Nikita Khrushchev became first secretary, (second in command) of the Moscow Communist Party in 1935 under Joseph Stalin. In 1939, became a full member of the Politburo. Became Premier of the Soviet Union in Khrushchev

Born in Kalinovka to an illiterate family in Father worked as a farmer and a coal miner. Family was unable to survive as farmers and moved to an industrial center in Ukraine in Nikita began working in a factory.

At age 18, Khrushchev joined a group of workers who organized a strike for better working conditions. Nikita continued his activism by helping organize strikes through In 1917, Khrushchev joins Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War, and served as a political commissar. Russian Civil War Map- Picture 2

Received training from the Industrial Academy in Moscow, and upon graduation, was appointed a political post in Ukraine. After Stalin (right) won power over Leon Trotsky and Nikolai Bukharin, Khrushchev eventually rose to first secretary of the Communist Party in Became a full member of the Politburo in Rise to power corresponded with the Great Terror in Russia. Joseph Stalin-Picture 3

In 1941, Khrushchev sent to head the Communist Party in Ukraine. After the Nazis were driven out of Ukraine in 1944, Khrushchev was responsible for restoring agricultural production, establishing order, and punishing traitors. He returned to Moscow in 1949.

Stalin died in Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin (right) won power over Stalin’s successor Georgi Malenkov and secret police chief Lavrenti Beria. Bulganin became premier in 1955, but Khrushchev was in charge of the Communist Party. In 1956, Khrushchev gave his Secret Speech to the 20 th Party Congress, attacking Stalin’s dictatorship and crimes against the people. De- Stalinization. Ordered an invasion on Budapest to destroy 1956 Hungarian Revolution. App civilians were killed and were wounded. Nikolai Bulganin-Picture 4

Khrushchev was promoted to Premier of the Soviet Union when Nikolai Bulganin resigned from office in Khrushchev was Premier from Advocated many reforms with agriculture, industry, and administrative office. Reform advocacy contributed to an upsurge of independence movements in Eastern Europe.

Believed in peaceful-coexistence with the West, but still boasted about the Soviet’s destructive power. Khrushchev initiated the Soviet Space Program that launched Sputnik, giving the Soviet Union a head start in the space race. Also negotiated with John F. Kennedy for a joint moon program, which ended when Kennedy was assassinated in Khrushchev and Kennedy-Picture 5

Approved the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, further damaging relations with the West. Began the deployment of nuclear weapons into Cuba, leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis of Building the Berlin Wall-Picture 6 Soviet Launch Site in San Cristobal, Cuba

Reforms, agricultural stagnation, and erratic political policies had alienated him from many powerful Soviet political groups. On October 15, 1964, Khrushchev was ousted out of the Premiership by Leonid Brezhnev. In 1966, Khrushchev was dropped from the Communist Party’s Central Committee.

Became one of Stalin’s top advisors as First Secretary of the Communist Party. Policy of De-Stalinization drastically changed politics in the Soviet Union, such as independence movements in Soviet satellite nations and an end to the prominent role forced-labor played in the economy. Became Premier of the Soviet Union in Believed in peaceful-coexistence with the West. Well-known for his liberalization policies and reforms. Played a major role in many crises between the West and Russia. (Berlin Wall, Cuban Crisis.) Khrushchev died on September 11, 1971.