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Nikita Khrushchev assumed leadership of the Soviet Union during the period following after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. Khrushchev served as a General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as a Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. When in 1964, Nikita Khrushchev was forced to leave his post and the Party leadership, a special “troika” representatives consisting of Alexey Kosygin, Leonid Brezhnev and Anastas Mikoyan initially replaced him. Brezhnev eventually assumed the central role among the three and under Brezhnev’s rule the Soviet Union expanded its sphere of influence to include much of Southeast Asia, Africa, parts of Central America and the Caribbean. Until his death in 1971 the Soviet government closely monitored Khrushchev. Khrushchev became famous and mostly recognized for his rejection of the “personality cult” that Stalin had fostered during his own thirty-year rule. Khrushchev also attempted revival of the Communist campaign to suppress all remnant religious institutions in the Soviet Union. Furthermore, Khrushchev supported the invasion and crackdown on Hungary in 1956, the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and the deployment of Soviet weapons in Cuba in 1962.

In this regardRemarkably in 1964, Nikita Khrushchev is something of an enigmawas forced to leave his post. His foreign policyThe Party leadership comprises a special “troika” representatives (Alexey Kosygin, position on religion and on Marxist-Leninist doctrine were clearly hardlineLeonid Brezhnev, but he was a reformer because he allowed criticism of Stalin and even permitted some anti-Stalinist literature to be published and disseminated in USSR’s societyAnastas Mikoyan) deposed Khrushchev. He allowed criticism of StalinEventually, despite suppressing criticism of Brezhnev assumed the central role among the Soviet Republicthree. Khrushchev also hoped to raise Under his rule, the Soviet citizens’ standard Union expanded its sphere of living so they could benefit from the transference influence to include Southeast Asia, Africa, parts of Central America, and the ownership of “the means of production” to the StateCaribbean.

His De-Stalinization policies reduced Why was Khrushchev deposed? How did Khrushchev fall from power? How had he alienated the powers Communist Party leadership? Khrushchev was seen as enough of the secret police and opened up new academic and cultural freedoms. Historians believe a concern that Khrushchev’s efforts until his death, in these areas provided a context for 1971, the reformist policies of Mikhail Gorbachev laterSoviet government closely monitored him. Khrushchev’s downfall largely resulted from his lack of clear ruling strategy, true diplomatic skills and This article will explore how Khrushchev lost the complex multifaceted aspects of domestic Soviet Communist Party's confidence and international destabilization that occurred during his tenure in office. Without Khrushchev being was removed from office, it is unlikely that the Soviet Union could have experienced the revival and the growth of its sphere of influence that occurred during the Brezhnev era.<ref>"Nikita Khrushchev: Rise to power, personality & legacy" http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nikita_Khrushchev</ref>

==Struggle for power and assuming leadership ==Khruschev Rejection of the Soviet UnionStalin==== On March 6, 1953, the Soviet Union announced Stalin’s death Khrushchev became famous and the need best recognized for his rejection of new leadership. A struggle for power between different factions within the Communist Party began. Fearing “personality cult” that the powerful state security chief, Lavrenty Beria would eventually eliminate other elite party officials as he Stalin had so many others, Malenkov, Molotov, Bulganin, and others united under fostered during his own thirty-year rule. Khrushchev also attempted to denounce Beria and remove him from power. They imprisoned Beria and sentenced him revive the Communist campaign to deathsuppress all remnant religious institutions in the Soviet Union. After Furthermore, Khrushchev supported the quick execution engineered by Khrushchev, he engaged invasion and crackdown on Hungary in a power struggle with Malenkov1956, who was Stalin’s apparent heir. Khrushchev soon gained constructing the decisive margin and Berlin Wall in September 19531961, he replaced Malenkov as First Secretary and nominated Marshal Nikolay Bulganin as the new Soviet Premierweapons in Cuba in 1962.<ref>Nikita Khrushchev Complex Personality - http://www.biography.com/people/nikita-khrushchev-9364384</ref>

==De-Stalinization and domestic policies== [[File:Nikita_Khrushchev_in_1959.jpg|thumbnail|250px|In this regard, Khrushchev in 1959]]By the end is something of 1955, due to the an enigma. His foreign policy, pursued by Khrushchev, thousands of political criminals had returned homeposition on religion, and shared their experience in the Soviet labor campsMarxist-Leninist doctrine were hardline. With several million political prisoners newly releasedStill, Khrushchev eased he was a reformer because he allowed Stalin's criticism and freed the domestic political atmosphere. Continuing investigation into the abuses further revealed Stalin’s crimes even permitted some anti-Stalinist literature to his successorsbe published and disseminated in USSR’s society. Khrushchev believed that once he successfully removed the stain He allowed criticism of StalinismStalin, despite suppressing criticism of the Party would inspire even greater loyalty among the peopleSoviet Republic. Beginning in October 1955, Khrushchev insisted on revealing Stalin’s crimes before the delegates also hoped to raise Soviet citizens’ standard of living to benefit from the upcoming 20th Party Congress. Some transference of his colleagues opposed the disclosure and managed ownership of “the means of production” to persuade him to make his remarks in a closed session. <ref>Nikita Khrushchev: Consolidation of power & his Secret Speech - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_Khrushchev#Consolidation_of_powerthe State.3B_Secret_Speech</ref>

The 20th Party Congress opened in 1956 and Khrushchev delivered his soHis De-called “Secret Speech” to a closed session Stalinization policies reduced the powers of the Congress secret police and opened up new academic and strictly limited to cultural freedoms. Historians believe that Khrushchev’s efforts in these areas provided a number context for the reformist policies of Soviet delegatesMikhail Gorbachev later. The speech was the nucleus Khrushchev’s downfall mainly resulted from his lack of a far-reaching de-Stalinization campaign intended to destroy clear ruling strategy, limited diplomatic skills, and the image complex, multifaceted aspects of the late dictator as an infallible leader domestic and to revert official policy to an idealized Leninist modelinternational destabilization during his office tenure. Observers outside Without Khrushchev being removed from office, it is unlikely that the Soviet Union could have suggested experienced the revival and the growth of its sphere of influence that Khrushchev’s primary purpose in making occurred during the speech was Brezhnev era.<ref>."Nikita Khrushchev: Rise to consolidate his own position of political leadership by associating himself with reform measures while discrediting his rivals in the Presidium (Politburo) by implicating them in Stalin’s crimespower, personality & legacy" http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nikita_Khrushchev</ref>

The secret speech, although subsequently read to groups ====Struggle for power and assuming leadership of party activists and “closed” local party meetingsthe Soviet Union====On March 6, was never officially published. Nonetheless1953, it caused shock and disillusionment throughout the entire Soviet Union, harming announced Stalin’s reputation death and new leadership. A struggle for power between different factions within the perception of Communist Party began. Fearing that the political system and powerful state security chief, Lavrenty Beria would eventually eliminate other elite party that officials as he had enabled him so many others, Malenkov, Molotov, Bulganin, and others united under Khrushchev to gain denounce Beria and misuse such great remove him from power. It also helped give rise They imprisoned Beria and sentenced him to death. After Khrushchev's quick execution, he engaged in a period of liberalization known as power struggle with Malenkov, who was Stalin’s apparent heir. Khrushchev soon gained the “Khrushchev thaw”decisive margin, during which censorship policy was relaxedand in September 1953, marking a literary he replaced Malenkov as First Secretary and nominated Marshal Nikolay Bulganin as the new Soviet renaissancePremier.<ref>Nikita Khrushchev Complex Personality - http://www. Thousands of political prisoners were released, and thousands more who had perished during Stalin’s reign were officially “rehabilitated”biography. com/people/nikita-khrushchev-9364384</ref>

The speech also contributed ====De-Stalinization and domestic policies==== [[File:Nikita_Khrushchev_in_1959.jpg|thumbnail|left|250px|Khrushchev in 1959]]By the end of 1955, due to the revolts that occurred later that year in Hungary and PolandKhrushchev's policy, further weakening the Soviet Union’s control over the Soviet bloc thousands of political criminals had returned home and temporarily strengthening the position of Khrushchev’s opponents shared their experience in the PresidiumSoviet labor camps. FurthermoreWith several million political prisoners newly released, through his Secret Speech Khrushchev effectively denounced eased and freed the "cult of personality" that surrounded Stalin and accused Stalin of domestic political atmosphere. The continuing investigation into the abuses further revealed Stalin’s crimes committed during the Great Purgesto his successors. This denunciation effectively alienated Khrushchev from believed that once he successfully removed the more conservative elements stain of Stalinism, the Party would inspire even greater loyalty among the partypeople. MoreoverIn October 1955, it also resulted in a deepening wedge between Khrushchev insisted on revealing Stalin’s crimes before the Soviet Union and China that led delegates to the so-called Asian Cold War upcoming 20th Party Congress. Some of his colleagues opposed the disclosure and the Sino-Soviet split later persuaded him to make his remarks in 1960a closed session. <ref>Khrushchev’s Nikita Khrushchev: Consolidation of power & his Secret Speech and its effects - http https://wwwen.britannicawikipedia.comorg/eventwiki/Khrushchevs-secret-speechNikita_Khrushchev#Consolidation_of_power.3B_Secret_Speech</ref>

==First unsuccessful attempt to remove Khrushchev The 20th Party Congress opened in 1956, and his further policies==In June 1957, Khrushchev was almost overthrown from delivered his position, and, although so-called “Secret Speech” to a vote in closed session of the Presidium actually went against him, he managed Congress and was strictly limited to reverse this by replacing Bulganin as prime minister and establishing himself as many Soviet delegates. The speech was the clear leader nucleus of both a far-reaching de-Stalinization campaign intended to destroy the Soviet state late dictator's image as an infallible leader and Communist party. With the help of Marshal Georgy Zhukov, Khrushchev managed to prevent what he referred revert official policy to as an Anti-Party Group idealized Leninist model. Observers outside the Soviet Union have suggested that attempted Khrushchev’s primary purpose in making the speech was to oust him from the party consolidate his position of political leadership and he became Premier of by associating himself with reform measures while discrediting his rivals in the Soviet Union Presidium (Politburo) by implicating them in March 1958Stalin’s crimes.

Confirmed in power Although subsequently read to groups of party activists and in his new role“closed” local party meetings, Khrushchev promoted the secret speech was never officially published. Nonetheless, it caused shock and set a new policy of “Reform Communism” disillusionment throughout the entire Soviet Union. In an attempt to humanize Soviet system – but without sacrificing its ideology – he placed greater emphasis on producing consumer goods, in contrast to Stalinist emphasis on heavy industry. Khrushchev begun seeing the US harming Stalin’s reputation and the West much more as a rival instead perception of an evil entity. He aimed at showing off the superiority of Soviet over American political system and party that had enabled him to gain and Western productsmisuse such great power. This position further alienated Mao Zedong. As It also helped give rise to a period of liberalization known as the Chinese Cultural Revolution proceeded“Khrushchev thaw, there ” during which censorship policy was no worse insult than to be scorned for being relaxed, marking a "Chinese Khrushchev," the equivalent Soviet literary renaissance. Thousands of an ideological turncoat. Unsurprisinglypolitical prisoners were released, and thousands more who had perished during the following years all this also led to further alienation with the People’s Republic of China and what would soon become their own "Cold War" triggered by the Sino-Soviet Split in 1960Stalin’s reign were officially “rehabilitated.”

==Liberalization, political, military The speech also contributed to the revolts that occurred later that year in Hungary and agricultural reforms==During Khrushchev’s time in officePoland, for further weakening the first time, Soviet Union’s control over the Party leadership permitted Soviet tourists to go overseas, bloc and Khrushchev often seemed amenable to widening exchanges with both socialist and capitalist countriestemporarily strengthening the position of Khrushchev’s opponents in the Presidium. Furthermore, by 1954 through his Secret Speech, Khrushchev effectively managed to reform the Stalinist security apparatus by subordinating it to denounced the top party leadership. He divided Stalin’s Ministry "cult of Internal Affairs into criminal police personality" surrounding Stalin and security services – KGB (now Federal Security Service – FSB), which in turn reported directly to accused Stalin of the crimes committed during the UGreat Purges.S.S.R’s Council This denunciation effectively alienated Khrushchev from the more conservative elements of Ministersthe party. The head of KGB was Moreover, it also Khrushchev’s nominee. However, resulted in a deepening wedge between the Soviet military bitterly resisted Khrushchev’s desire Union and China that led to reduce conventional armaments the so-called Asian Cold War and the Sino-Soviet split later in favor of nuclear missiles1960. His attempted decentralization of the party structure begun antagonizing many of those who had previously supported his own rise to power<ref>Khrushchev’s Secret Speech and its effects - http://www. According to various authors, political terror as an everyday method of government was replaced under Khrushchev by his administrative means of repressionbritannica. com/event/Khrushchevs-secret-speech</ref>

====First unsuccessful attempt to remove Khrushchev and his further policies====In 1958June 1957, Khrushchev for was almost overthrown from his position, and, although a vote in the first time opened a public Central Committee meeting to hundreds of Soviet officialsPresidium went against him. This, however, actually allowed Khrushchev even greater controlStill, since any dissenters would have he managed to make their case in front of a large, disapproving crowd. By reverse this time, after all, by replacing Bulganin as prime minister and establishing himself as the Soviet state and Communist Party had solidified into party's clear leader. With the so-called nomenclature – 10 million-strong elite help of bureaucratsMarshal Georgy Zhukov, managers and technicians intending on guarding their power and prerogatives at all cost. <ref>Nikita Khrushchev: Domestic policies managed to prevent what he referred to as an Anti- https://en.wikipediaParty Group that attempted to oust him from the party leadership, and he became Premier of the Soviet Union in March 1958.org/wiki/Nikita_Khrushchev#Domestic_policies</ref>

The central crisis Confirmed in power and his new role, Khrushchev promoted and set a new policy of Khrushchev’s administration, however, was agriculture“Reform Communism” throughout the Soviet Union. He optimistically based many plans on In an attempt to humanize the crops Soviet system – but without sacrificing its ideology – he emphasized producing consumer goods, in 1956 and 1958, which fueled his repeated promises contrast to overtake the United States in both agricultural Stalinist emphasis on heavy industry. Khrushchev began seeing the US and industrial productionthe West much more as a rival instead of an evil entity. He opened up more than 70 million acres aimed at showing off the superiority of virgin land in Siberia the Soviets over American and send thousands of laborersWestern products. This position further alienated Mao Zedong. As the Chinese Cultural Revolution proceeded, but this plan there was unsuccessful, and the Soviet Union soon had no worse insult than to import wheat from Canada and the US once again. be scorned for being a "Chinese Khrushchev was convinced and believed that he could solve ," the Soviet Union’s agricultural crises through the planting equivalent of corn on the same scale as an ideological turncoat. Unsurprisingly, during the United Statesfollowing years, though failing all this also led to realize that further alienation with the differences People’s Republic of China and what would soon become their own "Cold War" triggered by the Sino-Soviet Split in climate and soil made this strongly inadvisable1960.

==Khrushchev foreign ==Liberalization, political, military and defense policies: on the brink of nuclear waragricultural reforms====[[File:Nikita_Khrusjtsjov.jpg|thumbnail|250px|Nikita Khrushchev During Khrushchev’s time in Vienna in 1961]]When Khrushchev took controloffice, for the outside world still knew little of himfirst time, and he was initially not highly recognized. Short, heavysetthe Party leadership permitted Soviet tourists to go overseas, and wearing ill-fit suits, he was commonly seen as very energetic but not intellectual, Khrushchev often seemed amenable to widening exchanges with both socialist and was dismissed by many as a buffoon who would not last longcapitalist countries. Although his attacks on world capitalism were virulent and primitiveFurthermore, his outgoing personality and peasant humor were in sharp contrast by 1954 Khrushchev effectively managed to reform the image introduced Stalinist security apparatus by all earlier Soviet public figuressubordinating it to the top party leadership. He also had very poor diplomatic skillsdivided Stalin’s Ministry of Internal Affairs into criminal police and security services – KGB (now Federal Security Service – FSB), giving him which reported directly to the reputation U.S.S.R’s Council of being a rudeMinisters. The head of KGB was also Khrushchev’s nominee. However, uncivilized peasant in the West and an irresponsible clown Soviet military bitterly resisted Khrushchev’s desire to reduce conventional armaments in his own countryfavor of nuclear missiles. His methods attempted decentralization of administrationthe party structure begun antagonizing many of those who had previously supported his rise to power. According to various authors, although efficient, were also acknowledged political terror as erratic since they threatened to abolish a large number an everyday government method was replaced under Khrushchev by his administrative means of Stalinist-era agenciesrepression.

In foreign affairs, Khrushchev widely asserted his doctrine of peaceful co<dh-existence with the non-communist world, which he had first proclaimed in his public speech at the 20th Party Congress. In 1959, Khrushchev conferred with President Eisenhower, which brought Soviet-American relations to new highs. Notwithstanding these hopeful developments, Khrushchev as a diplomat remained irascible and blunt. Back to Moscow reception, he directed his famous “We will bury you!” comment at the capitalist West. A long-planned summit conference with Eisenhower in Paris in May 1960 broke up with Khrushchev’s announcement that a U.S. plane (a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft) had been shot down over the Soviet Union with its pilot captured. Khrushchev repeatedly disrupted the proceedings in the United Nations General Assembly in September-October 1960 by pounding his fists on the desk and shouting in Russian. At one of the United Nations conferences, he even reacted to a comparison between Soviet control of Eastern Europe and Western imperialism in one of the most surreal moments in Cold War history, by waving his shoe and banging it on his desk. ad/>

In 19611958, his blustering Vienna conference with the new U.S. president, John F. Kennedy, failed Khrushchev opened a public Central Committee meeting to achieve a solid agreement on the pressing German question; the hundreds of Soviet Union built officials for the infamous Berlin Wall shortly thereafterfirst time. Soviet success in lofting This expansion of the world’s first space satellite in 1957 had been followed by increased missile buildups. Central Committee allowed Khrushchev made a dangerous gamble in 1962, over Cuba, which almost made a Third World War inevitableeven greater control. He secretly attempted Anyone who dissented from him would have to deploy Soviet medium-range missiles make their case in Cubafront of a large, disapproving crowd. Once detected by the USBy this time, and during the following tense confrontation in October 1962after all, when the United States and Soviet Union apparently stood on Communist Party had solidified into the brink so-called nomenclature – 10 million-strong elite of nuclear warbureaucrats, managers, and technicians intending on guarding their power and prerogatives at all cost. <ref>Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles on the promise that the United States would make no further attempt to overthrow Cuba’s communist government: Domestic policies - https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Nikita_Khrushchev#Domestic_policies</ref>

NeverthelessThe central crisis of Khrushchev’s administration, however, Chinese communists unfavorably was agriculture. He optimistically based many plans on the crops in 1956 and harshly criticized the Soviet Union for mishandling this settlement. The Sino-Soviet split1958, which began fueled his repeated promises to overtake the United States in 1959, reached the stage agricultural and industrial production. He opened up more than 70 million acres of public denunciations virgin land in 1960Siberia and sent thousands of laborers. China’s ideological insist on all-out “war against Still, this plan was unsuccessful, and the imperialists” and Mao Zedong’s annoyance with Khrushchev’s co-existence policies were exacerbated by Soviet refusal Union soon had to assist the Chinese nuclear weapon buildup import wheat from Canada and to rectify the Russo-Chinese borderUS once again. The Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty reached between Khrushchev was convinced that he could solve the Soviet Union and Union’s agricultural crises by planting corn on the same scale as the United States in 1963, although generally welcomed throughout though failing to realize that the world, intensified even further Chinese denunciations of Soviet “revisionism”differences in climate and soil made this strongly inadvisable.<ref>Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev: Premier of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics & Leadership of the Soviet Union: http://www.britannica.com/biography/Nikita-Sergeyevich-Khrushchev</ref>

====Khrushchev foreign and defense policies: on the brink of nuclear war====[[File:Nikita_Khrusjtsjov.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|Nikita Khrushchev in Vienna in 1961]]<div class="portal" style='float:right; width:35%'>====Related Articles===={{#dpl:category=Russian History|ordermethod=firstedit|order=descending|count=8}}</div>When Khrushchev took control, the outside world still knew little of him, and he was initially not highly recognized. Short, heavyset, and wearing ill-fit suits, he was commonly seen as very energetic but not intellectual and was dismissed by many as a buffoon who would not last long. Although his attacks on world capitalism were virulent and primitive, his outgoing personality and peasant humor were in sharp contrast to the image introduced by all earlier Soviet public figures. He also had abysmal diplomatic skills, giving him the reputation of being a rude, uncivilized peasant in the West and an irresponsible clown in his own country. His methods of administration, although efficient, were also acknowledged as erratic since they threatened to abolish a large number of Stalinist-era agencies.  In foreign affairs, Khrushchev widely asserted his doctrine of peaceful co-existence with the non-communist world, which he had first proclaimed in his public speech at the 20th Party Congress. In 1959, Khrushchev conferred with President Eisenhower, which brought Soviet-American relations to new highs. Notwithstanding these hopeful developments, Khrushchev, as a diplomat, remained irascible and blunt. Back to Moscow reception, he directed his famous “We will bury you!” comment at the capitalist West.  A long-planned summit conference with Eisenhower in Paris in May 1960 broke up with Khrushchev’s announcement that a U.S. plane (a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft) had been shot down over the Soviet Union with its pilot captured. Khrushchev repeatedly disrupted the proceedings in the United Nations General Assembly in September-October 1960 by pounding his fists on the desk and shouting in Russian. At one of the United Nations conferences, he even reacted to a comparison between Soviet control of Eastern Europe and Western imperialism in one of the most surreal moments in Cold War history by waving his shoe and banging it on his desk.  In 1961, his blustering Vienna conference with the new U.S. president, John F. Kennedy, failed to achieve a substantial agreement on the pressing German question; the Soviet Union built the infamous Berlin Wall shortly after that. Increased missile buildups had followed Soviet success in lofting the world's first space satellite in 1957. Khrushchev made a dangerous gamble in 1962 over Cuba, which almost made a Third World War inevitable. He secretly attempted to deploy Soviet medium-range missiles in Cuba. Once detected by the US, and during the following tense confrontation in October 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles on the promise that the United States would make no further attempt to overthrow Cuba’s communist government.  Nevertheless, Chinese communists unfavorably and harshly criticized the Soviet Union for mishandling this settlement. The Sino-Soviet split, which began in 1959, reached the stage of public accusations in 1960. China’s ideological insist on all-out “war against the imperialists,” and Mao Zedong’s annoyance with Khrushchev’s co-existence policies was exacerbated by Soviet refusal to assist the Chinese nuclear weapon buildup and to rectify the Russo-Chinese border. The Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty reached between the Soviet Union and the United States in 1963, although generally welcomed throughout the world, intensified even further Chinese denunciations of Soviet “revisionism.” <ref>Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev: Premier of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics & Leadership of the Soviet Union: http://www.britannica.com/biography/Nikita-Sergeyevich-Khrushchev</ref> ====Khrushchev’s forced removal from office====

Khrushchev’s rivals in the Communist party deposed him largely due to his erratic and cantankerous behavior, regarded by the party as a tremendous embarrassment on the international stage. The failures in agriculture, the quarrel with China, and the humiliating resolution of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, added to the growing resentment of Khrushchev’s own arbitrary administrative methods, were the major factors in his downfall.  On October 14, 1964, after a palace coup orchestrated by his “loyal” protégé and deputy, Leonid Brezhnev, the Central Committee forced Khrushchev to retire from his position as the party’s first secretary and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union because of his “advanced age and poor health”health. ” The Communist Party subsequently accused Khrushchev of making political mistakes, such as mishandling the Cuban Missile Crisis and disorganizing the Soviet economy, especially in the agricultural sector. However, Khrushchev considered his own forced retirement a major breakthrough and successful achievement. He was did not to opposeafter he left office, there were no executions after his coup, and his retirement was “negotiated” as between equals.<ref>Khrushchev’s last days in power - http://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/23/world/son-tells-of-khrushchev-s-last-days-in-power.html?pagewanted=all</ref> Following his ousting, Khrushchev spent seven years under house arrest. He died at his home in Moscow on September 11, 1971.

Despite all, for the Soviet Union and indeed for the entire world communist movement, Nikita Khrushchev was the great catalyst of political and social change. In his seven years of power as first secretary and premier, he broke both the fact and the tradition of the with Stalin 's dictatorship and established a basis for liberalizing tendencies within Soviet communism. His experience with international realities confirmed him in his doctrine of peaceful co-existence with the noncommunist world – in itself , a drastic break with established Soviet communist teaching, was somewhat successful. He publicly recognized the limitations as well as the and power of nuclear weapons, and his decision to negotiate with the United States for some form of nuclear-testing control was of vast importance.  Despite his repression of the Hungarian uprising in 1956, his acceptance of “different roads to socialism” led to growing independence among European communist parties. Still, but his Russian nationalism and his suspicion of Mao Zedong’s communism helped create an unexpectedly deep gap between China and the Soviet Union. By the time he was removed from office, he had set up guidelines for and limitations to Soviet policy that his successors were hard put to alter.

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