According the khrushchevs secret speech, the investigation concluded that, of the 9 members and candidates of the party central committee who were elected at the 17th congress, 98 persons, i. It can well be argued that the secret speech was the century s most momentous, planting the seed that eventually caused the demise of the ussr. Translated into english, possibly by russian speakers working in west germany for the cia, it was disseminated widely outside the soviet bloc. Israeli intelligence and the leakage of khrushchevs. Examiners report it has become a regular feature of questions that deal with russian governments for candidates to focus too much on anything that occurred and to dismiss the. Central committee building in the heart of moscow were ablaze with light into the early. Khrushchev s secret speech fifty years ago, soviet premier nikita khrushchev gave a speech denouncing his predecessor joseph stalin. Nikita khrushchev 18941971 led the soviet union during the height of the cold war, serving as premier from 1958 to 1964. Approved for release 20031104 ciardp67b00446r0005002000564. View homework help nikita khrushchev, khrushchevs secret speech. In a secret speech before a closed plenum of the 20th congress of the cpsu, khrushchev denounced stalins cult of the personality. The speech was the nucleus of a farreaching destalinization campaign intended to destroy the image of the late dictator as an infallible leader and to. Khrushchevs speech struck a blow at the totalitarian system mikhail gorbachevs commentary on the secret speech from the guardians supplement.
On february 25, 1956, khrushchev addressed the 20th party congress of the u. But following khrushchevs secret speech, the expectation of. 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. The mining engineer who had worked in yuzovka in the ukraine since the age of 15 had received. For the benefit of student readers who dont share that background knowledge, i have supplied paragraphend footnotes where i thought them appropriate. Khrushchev s speech is full of references to people and events that shouldwould have been fully understandable to his intended audience. Khrushchevs secret speech soviet history britannica. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc march. 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 this country.
Feb 18, 2006 political speeches are usually oneday wonders. It can well be argued that the secret speech was the centurys most momentous, planting the seed that eventually caused the demise of the ussr. The talk was televised nationally and broadcast over voice of america. Khrushchevs secret speech seventeen moments in soviet history. Israeli intelligence and the leakage of khrushchevs secret. In february 1956 khrushchev, by now established as leader, delivered a speech titled on the cult of personality and its consequences to the. Khrushchevs secret speech seventeen moments in soviet.
Nikita khrushchev at the national press club, september 16, 1959. Its title was on the cult of personality and its consequences the report was known as the secret speech because it was delivered at a closed session. Khrushchev to a closed session of the 20th congress of the communist party of the soviet union. The speech was secret in the sense that it was read in a closed session without discussion and was neither published as part of the congress proceedings nor reported in the soviet press. A stalinist rebuttal of khrushchevs secret speech, 1956. In the party central committees report at the 20th congress and in a number of speeches by delegates to the congress, as also formerly during. However, khrushchevs secret speech marked the return of nationalism as it opened the door to opposing the direct control of the soviet union. By first admitting that stalin acted in excess of his political mandate, khrushchev set. On the cult of personality and its consequences wikipedia. Before 1956, the soviet state paid lip service to the idea of public opinion, but paid no attention to it. Nikita khrushchev 18941971, first secretary of the communist party 19531964 and premier of the soviet. Secret speech khrushchevs 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.
Before 1956, josef stalin had always been portrayed as a hero of the soviet union. Nikita khrushchevs secret speech a summary rupert colley. He spoke openly to his colleagues on a subject that previously would have brought death to. 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. Unlike the era of high stalinism, defined by show trials and the homo sovieticus, now polish citizens in poznan saw an opportunity to echo khrushchev and critique stalinism themselves. Khrushchevs secret speech denouncing stalinism 1956. Its title was on the cult of personality and its consequences. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc plenum 20 march 1956, warsaw comrade aleksander zawadzki in polish comrades, the puwp politburo has taken advantage of the occasion afforded by comrade khrushchev s visit with us, and has invited comrade khrushchev to meet with the central committee plenum. According to the source, indignation erupted throughout the hall. Nikita khrushchevs secret speech, the pozna trinity college. On the cult of personality and its consequences also popularly known as the secret speech. Learn khrushchev secret speech with free interactive flashcards. Fifty years ago next week, russian leader nikita khrushchev made a secret speech that was very different. February 25, 1956 khrushchevs secret speech, on the cult of.
It seems almost certain that the 1956 secret speech was simply another way for nikita khrushchev to further his political career. This second lecture will enquire whether the post stalinist 1950s held the same opportunity for overcoming the division of europe that we witnessed later after the. The khrushchev reports secret speech name came because it was delivered at an unpublicized closed. Bbc world service witness history, khrushchevs secret speech. Comrades, in the report of the central committee of the party at the 20th congress, in a number of speeches by delegates to the congress, as also formerly during the plenary cccpsu sessions, quite a lot has. Congress of the communist party of the soviet union and its. 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. Russia is marking the 50th anniversary of khrushchev s secret speech, in which he denounced crimes committed under josef stalin and the cult of personality surrounding the deceased soviet leader. 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. Khrushchevs socalled secret speech at the 20th party congress in 1956 had farreaching effects on both foreign and domestic policies. 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. Although the contents of the speech were held confidential, it was.
Nikita khrushchev at the national press club, september 16. Through its denunciation of stalin, it substantially destroyed the infallibility of the party. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The text below has been adapted from the most commonly available variant. Khrushchevs secret speech simple english wikipedia, the. 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 the party central committees report at the 20th congress and in a number of speeches by delegates to the congress, as also formerly during plenary cccpsu central committee of the communist party of the soviet union sessions, quite a lot has been said about the cult of the individual and about its. According to conventional knowledge the text of the speech was obtained by the mossad the israeli foreignintelligence organization and transmitted to the cia. Khrushchevs secret speech, 1956 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. Khrushchevs secret speech full annotated text welcome. At the twentieth congress of the cpsu february 2425 1956, khrushchev. The outpouring of emotion and argument after the twentieth party congress made policy makers take notice.
By first admitting that stalin acted in excess of his political mandate, khrushchev set about. Congress of the communist party of the soviet union and. Eisenhowers farewell address criticized the american establishment in a subtle and indirect way, all the while singing the praises of american ideals and rhapsodizing about the land of the free and the home of the brave. Three cities after khrushchevs secret speech and the stalin monument that never was. The specific purpose of khrushchev s 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. Khrushchev secret speech flashcards and study sets quizlet. 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. Read the transcript of the secret speech given by nikita khrushchev in 1956 and answer the thought questions at the end.
Khrushchevs secret speech, february 25, 1956, in russian history, denunciation of the deceased soviet leader joseph stalin made by nikita s. 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. It follows the english translation of an excerpt transcript of nikita khrushchevs secret speech, delivered at moscow february 25, 1956. The first signs of poststalin unrest came before khrushchevs secret speech, with the brief and unsuccessful east german uprising in june 1953, just three months after stalins death. 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. Fredrich engels and i first joined the secret society of communists on the. The congress also formulated ideological reformations, which softened the partys hardline foreign policy. But following khrushchevs secret speech, the expectation of greater freedom from centralised, kremlin rule intensified. This speech would ultimately trigger a worldwide split. Jan 09, 20 this second lecture will enquire whether the post stalinist 1950s held the same opportunity for overcoming the division of europe that we witnessed later after the fall of the berlin wall in 1989. On the night of 24 february 1956, the windows of the communist partys. Herein, perhaps, lies one of khrushchevs primary motives for giving the speech. Khrushchevs secret speech remembered after 50 years. In addition, he revealed that stalin had rounded up thousands of people and sent them into a huge system of political work camps gulags.
Khrushchevs secret speech texts seventeen moments in. In his lengthy speech, khrushchev extensively discusses the paranoia and brutality of stalins reign. 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. The speech was a spoken report to the twentieth party congress of the communist party of the soviet union on 25 february 1956. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc plenum 20 march 1956, warsaw comrade aleksander zawadzki in polish comrades, the puwp politburo has taken advantage of the occasion afforded by comrade khrushchevs visit with us, and has invited comrade khrushchev to meet with the central committee plenum. Pdf khrushchevs second secret speech with the 74page. Choose from 140 different sets of khrushchev secret speech flashcards on quizlet. However, copies were sent to regional party secretaries who were instructed to brief rankandfile members. Speech by comrade khrushchev at the 6th puwp cc march 20, 1956. Khrushchevs secret speech the rise and fall of world. He set in motion a new era for the soviet union, and changed. The secret speech that changed world history world news. This contribution examines the way that the surprise of khrushchevs secret speech forced the soviet party leadership to acknowledge public opinion.
Then, in a secret speech to a communist party conference, his. Public diplomacy and khrushchevs secret speech 1 through the press section of usis that the communist parties themselves represented at the moscow congress have come to know one of the most serious and dramatic documents in the communist literature of the world. Khrushchev speech at polish embassy in moscow, 4 september 1959. Apr 28, 20 according the khrushchevs secret speech, the investigation concluded that, of the 9 members and candidates of the party central committee who were elected at the 17th congress, 98 persons, i.
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