Wednesday, November 13, 2013
De- Stalinization
When Joseph Stalin died on March 5, 1953, he was succeeded by communist party member Nikita Khrushchev. Khrushchev was a strong believer in communism, but condemned Stalin in a speech for his purges, arrest of innocents, and sending them to gulags. His speech made people who heard it feel safe because they believed that the truth was finally coming out and would never be repeated. Israeli spies in Soviet Russia gave the speech to the CIA who broadcasted it throughout Europe. When the Polish People heard the speech, they started standing up for more rights because they believed that Khrushchev would not punish them for it as Stalin would. Poland did not denounce communism however, so Khrushchev allowed them more freedoms as long as they remained Russia's ally and a member of the Warsaw Pact.
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Do you think De-Stalinization was effective overall?
ReplyDeleteDe-Stalinization was effective overall because Krusshchev was able to convince most of the Soviet people that Stalin had harsh and evil ways. People never really thought to criticize Stalin, but now that it is happening in a public speech, people begin to realize the truth.
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