1. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Stalin was a hero to millions of people in the USSR. He had defeated Hitler and given the USSR an empire in eastern Europe. He made the USSR a nuclear superpower. When he died in 1953 many minds turned to the question of who would succeed Stalin as Soviet leader. The Presidium formed a collective leadership. The main players were Beria, Malenkov and Khrushchev. Initially it was Beria who seemed to be leading the way. He was head of the secret police- which was a worry for his rivals. Beria tried to reduce the use of terror. June 1953 Beria was arrested accused of being a British Spy and was executed. Socialist Legality- The principle that the action of the government and party organisations was subject to the law. This was particularly aimed at curbing the actions of the secret police to stop them carrying out arbitrary arrests.

2. The man who emerged in 1955 was Nikita Khrushchev.
The man who emerged in 1955 was Nikita Khrushchev. He seemed very different from Stalin. He ended the USSR’s long feuds with China and with Yugoslavia. He talked of peaceful co- existence with the West. He made plans to reduce expenditure on arms. He said he wanted to improve living standards of ordinary Soviet citizens and those of eastern europe. Khrushchev even relaxed the iron control of the Soviet Union. He released thousands of political prisoners. He agreed to pull Soviet troops out of Austria (there since the end of WWII). He seemed to be signalling to the countries of Eastern Europe that they would be allowed much greater independence to control their own affairs.

3. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Make a list of the features of the cartoon which show Khrushchev as a new type of leader.
This Russian cartoon shows Khrushchev
destroying the snowman

4. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Explain why he is destroying the snowman
This Russian cartoon shows Khrushchev
destroying the snowman (representing the Cold War).

5. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Explain what this is supposed to suggest about his attitude to the Cold War
This Russian cartoon shows Khrushchev
destroying the snowman (representing the Cold War).

6. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
a) What is the message of this source? (7)
This Russian cartoon shows Khrushchev
destroying the snowman (representing the Cold War).

7. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
The message of this sources is that a smiling Khrushchev, by his brave actions, is putting an end to the Cold War. I can see this because Khrushchev, who is portrayed in an appropriately Communist way as a workman, is drilling through, and destroying a snowman which represents the Cold War. I know this because when Khrushchev came to power in 1955 he began making changes which symbolised he wanted to put an end to the cold war. For example he discussed peaceful co-existence with the West.
This Russian cartoon shows Khrushchev
destroying the snowman (representing the Cold War).

8. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Peaceful Co-existence At first, the western powers hoped that Khrushchev would be the start of a ‘thaw’ in the Cold War. Khrushchev often met western leaders at ‘summit’ meetings. Stalin had made all Communist countries do what he wanted –Khrushchev changed this stating that ‘there are different roads to communism’. Western leaders thought he would no longer insist that all communist countries take orders from Russia. In a speech at the Twentieth Party Congress in 1956, Khrushchev attacked Stalin, saying that Stalin was a murderer and a tyrant. Khrushchev began to ‘de-stalinise’ Russia. In 1961 Khrushchev declared that the period of 'the dictatorship of the proletariat' was at and end, and that he would bring in instead: 'the state of the whole people'.

9. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Source A “You do not like Communism. We do not like capitalism. There is only one way out – peaceful co-existence.” Khrushchev speaking on a visit to Britain in 1956 What can we learn from Source A about Khrushchev’s attitudes towards peaceful co-existence?

10. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Source B “We may argue. The main thing is to argue without using weapons.” Khrushchev speaking in What can we learn from Source B about Khrushchev’s attitude towards peaceful co- existence?

11. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
Source C The death of Stalin (1953) was probably the starting point of the 'thaw' because it brought to the forefront leaders in Russia - for example Khrushchev - who wanted to improve relations with the west... Khrushchev explained the new policy in his famous speech (February 1956) in which he criticised Stalin and said that 'peaceful co-existence' was not only possible but essential: 'there were only two ways - either peaceful co-existence or the most destructive war in history. There is no third way'... Norman Lowe, Mastering Modern World History (1982) How is source C useful to a historian studying the importance of Khrushchev in succeeding Stalin as Soviet leader?

12. L.O. To understand the rise of Khrushchev
While denouncing Joseph Stalin in a speech one day, Khrushchev was interrupted by a voice from the audience: "You were one of Stalin's colleagues," the man declared. "Why didn't you stop him?" "Who said that!?" Khrushchev roared. This was followed by a terrified silence - only broken at last by Khrushchev himself. "Now..." he said in a quiet voice, "Now you know why." What can we learn from this source about why people did not oppose Stalin as leader of the USSR