Khrushchev Depth Study Flashcards
(123 cards)
1
Q
What ideology did Khrushchev follow?
A
Destalinisation
2
Q
What were the features of the Secret Speech?
A
- Khrushchev outlined his desire to return to pre-Stalin Russia under Lenin.
-Khrushchev highlighted the scale of terror experienced under Stalin’s rule.
- Khrushchev highlighted the extremity of Stalin’s cult of personality and power.
- Khrushchev highlighted Stalin’s incompetent management of WW2, as many lives were lost (27 million Russians killed, 2/3 of whom were civilians) .
- Khrushchev left out anything that involved him, i.e, the purges we participated in and the policy of collectivisaiton.
3
Q
What was the Novocherkassk massacre of 1962 similar to?
A
The Bloody Sunday Massacre
4
Q
What caused the Novocherkassk massacre of 1962?
A
- There was a strike due to discontent over an increase in production quotas coinciding with a nationwide increase in dairy and meat prices.
- Protesters ended up being dispersed by gunfire. According to official figures, 26 protesters were killed and 87 were wounded, however it is more likely that 70 or 80 people were killed.
- Arrests, show trials, and cover-ups ensued. 7 people sentenced to death.
5
Q
Why does Khrushchev’s use of the secret police suggest that detalinisation was a genuine break from the past?
A
- Because the MVD and the KGB were no longer under the control of just one person.
- MVD and KGB became significantly less repressive. Number of political arrests plummeted, the use of Gulag’s disappeared, no more torture of dissidents.
- By 1960, only 11,000 counter-revolutionaries remained in captivity.
6
Q
Why does Khrushchev’s use of the secret police suggest that detalinisation was not a genuine break from the past?
A
- Still used repressively at times e.g in the case of the Hungarian Uprising and the Noverchassk Massacre.
7
Q
Did Khrushchev sign death warrants for many people under Stalin’s rule?
A
Yes
8
Q
When did Khrsushev become Party Secretary in the Ukraine?
A
In 1938. This was at the height of Stalin’s purges.
9
Q
When was the Festival of International Youth?
A
In 1957
10
Q
Who were the 3 main rivals for power after Stalin’s death?
A
- Malenkov
- Beria
- Khrushchev
11
Q
Why was Beria killed?
A
- The army remembered his role in the army purge before WW2, and arrested him.
- He and 6 associates were consequently tried in secret and shot
12
Q
What did Malenkov advocate ?
A
- A consumer industry.
- A more relaxed relationship with the West and countries in Eastern Europe.
13
Q
What did Khruschev advocate ?
A
- The Virgin Lands Campaign
- The good harvests of 1954 and 1955 strenghtened Khruschev’s position
14
Q
What is an example of their still being literary censorship under Khruschev’s rule?
A
- Boris Pasternak wrote a novel set in the years of the revolution and the civil war, which he was heavily criticized for and had to refuse the Nobel Prize for literatuer when it was awarded.
15
Q
What did Khruschev do to religion?
A
- He strengthened anti-religion propaganda
- he increased taxes on religious activity
- he closed down churches.
Between 1959 and 1964, about 3/4 of all Christian churches and monasteries in the Soviet union were closed down. - Hence, Christians, Muslims, and Jews were all persecuted
16
Q
In the late 1950s, how many books were being published each year?
A
65,000
17
Q
By 1959, how many libraries were there in Russia?
A
135,000 libraries, containing about 8000 million books.
18
Q
By the early 1960’s, what had the total readership of newspapers reached?
A
Nearly 60 million
19
Q
Did Khruschev relax the centralised control of the economy?
A
Yes
20
Q
Did Khruschev place more of a focus on improving living standards and focus more on consumer goods?
A
Yes
21
Q
What is one incentive Khruschevn introduced for farmers?
A
He raised the prices for state procurements, so that farmers would be encouraged to grow more
22
Q
Overall, was Khruschev’s Virgin Lands Campaign a success or a failure?
A
It was a failure
23
Q
Was Stalin’s body removed from Lenin’s mausoleum?
A
Yes
24
Q
Was Stalingrad renamed Volgograd?
A
Yes
25
Was the crime of being ill at work abolished under Khruschev?
Yes
26
Did Khrushcve bring in freedom of employement?
Yes
27
Within a year, how many political prisoners had Khrushcev released?
8 million, which is significantly higher than the 12,000 that had been released between 1954 and 1955
28
Was there any discussion of allowing democracy into the soviet union under khruschev?
No, and all major decisions were still taken by the Central Committee that was head by Khruschev.
29
Did Khrushcev torture or kill his opponenets?
No
30
What did khrushchev do instead of torturing or killing his opponents?
He demoted them to lesser posts.
31
Did khrushchev have total personal power over the Soicet Union?
Yes
32
What hapened in 1956 when Hungary tried to break away from the Warsaw pact?
Tanks were sent into Hungary to crush the revolt.
33
Did khrushchev tie his cult of personality to Lenin instead of Stalin?
Yes, and he tried to present himself as an ordinary peasant
34
Due to Khruschev demolishing churches, how many churches remained?
Only 7,500
35
On avergae, how much did the price for state procurements rise by between 1953 and 1956?
On average, procurement prices rose by about 25% betwee 1953 and 1956
36
What did khrushchev do to peasant taxation?
- He reduced it and made it fairer
37
Did khrushchev announce large increases in the production of fertilise and farm machinery?
Yes
38
In summary, what was the aim of khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign?
To cultivate land in Western Siberia and North Kazakhstan 'on the fringes of the area of adequate rainfall'.
39
Was the 1954 harvest successful?
Yes
40
By 1956....
an extra 35.9 million hectares were cultivated, equal to the total cultivated area of Canada
41
after an extra 35.9 million hectares were cultivated, equal to the total cultivated area of Canada, what happened?
- Komsomol members flocked out to help .
- However, those who settled had to endure difficult conditions, such as inadequate housing and uncertain crop yields.
42
Was 1955 a drought year?
Yes, but it was followed by a good year in 1956
43
At the 21st Party Congress, what did khrushchev boast?
That the USSr would soon overtake the USA in its production of meat and butter
44
In 1956, did the Virgin Lands Campaign contribute 50% to the total grain harvest for the USSR?
Yes
45
Why was erosion by wind a problem ?
Because 13,000 square mile of land had their topsoil removed in 1960 alone
46
What happened with the 1963 harvest?
It was very poor, due to erosion by wind
47
What did khrushchev have to do due to the 1963 harvest being very poor?
- He had to suffer the humiliation of importing grain from the West
48
Even though khrushchev urged farmers to grow more maize, after the poor 1963 harvest, what was the problem?
- Even though 85 million acres were planted, only 1/6th was harvested ripe.
- This was a massive waste of manpower and land
49
After only 1/6th of maize planted ended up being harvested ripe, what happened with ferilizers?
- khrushchev began a campaign to increase fertilizer production by 700% to boost yeilds, however the targets proved to be impossible to achieve.
50
What did food shortages cause khrushchev to do?
- Food shortages caused the government to raise the prices of meat and dairy suddenly in 1962.
- This caused protests in Novocherkassk. The army fired on rioters, resulting in 24 being killed.
51
Even though khrushchev tried to raise the price for state procurements, what was the problem?
- The prices offered were often too low, resulting in farmers having little incentive to grow what was needed.
52
Is it true that khrushchev often tried to grow maize in lands and climates that were unsuitable?
Yes
53
How did khrushchev decentralise control?
- He transferred power from the Soviet Central government to the governments of the 15 republics which compromised the USSR.
- In 1957, the process reached its peak, with the creation of the 'sovnarkhozy', which were 105 regional councils that were given control over economic development.
54
What is the difference between centralisation under Stalin and centralisation under khrushchev?
- Under Stalin, the economy was tightly controlled through Gosplan, which monitored the implementation of the 5 year plans.
- Under khrushchev, the economy was decentralised and the Sovnarkhozy were given authority over economic development.
55
AFter WW2 was there a shift from heavy industry to consumer goods and housing?
- Yes
56
When was the 7 year plan launched?
In 1958
57
In terms of housing, what did the 7 year plan propose to do?
It promised to build 12 million city apartments and 7 million rural houses
58
Did khrushchev introduce khrushchevkas in the early 1960s?
Yes
59
When did khrushchev introduce a minimum wage?
In 1956
60
What did the average household income grow by between 1960 and 1965?
3%
61
Were items such as clothes expensive under khrushchev?
Yes
62
Were books and public transport cheaper in Russia than in the west?
Yes
63
By 1968, what percentage of soviet households had a TV and washing machine?
50%
64
Did many Russians have cars under khrushchev?
No
65
What percentage of soviet households had telephones under khrushchev?
Only 10%
66
By 1960, how many political prisoners remained?
Only 11,000
67
Did khrushchev introduce atheism as a school subject?
Yes
68
Were writers like Solzhenitsyn critized for the novels they wrote?
Yes
69
Whilst control of the economy was relaxed under khrushchev, is the 7 year plan an example the economy being controlled by the government?
Yes
70
Why could khrushchev's changes to centralisation be seen as a success?
- Power was transferred from central government to the governments of the 15 republics which compromised the USSR.
- The 'Sovnarkhozy' were given control over eceonomic development.
71
Why could khrushchev's changes to centralisation be seen as a failure?
- Under the 7 year plan, there was still a lot of control over the economy.
72
Why could khrushchev's changes to housing be seen as a success?
- In 1957, the Communist Party decreed to increase housing construction and the following year, the 7 year plan was launched and it promised to builf 12 million city apartments and 7 million rural houses.
- In 1965, 108 million people moved into the new apartments, which were built after the devastating losses of WW2.
73
Why could khrushchev's changes to housing be seen as a failure?
- The khrushchevkas were seen to be poorly constructed and small
74
Why could khrushchev's changes to agriculture be seen as a success?
- On average, procurement prices rose by 25% between 1953 and 1956.
- Peasant taxation was made cheaper and fairer.
- After success in the 1954 harvest, the area ploughed was increased. By 1956, an extra 35.9 million hectares were cultivated, equal to the total cultivated area of Canada.
- In 1956, the Virgin lands campaign contributed to over 50% of the total grain harvest for the USSR.
75
Why could khrushchev's changes to agriculture be seen as a failure?
- Erosion by wind resulted in 13,000 square miles of land having their topsoil removed in 1960 alone.
- The poor harvest of 1963 resulted in khrushchev humiliatingly having to import grain from the West.
- After the poor 1963 harvest, khrushchev urged farmers to grow more maize. However, even though 85 million acres of maize was planted, only about 1/6th was harvested ripe.
- Even though procurement prices rose by 25% between 1953 and 1956, prices still weren't sufficient enough for farmers and so they had little incentive to grow more crops.
- The government raised prices for meat and dairy products in 1962 due to there being shortages, and then massacred the protesters at Novocherkassk.
76
Before 1963, were Khrushchev's agricultural policies relatively successful?
Yes
77
Was Stalin a God-like political figure in China?
Yes
78
Did Mao see the secret speech as a personal attack?
Yes
79
Did Mao see Khrushchev as betraying the Communist movement?
Yes
80
What did Mao do in 1960?
He denounced Khrushchev as a revisionist
81
Why did Mao condemn Khrushchev for cowardice?
Because Russia came to an agreement with Kennedy and backed down during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
82
When was Khrushchev outsed from power?
In 1964
83
When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
In 1959
84
What happened with the 1959 Cuban revolution?
- Fidel Castro became the new leader. He was a nationalist, who did not want his country's economy to be under American control.
85
In regards to the Cuban Missile Crisis, what happened in February 1960?
Cuba made an agreement with the Soviet Union. He agreed to buy Cuban sugar and provide Cuba with economic aid.
86
In regards to the Cuban Missile Crisis, what happened on the 17th of April 1961?
1400 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. They failed to topple Castro's regime and Castro declared himself as a Communist.
87
In regards to the Cuban Missile Crisis, what happened in May 1962?
Khrushchev began shipping missiles and trained personnel to Cuba
88
What happened when Khrushchev began shipping missiles and trained personnel to Cuba?
- The US viewed this as a major security threat, as Cuba was so close to the US, and so Kennedy blockaded Cuba on the 22nd of October 1962 and sent a letter to Khrushchev urging him to remove the missiles.
89
What did Khrushchev do on October 26th 1962?
He sent a telegram to Kennedy in which he offered to remove the Cuban missiles in exchange for a promise by U.S. leaders not to invade Cuba.
90
What did Khrushchev do on October 27th 1962?
sent a telegram proposing that the USSR would dismantle its missiles in Cuba if the Americans removed their missile installations in Turkey.
91
What happened following the Cuban Missile Crisis?
a direct “hot line” communication link was installed between Washington and Moscow to help defuse similar situations, and the superpowers signed two treaties related to nuclear weapons.
92
Did khrushchev sending 2 telegrams to Kennedy at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis that said 2 different things add a lot of tension and highlight khrushchev lack of administrative skills?
Yes
93
Did khrushchev decree that maize should be grown in many unsuitable locations?
Yers
94
When did Hungarians start to protest about their lack of political freedoms, fuel shortages, and poor harvests?
In 1956
95
In October 1956, is it true that there were protests in Hungary's capital, Budapest, and Soviet troops had to restore order?
Yes
96
Who was Rakosi replaced with?
Imre Nagy, who introduced reforms
97
On the 1st of November 1956, what did Nagy announce?
That he'd be leaving the Warsaw pact, which would've weakened the total power of Russia, and many other countries might have followed suit as well
98
Why did khrushchev organise an invasion against Hungary?
Because Nagy announced that he'd be leaving the Warsaw pact
99
How many Hungarians were killed during the Hungarian Uprising?
2,500
100
What was set up after the HUngarian Uprising?
A new pro Communist governmnet under Janos Kadar
101
What did the Hungarian Uprising highlight?
That Russia was still repressive
102
Was West Germany democratic or not?
West Germany was democratic
103
Was East Germany democratic or not?
No, as it was under the control of the Communist Soviet Union
104
In terms of economics, what was the main difference between West and East Germany?
West Germany was very economically successful, but East Germany was not
105
When did Khrushchev issue his Berlin ultimatum?
On the 27th of November 1958
106
What did Khrushchev's ultimatum state?
That Berlin should be demilitarised and become a free country. Otherwise it would have to hand over control of all routes in Berlin to East GErmany.
107
When did East German troopsbuild a barbed wire fence, which was finished by the end of the Summer?
On the 12th of August, 1961
108
Did the West use the Berlin Wall as propaganda against the Soviet Union?
Yes
109
Did the construction of the Berlin Wall solve the refugee crisis and f=reduce tension?
Yes
110
When did Russia successfully launch the first satellite, Sputnik, into space?
October 1957
111
When did Russia launch the first live animal in space (Laika the dog) ?
3rd Novermber 1957
112
When did Russia successfuuly launch the first man in space?
April 1961
113
Who was the first man in space?
Yuri Gagarin
114
Did Kennedy place a naval blockade around Cuba?
Yes
115
Did Khrushchev introduce a 7 hour work day?
Yes
116
Between 1956 and 1965, how many people moved into new apartments, that had been built after the devestating losses of WW2?
108 million
117
Was the Virgin lands campaign successful in the short term, prior to 1963?
Yes
118
Why was Khrushchev removed from power?
- Russia still remained behind the West, and in 1966, the USA had 398 cars per 1000 people, whilst Russia only had 5 cars per 1000 people.
- The failure of his Virgin lands campaign, which resulted in Russia humiliatingly having to import grain from the West in 1963.
- De-centralizing the government angered many of the top communists, who as a result lost a lot of their control and power.
- The military cuts annoyed the military.
- The Cuban Missile Crisis was a humiliation and highlighted Khrushchev's lack of administrative skills.
- Khrushchev's reaction to the Hungarian Uprisisng of 1956 embarassed Russia.
- The building of the Berlin Wall symbolised Soviet repression, with the West calling it 'the wall of shame'.
- Khrushchev's policy of 'co-existence' with the West angered China, who saw Khrushchev as diluting the Communist ideology.
119
Why did Khrushchev introduce his reforms?
- Genuinely wanted to break away from the scale of repression adn terror used by Stalin.
- As a political move to secure power.
- In order to mend relations with the West
120
What did M McCanley say about Khrushchev's virgin lands campaign?
'haste took precedence over contemplation'
121
Were the lands in Kazakhstan and Siberia unsuitable for growing maize?
Yes
122
Which members of the party thought that the economy should be run by central ministers?
Motlotov and Kaganovich
123
