Inspirational Quotations by Nikita Khrushchev (Russian Head of State)

Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (1894–1971) was a Soviet political leader who served as the premier of the USSR 1958–64. He was a major force in world politics in the post-Stalin era.

Born in Kalinovka, southern Russia, to a working class family, Khrushchev became a full-time party official at age 31, beginning as secretary of a district party committee near Yuzovka, today’s Donetsk in Ukraine. After getting trained in industrial administration, he became secretary of a district party committee in Moscow and joined the highest ranks of party officialdom as head of the party organization of the Moscow region. He assumed control of the Soviet Union as premier of the country, five years after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953.

Khrushchev started to distance the Communist Party from Stalin’s terror of the 1930s (when Stalin killed thousands of his political rivals as well as over 10 million peasants through starvation.) Under Khrushchev, Soviet Union citizens enjoyed conditions more favorable than had been possible under Stalin. The standard of living rose, intellectual and artistic life became somewhat freer, and the authority of the political police reduced. In addition, relations with the outside world were by and large improved, and Soviet standing rose.

Khrushchev’s leadership took a downward turn when some of his ambitious economic projects failed. He not only came close to war with the US over the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, but also clashed with China. His de-Stalinization produced discord in the Communist ranks of other countries. In October 1964, when Khrushchev was away from Moscow, his opponents forced him to retire.

Khrushchev spent his last few years living quietly in Moscow. He published the first volume of his memoirs, Khrushchev Remembers in 1970.

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