Learn khrushchev secret speech with free interactive flashcards. Apr 26, 2007 full text of a speech delivered by nikita khrushchev to the 20th congress of the communist party of the ussr in moscow on february 25 1956. Secretary of the communist party of the soviet union cpsu, nikita khrushchev, denounced stalin in a secret speech to a closed session of delegates to the twentieth congress of cpsu. Soviet leader nikita khrushchev publicized stalins crimes, was a major player in the cuban missile crisis and established a more open form of communism in the ussr. Nikita khrushchev reference archive sub archive of soviet government documents speech to 20th congress of the c.
According to conventional knowledge the text of the speech was obtained by the mossad the israeli foreignintelligence organization and transmitted to the cia. Nikita khrushchev at the national press club, september 16. Nikita khrushchev in a 1964 file photo itartass russia today marked the 50th anniversary of nikita khrushchevs secret speech, in which he denounced the crimes committed under dictator josef. Herein, perhaps, lies one of khrushchevs primary motives for giving the speech. Nikita khrushchev 18941971, first secretary of the communist party 19531964 and premier of the soviet union 19581964 delivered the following speech to an unofficial, closed session of the twentieth party congress on february 25, 1956. It seems almost certain that the 1956 secret speech was simply another way for nikita khrushchev to further his political career. Nikita khrushchev brandishes his shoe at the united nations. On february 24, 1956 before assembled delegates to the communist partys twentieth congress as well as observers from foreign communist parties, nikita khrushchev delivered a speech denouncing stalin for his transgressions. Translated into english, possibly by russian speakers working in west germany for the cia, it was disseminated widely outside the soviet bloc. Jan 09, 20 1956 khrushchev delivers his secret speech jamie sheas history class. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc march.
On 25 february 1956, nikita khrushchev delivered a speech to a closed session of party leaders in which he dismantled the legend of the recentlydeceased joseph stalin and, over four hours, criticized almost every aspect of stalins method of rule. Entry by christine clark the source discussed and analyzed below contains an excerpt from nikita khrushchevs march 1, 1961 speech to the soviet union. Khrushchevs secret speech denouncing stalin 1956 after the death of joseph stalin in 1953, nikita khrushchev was one of several party leaders who jockeyed for the soviet leadership. Herein, perhaps, lies one of khrushchev s primary motives for giving the speech. Khrushchev to a closed session of the 20th congress of the communist party of the soviet union. This clip emphasizes the impact that nikita khrushchevs denunciation of stalin at the twentieth party congress of the communist party in february 1956 had on. Shortly after midnight on the 25 th february 1956, soviet leader nikita khrushchev delivered his secret speech, officially called on the cult of personality and its consequences, in a four hour closed session at the end of the 20th party congress of the communist party of the soviet union. Khrushchevs secret s peech, on the cult of personality and its consequences, delivered at the. Khrushchev was keenly aware of the fact that if he gave a speech that proved too critical of stalin or which seemed to criticize the communist system rather than just the former leader and the word of it spread, it could give communisms opponents and international anticommunists ammunition against the soviet union and the international. As it was a mere three years since stalins death, this seemed barely credible. Khrushchevs secret speech seventeen moments in soviet.
Dec 16, 2014 this clip emphasizes the impact that nikita khrushchev s denunciation of stalin at the twentieth party congress of the communist party in february 1956 had on international relations, especially. Congress of the communist party of the soviet union and. By nikita sergeyevich khrushchev, first secretary, communist party of the soviet union western intelligence agencies had no difficulties obtaining the secret speech shortly after it was delivered. The secret speech delivered to the closed session of the twentieth congress of the communist. Khruschevs criticism of stalin in his secret speech. Khrushchevs secret speech simple english wikipedia, the. Israeli intelligence and the leakage of khrushchevs secret. Khrushchevs secret speech texts seventeen moments in. Feb 24, 2011 before 1956, josef stalin had always been portrayed as a hero of the soviet union. Khrushchev secret speech flashcards and study sets quizlet. Khrushchevs secret speech denouncing stalinism 1956. This supposed killing is used to explain why khrushchev later denounced stalin in the secret speech. Full and edited versions of nikita khrushchevs the cult of the individual speech delivered to the 20th congress of the communist party of the ussr in moscow on february 25 1956.
Nikita khrushchev at the national press club, september 16, 1959. Khrushchevs speech to the 20th party congress introduction. Khrushchevs secret speech remembered after 50 years. Books by nikita khrushchev author of khrushchev remembers. Soviet premier nikita khrushchev 18941971 spoke at a national press club luncheon the day after he arrived in washington on the first visit by a soviet leader to. Some might say dry at times but also a fascinating window into the world of the defunct ussr. Engels and i first joined the secret society of communists on the condition that everything making for superstitious worship of authority would be deleted from its statute. Did nikita khrushchev say well keep feeding you small doses. Texts excerpts from the secret speech full text of the speech related texts purges repudiated varga remembers bela kun the incidents in georgia, march 1956 criticism of student behavior. Congress of the communist party of the soviet union and its. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc plenum, warsaw citation. Khrushchev was born on april 15, 1894, loweralpha 2 in kalinovka, a village in what is now russias kursk oblast, near the present ukrainian border. Nikita khrushchevs most popular book is khrushchev remembers. Feb 18, 2020 khrushchevs secret speech, february 25, 1956, in russian history, denunciation of the deceased soviet leader joseph stalin made by nikita s.
His parents, sergei khrushchev and ksenia khrushcheva, were poor peasants of russian origin, and had a daughter two years nikita s junior, irina. At the twentieth congress of the cpsu february 2425 1956, khrushchev delivered a report in which he denounced stalins crimes and the cult of personality surrounding stalin. His parents, sergei khrushchev and ksenia khrushcheva, were poor peasants of russian origin, and had a daughter two years nikitas junior, irina. Khrushchev served as first secretary of the communist party of the soviet union from 1953 to 1964, and as chairman of the council of ministers, or premier, from 1958 to. Khrushchev revealed to dumbstruck delegates that, instead of the wise and beneficent object of their adulation, stalin was a bloodthirsty criminal. Appropriately large passages are dedicated to the secret speech and other relevant political situations such as the development of the sinochinese relationship, while throughout the book many of the anecdotal pieces make many of khrushchevs encounters extremely amusing once we come to undertand the man himself. Then, in a secret speech to a communist party conference, his successor, nikita khrushchev, denounced him as a. Nikita khrushchev in a 1964 file photo itartass russia today marked the 50th anniversary of nikita khrushchev s secret speech, in which he denounced the crimes committed under dictator josef. Although the contents of the speech were held confidential, it was soon leaked to outsiders. In a sevenhour secret session speech to the twentieth communist party congress in moscow, communist party general secretary nikita khrushchev made a full and damning case against his predecessor joseph stalin. Khrushchevs secret speech of 1956 not only marked a major radical change in the ussr, but when it was published outside the ussr it brought upheaval all over the world.
Mar 29, 2006 it began in secret, at midnight on 2425 february 1956. In one of the most surreal moments in the history of the cold war, russian leader nikita khrushchev removes his shoe and threatens to pound a table with it in protest against a speech critical of. Appropriately large passages are dedicated to the secret speech and other relevant political situations such as the development of the sinochinese relationship, while throughout the book many of the anecdotal pieces make many of khrushchev s encounters extremely amusing once we come to undertand the man himself. Gobbet 2 khrusschevs secret speech the source is an extract of a speech given by nikita khrushchev at the twentieth party congress of the soviet union on february 25th 1956. Khrushchevs speech was sharply critical of the reign of joseph stalin. The soviet leader allegedly boasted that americans would suddenly waken to find they lived under communism. Nikita khrushchev attacked joseph stalin at the twentieth congress of the cpsu in his secret speech. It began in secret, at midnight on 2425 february 1956. Krushchevs secret speech was the speech in which nikita krushchev denounced joseph stalin after the latters death. Bbc world service witness history, khrushchevs secret speech. Before 1956, josef stalin had always been portrayed as a hero of the soviet union. Secret speech delivered by first party secretary at the twentieth party congress of the communist party of the soviet union. Then, in a secret speech to a communist party conference, his. Its title was on the cult of personality and its consequences.
It was whispered that nikita sergeyevich khrushchev, first secretary of the cpsu, had made a sensational speech denouncing stalin for heinous crimes including murder and torture. Written in 1970 some years of khrushchev fell from power oct. The speech entitled on the cult of the individual and its consequences would become known as simply khrushchevs secret. Nikita khrushchevs secret speech a summary rupert colley. Memoirs of nikita khrushchev volume 3 statesman 19531964 edited by sergei khrushchev memoirs translated by george shriver supplementary material translated by stephen shen. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc plenum, warsaw, march 20, 1956, history and public policy program digital archive, aan, archive of modern records pzpr 2631 materialy do stosunkow partyjnych polskoradzieckich z lat 19561958, przemowienie tow. Khrushchevs secret speech fifty years ago, soviet premier nikita khrushchev gave a speech denouncing his predecessor joseph stalin. Khrushchevs secret speech, on the cult of personality and its consequences, delivered at the twentieth party congress of the communist party of the soviet union, february 25, 1956, history and public policy program digital archive, from the congressional record. Khrushchevs secret speech, february 25, 1956, in russian history, denunciation of the deceased soviet leader joseph stalin made by nikita s. Khrushchev wanted to consolidate power while at the same time distance himself from stalin.
Full text of a speech delivered by nikita khrushchev to the 20th congress of the communist party of the ussr in moscow on february 25 1956. On the cult of personality and its consequences wikipedia. Institute for international studies brown university providence rhode island the pennsylvania state university press university. Dec 18, 2018 did nikita khrushchev say well keep feeding you small doses of socialism. In addition, he revealed that stalin had rounded up. On the cult of personality and its consequences russian. Apr 28, 20 nikita khrushchev attacked joseph stalin at the twentieth congress of the cpsu in his secret speech. Project muse how khrushchev leaked his secret speech to the. Nikita khrushchev 18941971 led the soviet union during the height of the cold war, serving as premier from 1958 to 1964. Khrushchevs secret speech soviet history britannica. Khrushchev denounced stalins cult of the personality. Full and edited versions of nikita khrushchev s the cult of the individual speech delivered to the 20th congress of the communist party of the ussr in moscow on february 25 1956. In february 1956 khrushchev, by now established as leader, delivered a speech titled on the cult of personality and its consequences to the. Excerpts from khrushchev speech radio episode transcript.
The speech was a spoken report to the twentieth party congress of the communist party of the soviet union on 25 february 1956. Khrushchev had done his fair share of trampling in the previous three years. One theory has leonid surviving the crash and collaborating with the germans, and when he was recaptured by the soviets, stalin ordering him shot despite nikita khrushchev pleading for his life. Choose from 140 different sets of khrushchev secret speech flashcards on quizlet. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc march 20, 1956. His goals behind the presentation of the speech were selfserving in nature. Khrushchevs secret speech seventeen moments in soviet history. Go here for more about khrushchev s secret speech it follows the english translation of an excerpt transcript of nikita khrushchev s secret speech, delivered at moscow february 25, 1956. Nikita khrushchev, in full nikita sergeyevich khrushchev, born april 17 april 5, old style, 1894, kalinovka, russia died september 11, 1971, moscow, russia, soviet union, first secretary of the communist party of the soviet union 195364 and premier of the soviet union 195864 whose policy of destalinization had widespread repercussions throughout the communist world. The speech entitled on the cult of the individual and its consequences would become known as simply khrushchev s secret.
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