Communism After Stalin
Stalin’s Death
• 1953
• Next major Russian
leader is Nikita
Khrushchev.
Life under Khrushchev
• “De-Stalinization = Denounces
“crimes” of Stalin.
• Russian society is a littler more
open.
• Wants to ease tension with US
(he visits).
• USSR is 1st in space (1st satellite
= “Sputnik”) 1957.
• Forms Warsaw Pact (communist
alliance in Europe that is in
response to NATO) in 1955.
Rebellion in Satellite Countries
• When Stalin died, some of the Eastern
European countries tried to get more
freedom/independence.
• Some don’t like being Communist.
• Others don’t like being controlled by
Russia (nationalism).
Hungary
• 1956
• Imre Nagy allows more freedom--other political
parties, freedom of speech.
• Takes Hungary out of the Warsaw Pact.
• Seems as if the country is going away from
Communism.
Russian Response
• Khrushchev sends in Russian troops and
tanks to keep Hungary communist.
• Hungary asks other countries like the US
and England to help them but they won’t.
• Nagy is executed and replaced by a proSoviet leader.
Problems with US under
Khrushchev
• U2 spy plane is shot down over Russia
(1960).
• Leads to tension again between the 2
superpowers.
Berlin Wall
• Khrushchev erects
Berlin Wall to keep
people from leaving
East Berlin.
Cuban Missile Crisis
• Russian put nuclear weapons in Cuba.
• US demands that they are withdrawn.
• US says that if they are attacked from Cuba,
they will attack Russia.
• US puts up naval blockade to stop Russians
from sending supplies.
Closet Cold War comes to Real
War
• Russia has ships on the way to Cuba.
• If they try to break the US blockade it will be war.
• Russia eventually backs down & calls ships back
to Russia.
• A deal is made—Russia removes nukes from
Cuba and US takes missiles out of Turkey. US
also promises not to invade Cuba.
Leonid Brezhnev
• Replaces Khrushchev in 1964.
• More of a hard-liner—not ok to talk bad
about Stalin or government.
• Built up the military.
Czechoslovakia
• 1968
• Czech leader Alexander
Dubcek allows freedom and
openness.
• Called “Prague Spring”
Russian Response
• Brezhnev sends in troops and Dubcek is
removed from power.
• Beginning of “Brezhnev Doctrine” = Russia
will send in troops to Warsaw Pact
countries if they seem to be going away
from Communism.