Home

Modern World

In what ways did Khrushchev carry out the policy
Of Destalinisation?

1) The Secret Speech - 4hr speech at the 20th party congress made revelations about the purges and Stalin’s weaknesses. This led to delegates fainting in shock. The speech allowed Khrushchev to carry out his own policies.

2) End of the terror / cult of Stalin - 705 inmates were released from Gulags immediately, large numbers were released throughout his rule. The cult of Stalin was ended and his body was removed from the mausoleum in Moscow.
However - labour camps continued.

3) Peaceful Coexistence - wanted to live more peacefully with the west, visited US presidents, had American exhibitions in Russia. Greater freedom was given to Poland.
However - Hungary, Berlin Wall and Cuba missile crisis were three of the biggest crises in the cold war.

4) The managed economy - introduced own policies - agriculture - virgin land scheme, industry - 7 year plan.

5) Freedom for media, books and arts - censorship was relaxed, many artists who had been banned by Stalin were rehabilitated.
However books that criticised the modern Soviet Union were not published. Great dispute over Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago - 1958 he was awarded the Nobel prize for literature but he declined the award fearing that if he left the Soviet Union he would not be allowed to return.

6) Religion - greater tolerance
However thousands of churches were closed - number of churches dropped from 22,000 in 1958 to 7,500 in 1964

USSR 1929-91 Home