Leader Analysis Sheet
Name of Leader: Nikita Khrushchev
Lifespan: 1894 - 1971
Title: Primary Leader of Soviet Union
Country/region: Russia (Soviet Union)
Years in Power: 1956 – 1971
Political, Social, & Economic Conditions Prior to Leaders Gaining Power:
 Decreased birth rates.
 The Soviet Union became fully industrialized between 1920 and 1950.
 Environment was damaged due to the industrialization. People’s health was also affected.
 Women acquired jobs and were taking on more physical tasks like men.
 Westernized ideas were banned.
 Education was used to make citizens loyal to the communist government.
 War was brought upon the Orthodox Church. Only the elderly remained faithful to the church.
 Western style social structure.
 Soviet Union remained relatively isolated up until the 20th century under Stalin.
 Built the Berlin Wall to separate East and West Germany.
 Cold War with the United States.
Ideology, Motivation, Goals:
 He did not want to follow in the same steps as Stalin had. Instead, he looked down upon the intense
concentration of power and the dictatorship.
Significant Actions & events During Term of Power:
 Khrushchev opened up Siberian land to cultivate.
 He planted missiles in Cuba, probably one of the most intense moments in the cold war.
 Launched the first space program: Sputnik.
 Invaded Afghanistan in 1979.
Short-Term effects:
 Brought the economy up drastically, but it
soon failed after his succession.
 Little institutional reform: political trials
became less common.
 Bad relations with other super powers.
Long-Term Effects:
 Russia was the first to send people up into
space.