WWII -> Khrushchev 1941-64

what was the impact of WWII on USSR?

• huge destruction

• 27 million deaths

• cities, farms and industry devastated

• economy redirected entirely to war production

what was the political impact of the war?

strengthened stalins authority:

• seen as wartime leader and defender

• centralised control increased

BUT

• temporary relaxtion of repression

• church allowed more freedom

• national pride encouraged

what was the economic impact of war?

• industry moved east (away from german invasion)

• focus on: weapons, tanks and aircrafts

consequences:

• civilian goods neglected

• severe shortaged

what was the social impact of war

• extreme hardship

• starvation

• forced labour

• mass evacuation

BUT

• growth of patriotism

• unity against invasion

what was the impact on stalins leaderhsip?

• became more pragmatic (solving problems and making decisions based on practical, real-world considerations, consequences, and facts rather than abstract theories, ideals, or emotions)

• worked with allies

• relied on generals more than before

• war enhanced his prestige

what was high stalinism

• period of maximum control and repression

• height of stalins dictatorsip after WWII

what was the revival of terror

• reintroduction of purges

• increased surveillance

what was the campaigns against enemies

• leningrad affair (purge of officials)

• doctors plot (accusation of jewish doctors)

what was anti semitism like

• increased discrimination against jews

• linked to paranoia and control

what was stalins cult of personality like at this point

• portrayed as a war hero and genius leader

• propaganda intensified

why did terror return

• fear of losing control after the war

• suspicion of elites

• desire to maintain authority

when did stalin die?

1953

what happened when stalin died?

• no clear successor

• collective leadership formed

who were the key figured for leadership after stalin

• malenkov

• beria

• khrushchev

why was there a power struggle?

• stalin left no clear plan

• fear of returning to dictatoship

• competing visions for USSR

what was malenkov like as a person?

• quiet and cautious

• not very charismatic

• seen as a compromise leader

• more interested in improving living standards than using terror

what was beria like as a person

• ruthless and feared

• controlled the secret police (NVKD)

• very powerful but unpopular

• also suprisingly reform-minded after stalins death

who was khrushchev

• born 1894

• peasant backround

• rose through communist party under stalin

• became leader mid 1950s

personality

• energetic, outspoken, sometimes impuslive

• less formal than stalin

• known for unpredictable behaviour

how did khrushchev gain power

• helped remove beria

• outmanouvered malenkov politically

• built support in the communist party

when did khrushchev become leader

1956

what were khrushchevs key beliefs

• communist could be improved

• less reliance on terror

• improve living standards

what was peaceful coexistence

USSR could compete with the west without war

what was reform communism

• keep system, but make it more humane

what was de-stalinisation

• removal of stalins influence

what was khrushchev’s secret speech

• 1956

• critisized stalin for terror, purges and cult of personality

what affect did this have in the USSR

• reduced fear

• release of prisoners

• less censorship

what effects did this have abroad

• uprisings in eastern europe

• shock to communists worldwide

how did khrushchev reduce terror

• secret police was made less powerful

• fewer executions

what changes did khrushchev make to parties

• more collective leadership

• some decentralisation

what is decentralisation

the transfer of authority, decision-making, and resources from a central entity (such as a government or corporation) to smaller, local branches or distributed nodes

what were the limitations of reform

• USSR still a one party state

• opposition not allowed

what industrial changes were made?

• shift towards consumer goods

• decentralisation in regional councils

what were the problems with industrial change

• inefficiency

• poor coordination

• confusion in planning

when was the virgin lands scheme

1954

what was the virgin lands scheme

• farming unused land in siberia

what were the aims of virgin lands scheme

• to boost food production

what were the results of the virgin land scheme

short term:

• increased output

long term:

• soil exhaustion

• falling production

what were living standards like

• more housing

• more consumer goods

what was education like

• expanded education system

• focus on science and technology

what was life for women like

• continued to work

• some improvements in equality

what was religion like

• renewed anti religious campaigns

• churches closed

what was ‘thaw’ in culture

• less censorship

• more artistic freedom

what does thaw actually mean

thaw is the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s when repression and censorship in the Soviet Union were relaxed due to khrushchev

what were the limitations of thaw

• critisism of government still punished

what was party opposition like for khrushchev

• hardliners disliked reforms

• thought he weakened communism

what was public dissatissfaction like

• food shortages

• economic problems

what was the hungarian uprising

• crushed by soviet army

• showed limits in reform

• Discontent with totalitarian rule under Stalinist leader, severe economic hardship, and a desire to escape Soviet domination.

• The rebellion was brutally repressed, with thousands arrested, executed, or forced into exile. Imre Nagy was arrested and later executed in 1958

what were issues with foreign policy

• cold war tensions

• risky decisions

why was khrushchev removed as leader of USSR

• economic failures

• party opposition

• seen as erratic

how was khrushchev removed

• peaceful coup by party leaders

• forced to retire

what were khrushchevs achievments

• ended mass terror

• improved living standards

• began reform of system

what were khrushchevs failures

• economic instability

• limited political change

• loss of support

what can be an overall judgement on khrushcevs impact

reformed the system but didnt transform it

how far did khruschev change the USSR overall?

change:

• destalinsation

• reduced repression

• social improvements

continuety

• one party state

• no real democracy

• state control

why did opposition against khrushchev grow

• reduced censorship

• more freedome = people could critisize indirectly

• intellectuals and artists tested limits of what was allowed

how was literature used to oppose the regime

• writers exposed stalinist terror

• life in labour camps

• and problems in soviet society

roll of magazines

• some criticism allowed in official publications

what was the samizdat

• illegal copying and sharing of banned works

• books, poems and political criticism

• bypassed censorship

• spread opposition ideas secretly

what was tamizdat

• illegal spread of opposition but abroad

how was poetry an important way to spread opposition

• easy to spread

• emotional and powerful

• could criticise indirectly

• lack of freedom theme

• fear under stalin theme

• disappointment with soviet life theme

how did music oppose the system

• songs expressed frustrations and desire for freedom (jazz)

• promoted individual expression

• challenged strict soviet cultural control

why was opposition still limited

• USSR still a one party state

• censorship still existed

• risk of punishment remained

what was the government response to opposition

• some tolerance

• but crackdown if criticism went too far