Nikita Khrushchev
Key Soviet leader who oversaw de-Stalinization and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Chronology: 1894-04-03 – 1971-09-11
Origins & Early Life
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (15 April [O.S. 3 April] 1894 – 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. As leader of the Soviet Union, he shocked the world by denouncing his predecessor Joseph Stalin, embarking on a campaign of de-Stalinization, and presiding over the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Born in a village near Kursk, Khrushchev was employed as a metal worker during his youth and was a political commissar in the Russian Civil War.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
Under the sponsorship of Lazar Kaganovich, he rose through the ranks of the Soviet hierarchy. During Stalin's rule, he actively supported the Great Purge and approved thousands of arrests, and in 1938 was sent to govern the Ukrainian SSR, where he continued the purges. During World War II, Khrushchev was again a commissar, serving as an intermediary between Stalin and his generals. He was also present at the Battle of Stalingrad, a fact in which he took great pride. After the war, Khrushchev returned to Ukraine before eventually being recalled to Moscow as one of Stalin's close advisers.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
On 5 March 1953, the death of Stalin...
Source: Wikipedia