Chapter 21- Khrushchev and reaction to Stalinism

Question 2

What did Malenkov do on 6th march 1953

Answer 2

he announced he would combine the roles of secretary of the party central committee and chairman of the council of ministers

Question 3

who took over as party secretary when rivals forced Malenkov to step down

Answer 3

Khrushchev

Question 4

who was part of the first collective leadership

Answer 4

Beria, Molotv

Question 5

what did Khrushchev use his role as party secretary to do

Answer 5

appoint his own proteges to important party posts

Question 6

why did Beria initially gain popularity

Answer 6

he was leader who was least likely to move away from stalinist policy and had piopuykar ideas such as releasing some political prisoners, mild foreign policy and scaling back on costly industrial projects

Question 7

what did Malenkov and Khrushchev do about Berias popularity

Answer 7

conspired against him and got him arrested and executed by December 1953 or anti-party and state activities

Question 8

what did Khrushchev suggest in the struggle for power

Answer 8

a focus on agriculture

less radical focus on development of heavy and light industry

Question 9

what helped Khrushchev gain party support

Answer 9

success of Virgin lands scheme

Question 10

what happened to Malenkov in February 1955

Answer 10

demoted to minister for power stations due to lack of support

Question 11

who succeeded Malenkov as chairman of the council of ministers

Answer 11

Nikolai Bulganin

Question 12

who were joint leaders until 1958

Answer 12

Khrushchev and Bulganin

Question 13

why did Khrushchev expel an anti-party group in 1957

Answer 13

a majority in the presidium agreed he should step down as leader

Question 14

what did Khrushchev say he expelled the anti-party group for

Answer 14

conservatism and involvement in the purges in the 30’s

Question 15

why did Khrushchev have the support of the red army

Answer 15

gave Zhukov job as minister of defence after he spoke out against Malenkov and Molotov

Question 16

what was Zhukov expelled for in 1957

Answer 16

hindering party work and creating his own cult of personality

Question 17

what was Bulanin expelled for in 1958

Answer 17

encouraging anti party group

Question 18

what did Bulganin’s expulsion mean for Khrushchev

Answer 18

he became general secretary of the party and had complete power

Question 19

what did Khrushchev do to the doctors accused of the doctors plot

Answer 19

released

Question 20

what did Khrushchev attack

Answer 20

Beria and the policing and gulag systems

Question 21

when was Khrushchev’s secret speech on ‘the cult of personality and its consequences’

Answer 21

1956

Question 22

what did Khrushchev support in his secret speech

Answer 22

economic controls, strong leadership, a single party, the elimination of factions

Question 22

what did Khrushchev ignore on his secret speech

Answer 22

the yezhovshchina

Question 23

what happened to the police after Beria’s execution

Answer 23

reduced in size and was back under government control

Question 24

why was khrushchevs leadership more like that of the 1920’s than under Stalin

Answer 24

more focus on the party and less on an individual

Question 25

what did Khrushchev do that decreased the power of the police

Answer 25

revived an indépendant judicial system

Question 26

what were khrushchevs two policies that differed from Stalin and rennins leadership

Answer 26

democratisation and décentralisation

Question 27

what measures put forward to reinforce democratisation and decentralisation

Answer 27

party split into urban and rural levels in 1962

party membership increased 4 million from 1956-64 giving working class more power and taking power away from beurocrats

some non-party members invited to party congresses

comrade courts revived to handle minor offences

economic decentralisation pursued