Khrushchev’s reign is, in my opinion, one of the more fascinating periods of Soviet History. It has the Kitchen Debates, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race, and is the height of the Cold War. While there was a lot of tension with the West during this time period, internally, the Soviet Union was undergoing … Continue reading Reformism under Khrushchev
Category: Fifth Research Digest
My Tractor’s Not So Sexy
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In 1953, Nikita Khrushchev was in a bit of a pickle. On one hand, the agricultural reforms that Malenkov had put into play had been greatly popular and seemed destined for success. On the other hand, Khrushchev felt bitter that Malenkov was getting credit for agricultural reforms, something he had been working to produce. The … Continue reading My Tractor’s Not So Sexy →
The End of Stalin’s Regime: A Thaw?
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After the death of the Vozhd’, Joseph Stalin, the future of the Soviet Union seemed unclear. Who would rise to power in his stead, and how would they lead? Through primary sources, we can see that those within the Communist Party mourned Stalin while still internally clamoring for a change. Once Khrushchev rose to power, … Continue reading The End of Stalin’s Regime: A Thaw? →
Destination De-Stalinization: Say Goodbye to the GULAG
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Despite the “excesses and “errors” that plagued the post-Stalin era, some respectable reforms came out of this period (Freeze, p. 408). The best of these reforms reversed totalitarian policies from the Stalinist era, and perhaps the best example of them is the release of prisoners who were arrested for smaller crimes, who had low … Continue reading Destination De-Stalinization: Say Goodbye to the GULAG →
Secrets, Secrets are No Fun
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Secrets, secrets are no fun unless you share with everyone. The speech that everyone was talking about, yet nobody knew about, Khrushchev’s “Secret Speech“. To give a little bit of background, this speech was made behind closed doors, solely to the Communist Party’s Twentieth Congress, and there was no press from the Soviet side to […]
What’s a Woman to Do?
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Greetings and thanks for tuning into this week’s blogpost! The social identity being discussed this time around is that of the post-Stalin new Soviet woman….but wait, that sounds sort of familiar? Yes, those of you who were thinking there has already been a “new Soviet woman” are correct. This is one of history’s lessons, it … Continue reading What’s a Woman to Do?
Secrecy Then, Secrecy Now: Khrushchev’s Denunciation of Stalinism
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The Twentieth Party Congress (1956) served as a “watershed” moment in the political history of the Soviet Union (Freeze 416). It included many new faces in the delegation, as a means for Khrushchev to consolidate power, and avoided the contentious issue of Stalin’s legacy initially (Freeze 416). That changed with Khrushchev’s “bombshell,” “late-night” speech on … Continue reading Secrecy Then, Secrecy Now: Khrushchev’s Denunciation of Stalinism →
Stalin Put the Fun in Funeral
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On March 5, 1953, Joseph Stalin died. A few days later, massive crowds of people turned out for his funeral procession. His coffin, draped in red, not only had his military cap draped on it, but also had a window where his face was, so that the Russian people could gaze upon the face of … Continue reading Stalin Put the Fun in Funeral
Bulat Okudzhava: The Russian Bob Dylan
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Composers hate him! Learn his secrets in one easy article. Bulat Okudzhava is the best poetic-bard this side of the Ural mountains.
Khrushchev’s American Tour
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“The Thaw” was an era following the death of Stalin that ushered in an era of liberalization within the Soviet Union. During this time, people were allowed to express themselves more freely than during the Stalinist era. The USSR witnessed the emptying of the Gulag’s, as well as the liberalization within the realms of music, … Continue reading Khrushchev’s American Tour →
