The Cold War and The USSR after Stalin

The Cold War and The USSR after Stalin

1. The Death of Stalin, March 1953

   • By 1953, Stalin had imposed his system of control across the satellite states of East Europe
     • This was part of consolidation Soviet domination and consolidating the USSR's position in the Cold War
   • However, on the international stage, Stalin's final years were marked by a number of foreign policy failures, including:
     • Berlin Blockade 1948-1949
     • formation of NATO 1949
     • Yugoslavia's defection from COMINFORM
   • Stalin's death provided the new Soviet leadership with the change to pursue more constructive domestic and foreign policies
     • Also raised the possibility of a new superpower relationship and a relaxation of Cold War tensions.

2. De-Stalinisation

   • De-Stalinisation is the process, begun by the Soviet leader ship in 1953, of moving away from Stalin's policies
   • Following Stalin's death, The politburo endorsed the collective leadership of Malenkov, Molotov, Bulganin and Khrushchev to prevent another period of one man rule
     • 1953-1955 the collective leadership attempted to reform the Stalinist Soviet system by:
       • ending 'personality cult' politics
       • Reforming the Secret Police (renamed the KGB)
       • Arresting and executing Beria (1953) the feared head of the secret police - the other leaders were worried that he wanted to be Stalin's hard-line successor
       • Following a 'new course' in economic policy - placed greater emphasis on the production of consumer goods

3. Khrushchev's Secret Speech 1956

   • 20th Party Conference Feb 1956, witnessed the high point of Destalinisation
     • At a closed session of the gathering, K denounced Stalin's reign of terror in a 'secret' speech which lasted for 6 hours.
       • Stalin was attacked for
         • Promoting a cult of personality
         • Using purges and persecution to consolidate his personal rule
         • reducing the Comm party to a compliant body, which endorsed his absolute control
   • Impact
     • US - regarded as a sign that real change was taking place in the USSR.
     • Among the people of the satellite states - created an expectation of reform
     • De-Stalinisation had the potential to affect the USSR's foreign policy and was therefore significant for the development of the Cold War
   • Khrushchev's secret speech was not intended to remain secret
     • Copies of text were offered to Soviet officials and foreign Communist parties.
       • CIA also quickly obtained a printed version of the speech.
         • Published in Western press in June 1956.
           • Although heavily critical of Stalin, K did not condemn
             • The one-party state
             • The centralised economic system
             • The collectivisation of Agriculture
             • The existence of the secret police