Estonian sovereignty declaration baltic way act of the reestablishment of the. The book features a repeat appearance of leo stepanovich demidov, the protagonist of smiths first book, child 44 2008. Destalinization the reader wiki, reader view of wikipedia. On the cult of personality and its consequences also popularly known as the secret speech.
Aksiutin, yurii, khrushchevskaia ottepel i obshchestvennye nastroenia v sssr v. Khrushchevs secret speech remembered after 50 years. 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. The speech was the nucleus of a farreaching destalinization campaign. During khrushchevs secret speech in 1956, he strongly criticized many of khrushchevs policies and publicly denounced stalin s personality cult, ultimate dominance in the party, purges and the great terror. This caused a great deal of confusion and disorientation to the soviet citizens during this era. To what extent has destalinization by khrushchev caused. When we look at many of our novels, films, and historical scientific studies. The text of khrushchevs secret speech, although secret and not officially made public in the soviet union until 1988, soon spread across russia and abroad, causing shock that the great mans name. February 1956 entered history as the first step toward destalinization. The secret speech is the second book in the leo demidov trilogy and it follows child 44.
Tom rob smiths second novel, the secret speech, is set in 1956 as the soviet union takes its first baby steps toward destalinization. The secret speech novel the secret speech is the second novel in a trilogy by british author tom rob smith. Stalin is dead, and a violent regime is beginning to fractureleaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent. Nikita khrushchevs secret speech a summary rupert colley. Til that nikita khrushchev delivered a secret speech. The speech was the nucleus of a farreaching destalinization campaign intended to destroy the image of the late dictator as an infallible leader. Secret speech khrush chevs secret speech the specific purpose of khrushchevs 1956 secret speech before the twentieth party congress of the communist party of the soviet union was to denounce the cult of personality surrounding stalin and to begin a process of cleansing within the soviet union. Throughout the soviet union people discussed the secret speech. February 25, 1956 khrushchevs secret speech, on the cult of. The consolidation of the modern system of soviet production relations 19531964 cambridge up, 2002. Khrushchevs secret speech on stalin 1956 internet archive.
One of the most significant aspects of the speech was its denunciation of the cult of personality, referring to the worship of stalin by the soviet press. Secret speech delivered by first party secretary at the twentieth party. Western intelligence agencies had no difficulties obtaining the secret speech shortly after it was delivered. On the effects of khrushchevs secret speech and the destalinization process on soviet society, see the archivebased studies of zubkova, elena, russia after the war. Khrushchevs secret speech, february 25, 1956, in russian history, denunciation of the deceased soviet leader joseph stalin made by nikita s. After the speech, khrushchev worked tirelessly to expose the many crimes of stalin. Nikita khrushchev and destalinization in the soviet union. The most likely reason for this hatred was that stalin refused to forgive his son leonid who shot a fellow officer while being drunk. Wanted to loosen tight central economic controls, by creating regional economy committees. Khrushchevs secret speech obliterated stalin s cult of personality and began the widespread movement to dismantle stalinist influences in the soviet government. A secret speech composed by stalin s successor khrushchev is distributed to the entire nation. Matyas rakosi in hungary and antonin novotny in czechoslovakia had copied.
This novel takes us back to the bleak world of the former ussr where people betray their friends, neighbors, colleagues and even family to the state. Khrushchev believed that stalin had damaged russia both politically and socially and wanted to eliminate the mark stalin had on russia and its people. Destalinization was a process that spread throughout the ussr and the eastern bloc, and the. Khrushchevs secret speech soviet history britannica. Khrushchev to a closed session of the 20th congress of the communist party of the soviet union.
Khrushchev served as first secretary of the communist party of the soviet union from 1953 to 1964, and as chairman of the. 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. Destalinization, political reform launched at the 20th party congress february 1956 by soviet communist party first secretary nikita khrushchev that condemned the crimes committed by his predecessor, joseph stalin, destroyed stalin s image as an infallible leader, and promised a return to socalled socialist legality and leninist principles of party rule. Israeli intelligence and the leakage of khrushchevs. Nikita khrushchev and destalinization in the soviet union 1953. Khrushchevs secret speech texts seventeen moments in. State department and has been widely published and annotated in the free world. In the soviet union itself, these events were seen and judged as a direct consequence of khrushchevs liberalization.
The secret speech that changed world history world news. 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 stalin s method of rule. Nikita khrushchev delivers the secret speech historian. The role of destalinization in the sinosoviet split prezi. Some of those present reputedly suffered heart attacks in the weeks that followed. After the hostilities, he may have risked ed destalinization, in the months between. Stalins books and records his private belongings were scattered, his. By first admitting that stalin acted in excess of his political mandate, khrushchev set about. Til that nikita khrushchev delivered a secret speech denouncing stalin in 1956 which was so shocking that it caused heart attacks for some in attendance and others to commit suicide afterwards. The secret speech that changed world history world news the. 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. Hopes, illusions, and disappointments, 19451957 armonk, ny. On 25 february 1956 the soviet nikita khrushchev delivered the controversial secret speech, denouncing stalin. On the cult of personality and its consequences wikipedia.
Aksiutin, yurii, khrushchevskaia ottepel i obshchestvennye nastroenia v sssr v 19531964 gg. In 1959 khrushchev had wanted to build a submarine base off the coast of the prc, but mao denied it. For the economy, khrushchev asked for decentralization. There were dangers in denouncing stalin as he was placed on a pedestal both at home and among communists abroad. Zubok shelved 1 time as destalinization avg rating 3. 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. Explore cpds vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.
After khrushchevs secret speech feb 1956, rakosi tries to run things as if nothing has happened. The secret speech is a further exploration of the soviet union joseph stalin created. However, prior to khrushchevs secret speech to the 20th party congress, no direct association between stalin as a. Midway through the book, prisoners in a siberian gulag riot and overthrow their captors. 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. The secret speech at the twentieth party congress in i956 that initiated destalinization is still secret in the soviet union. One year after khrushchevs secret speech, the stalinists attempted to oust khrushchev from the leadership position in the soviet communist party. In a secret speech before a closed plenum of the 20th congress of the cpsu, khrushchev. In 1970, since a new generation came, too many questions arose, but they were all untold, so we have to ask and get answ. Real and ideal responses to destalinization, in he dilemmas of destalinization. The consequences of destalinization in eastern europe. In both the soviet union as well as other communist countries, stalin was presented as incredibly wise and kind, a. Negotiating cultural and social change in the khrushchev era, ed. In the short term, in 1950ies, it was no room for prejudice, since everyone has seen all the situation and no alternative.
The speech entitled on the cult of the individual and its consequences would become known as simply khrushchevs secret speech. Khrushchevs secret speech on the personality cult and its consequences had a tremendous impact on the relative decentralization in the eastern europe since the death of stalin. Khrushchev reiterates his secret speech indictment, that there was something unquestionably sick about stalin, and he compares stalin s acts to those of hitler and mussolini. Estonian sovereignty declaration baltic way act of the re establishment of the. Mao agreed with stalin s use of fear and the cult of personality, making it clear that he had no intention of opposing personality cults. Congress of the communist party of the soviet union and. Translated into english, possibly by russian speakers working in west germany for the cia. The soviet union in the cold war from stalin to gorbachev the new cold war history by. Russia is marking the 50th anniversary of khrushchevs secret speech, in which he denounced crimes committed under josef stalin and the cult of personality surrounding the deceased soviet leader. Destalinization secret speech on the cult of personality and its consequences was a report by soviet leader nikita khrushchev made to the twentieth party congress of the communist party of the soviet union on 25 february 1956. Destalinization and the limits of reform in the ussr.
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