Khrushchev

Reaction to problems

• Retreat
• Questions of history disciplined for publishing details about terror
• December 1957 - special commission set up and headed by Brezhnev to suppress anti-communism
• New Year's Eve 1957 - speech in which Khrushchev said that "all communists are Stalinists"

Anti-Party group

• June 1957 - Presidium voted to replace Khrushchev but only Central Committee could replace him and he had majority there so he survived
• Opponents sacked
• March 1958 - Khrushchev became Prime Minister

What does it show?

• Not willing to use terror
• Needed central committee to survive

Khrushchev's fall

• Plot in the presidium - accused of creating a dangerous foreign policy and failed economic policy
• Supported by the Central committee
• Khrushchev "retired due to ill health" - given a pension, guards, a luxury car