De-Stalinization/Khrushchev’s Thaw
Denunciations of Stalin:
During Khrushchev’s secret speech in 1956, he strongly criticized many of Khrushchev’s policies and publicly denounced Stalin’s personality cult, ultimate dominance in the party, purges and the great terror
Did you know?
While denouncing Joseph Stalin in a speech one day, Khrushchev was interrupted by a voice from the audience: “You were on of Stalin’s colleagues,” the man declared. “Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Who said that!?” Khrushchev roared. This was followed by a terrified silence – only to broken at last by Khrushchev himself
“Now….” he said in a quiet voice, “Now you know why.”
Reasons for denouncing Stalin:
- Dismantle Stalin’s dictatorship without causing the collapse of USSR
- Gain popularity for himself among the Soviet people
- Released millions of political prisoners
- Harsh laws during the Stalinist era were reformed
Relaxation of censorships ("One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", Solzhenitsyn's tale of life in the Gulag camps, was published in 1961)
- Allowed some foreign movies, books, art and music
-6th World Festival of Youth and Students was held in Moscow allowing the Soviets to be expose to international visitors and their music and dances. This was also the first time that the Soviets open their door to the world.
- Improve the living conditions of the Soviets by focusing on consumer goods
During Khrushchev’s secret speech in 1956, he strongly criticized many of Khrushchev’s policies and publicly denounced Stalin’s personality cult, ultimate dominance in the party, purges and the great terror
Did you know?
While denouncing Joseph Stalin in a speech one day, Khrushchev was interrupted by a voice from the audience: “You were on of Stalin’s colleagues,” the man declared. “Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Who said that!?” Khrushchev roared. This was followed by a terrified silence – only to broken at last by Khrushchev himself
“Now….” he said in a quiet voice, “Now you know why.”
Reasons for denouncing Stalin:
- Dismantle Stalin’s dictatorship without causing the collapse of USSR
- Gain popularity for himself among the Soviet people
- Released millions of political prisoners
- Harsh laws during the Stalinist era were reformed
Relaxation of censorships ("One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", Solzhenitsyn's tale of life in the Gulag camps, was published in 1961)
- Allowed some foreign movies, books, art and music
-6th World Festival of Youth and Students was held in Moscow allowing the Soviets to be expose to international visitors and their music and dances. This was also the first time that the Soviets open their door to the world.
- Improve the living conditions of the Soviets by focusing on consumer goods
Reform of the Judicial System:
- Downgraded secret police force (they could no longer conduct trials)
- Prosecuting departments of the MVD and special courts were abolished. In the future, criminal investigation was carried out in regular courts, under the authorities of the government.
- Civilians were now only to be convicted in properly constituted courts, and not in military tribunals as before and conviction now require evidence and witnesses not just a confession
- Absenteeism and quitting a job was no longer criminal
- Downgraded secret police force (they could no longer conduct trials)
- Prosecuting departments of the MVD and special courts were abolished. In the future, criminal investigation was carried out in regular courts, under the authorities of the government.
- Civilians were now only to be convicted in properly constituted courts, and not in military tribunals as before and conviction now require evidence and witnesses not just a confession
- Absenteeism and quitting a job was no longer criminal