The rise of Khrushchev. Khrushchev's policies

The rise of Khrushchev. Rapid Soviet industrialization resumed after World War II under new five-year plans. Restrictions on the peasants, which had been loosened during the war, again became severe. Rebuilding heavy industry took priority over producing consumer goods. The collective farms were reorganized and enlarged. Stalin also began a new wave of political arrests and executions. Then, on March 5,1953, he died after a stroke.

No one leader immediately replaced Stalin. A collective leadership of several men ruled. For almost two years, Georgi M. Malenkov held the major leadership position as premier, or chairman of the Council of Ministers. During this period, a struggle for power developed among Malenkov and other leading Communists. Nikita S. Khrushchev became the Communist Party head in September 1953. Khrushchev outmaneuvered Malenkov, who was forced to resign in 1955. Nikolai A. Bulganin became premier, but Khrushchev held the real power. Khrushchev defeated his rivals and forced his enemies to lose all positions of power. In 1958, Khrushchev became premier as well as Communist Party leader.

At the 20th Communist Party Congress in 1956, Khrushchev openly criticized Stalin to disgrace his rivals and began a program to dishonor the former leader. He accused Stalin of murdering innocent people and of faulty leadership. Buildings, cities, and towns that had been named for Stalin were renamed. In addition, pictures and statues of Stalin were destroyed.

Fidel Castro, left, declared Cuba to be Communist and began to receive Soviet support. Castro is shown above signing an agreement with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev

Khrushchev's policies differed greatly from Stalin's. The secret police did not spread terror, and the government allowed somewhat freer political discussion. Writers, painters, scientists, and scholars were permitted greater freedom of expression. The workweek was shortened to about 40 hours, and workers were allowed to quit or change jobs. Khrushchev also sought to raise the people's standard of living through greater production of clothing, food, appliances, and other consumer goods.

Soviet relations with the West improved after Stalin's death. Unlike other Communist leaders, Khrushchev denied that war with the West was necessary for Communism to triumph. In 1956, Khrushchev announced a policy of peaceful coexistence. He described it as a means of avoiding war while competing with the West in technology and economic development. Khrushchev eased restrictions on communication, trade, and travel across the Iron Curtain. He made friendly visits to several Western countries, including the United States. But the U.S.S.R. still tried to expand its influence by encouraging revolts, riots, and strikes in non-Communist countries.

China's Communist government believed war with the West was necessary and criticized the "soft" Soviet policy. China also wanted Soviet aid. The dispute between the two Communist powers peaked at the 22nd Communist Party Congress in Moscow in 1961. The Chinese premier, Zhou Enlai, suddenly returned to China. Only Albania supported China.

Under Khrushchev, the Soviet Union began to spend huge sums on space exploration. In 1957, Soviet scientists launched Sputnik 1, the first spacecraft to circle the earth. In 1961, Yuri A. Gagarin, a Soviet air force officer, became the first person to orbit the earth.