What was the Stalinist legacy facing the USSR in 1953?
Stalin left a system marked by repression, fear, extreme central control and distorted economic priorities.
What major political problem followed Stalin’s death in 1953?
Power vacuum
No clear successor existed, so leading figures competed for control.
Which four leading figures were central to the succession struggle in 1953?
Malenkov, Beria, Molotov and Khrushchev
Each had influence, but Khrushchev gradually outmanoeuvred the others.
What was the main political struggle in the USSR after Stalin’s death?
A power struggle among rival leaders seeking authority in the absence of a clear successor.
This period was marked by intense competition for control among key figures in the Communist Party.
Why was Beria feared by many Soviet leaders in 1953?
His role in the terror system made him powerful but also deeply threatening to rivals.
Why did Khrushchev succeed in the power struggle after 1953?
Political skill
He built alliances, weakened opponents and presented himself as a reforming but loyal Communist.
What was one key feature of Khrushchev’s character as leader?
Energetic impulsiveness
He was dynamic and forceful, though often erratic in style and judgement.
What broad policy is most associated with Khrushchev after 1956?
de-Stalinisation
He tried to reduce some of Stalin’s excesses without abandoning one-party Communist rule.
What was the Secret Speech?
An attack on Stalin.
In 1956 Khrushchev denounced Stalin’s cult and crimes before a closed Party session.
True or False:
Khrushchev’s Secret Speech rejected Soviet Communism itself.
False
It attacked Stalin’s abuses, not the whole Soviet system.
What was one aim of de-Stalinisation inside the USSR?
To reduce terror.
Khrushchev wanted to weaken the climate of fear and arbitrary repression.
How did Khrushchev change party organisation?
Partial reorganisation
He tried to alter structures and reduce rigid Stalinist methods, though results were mixed.
What was one reason Khrushchev reformed industry and agriculture?
Economic inefficiency
Centralised Stalinist methods had produced serious waste and imbalance.
What does partial decentralisation mean under Khrushchev?
Less central control
Some decisions were shifted away from the central ministries in Moscow.
Fill in the blank:
Khrushchev’s attempt to increase agricultural output included the _____ Lands scheme.
Virgin
New land was brought under cultivation, especially in Kazakhstan.
What was the Virgin Lands scheme?
It aimed to boost grain output by cultivating previously unused land.
What was one short-term result of the Virgin Lands scheme?
Initial rise in output.
Early gains were followed by declining returns and environmental problems.
What happened to social conditions and living standards under Khrushchev?
Housing and consumer provision improved somewhat compared with the late Stalin years.
What is meant by the cultural ‘thaw’?
Relaxed censorship
There was somewhat greater freedom in culture and discussion, though clear limits remained.
True or False:
Khrushchev created full freedom of speech in the USSR.
False
Cultural controls eased, but the Soviet state still censored and punished dissent.
How did Soviet relations with China change under Khrushchev?
They worsened.
Ideological and strategic disagreements led to the Sino-Soviet split.
What was peaceful coexistence?
Khrushchev argued that capitalism and communism could compete without inevitable war.
Why did the Cuban Missile Crisis damage Khrushchev?
Loss of prestige
Many critics believed he had acted recklessly and then backed down.
What issue dominated Khrushchev’s negotiations with the West in Europe?
Berlin
Berlin remained a major source of Cold War tension and summit diplomacy.