms

• Khrushchev and Malenkov were united in their desire to end important aspects of Stalin's rule, including the cult of personality.
• They aimed to 'humanize' Communism by reducing the role of the secret police and introducing economic reforms.

Ending the Cult of Stalin

• The first steps towards ending the cult of Stalin included removing his body from Lenin's Mausoleum and renaming cities and landmarks named after him.
• After Stalin's death, newspapers started quoting from Khrushchev's speech, criticizing Stalin's rule.

The Cult of Stalin

• The cult of Stalin refers to the excessive promotion and glorification of Stalin's image and personality.

Khrushchev's Response to Criticism

• Khrushchev responded to criticism of Stalin by admitting to the mistakes of the past and promising to reform the Communist Party.

Khrushchev's Actions

• In mid-December 1957, Khrushchev secretly authorized the removal of Minister of Defense Marshal Zhukov.
• The attempted coup against Khrushchev in 1957 was a significant challenge to his leadership.

Twenty-Second Party Congress

• The main focus of the Twenty-Second Party Congress in October 1961 was the removal of Stalin's body from Lenin's Mausoleum.

Khrushchev's Overthrow

• Khrushchev was overthrown in June 1964 due to his increasingly erratic behavior and poor economic policies.

Cold War Context

• During the Cold War, Germany was divided between the communist East and the capitalist West.

Berlin Crisis

• Khrushchev's ultimatum to President Kennedy regarding West Berlin led to a crisis, and he eventually backed down.
• Khrushchev's decision to place nuclear missiles in Cuba led to an international crisis and almost resulted in nuclear war.

Khrushchev's Legacy

• Khrushchev's biggest political achievement in terms of de-Stalinization was the Secret Speech, which marked a significant shift away from Stalin's rule.
• Khrushchev's power differed from Stalin's in that it was based on collective leadership and not a personality cult.

Downfall and Legacy

• Khrushchev's downfall in 1964 was due to his erratic behavior and poor economic policies.
• Under Brezhnev, the Soviet government largely reversed Khrushchev's de-Stalinization policies, rehabilitating Stalin's legacy.
• Khrushchev did not achieve complete de-Stalinization, as some aspects of Stalin's rule persisted.