Khrushchev

Early positions

• 1918 commissar in the Red Army

• First secretary of the Moscow Party 1935-8, planning + building of Moscow metro system

• 1938 first secretary of Ukraine party

• 1941 political commissar during war, special responsibility for Stalingrad

• PM of the Ukraine

• First secretary of Moscow party 1949, secretary to the Central Committee

1953-6

Started to dominate party, won struggle for power against Malenkov and Beria, First Secretary, Virgin Land campaign started

1956

Secret Speech, verbal attack on stalinism during 20th party congress → START OF DE-STALINISATION

Russian troops crush Hungarian uprising

1957

Moves towards decentralising the control of the Russian economy

Launching of first Soviet spacecraft, Sputnik I

Anti-Party group threat removed

1961-4

Faced with major Cold War crises → building of Berlin Wall, Cuban Missile Crisis, nuclear arms race, space race

1964

Removed from power, died 1971