Synopses & Reviews
History and politics students alike will welcome this new Seminar Study which analyses the Khrushchev era -- a critical period of Soviet and world history. It was Khrushchev who, in 1957, finally filled the political vacuum left by the death of Stalin in 1953. He was an erratic, impulsive, inspirational and innovative leader who addressed the fundamental problems of the country - and yet he was, Martin McCauley argues, "a brilliant failure. In this study the author explores all aspects of the Khrushchev era: including reforms in agriculture, economic policy, crises in Eastern Europe, the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, de-Stalinisation and Khrushchev's attempts to reform the Communist Party.
Synopsis
When Stalin died in 1953 he left behind a political vacuum and a flawed legacy. By 1957 Khrushchev was the acclaimed national leader and embarked on a major programme of reform. Martin McCauley assesses all aspects of the Khrushchev era, as well as analysing the complex personality of Khrushchev himself.
Table of Contents
Part One: The Background. 1. From Peasant Boy to a Member of Stalin's Elite,
Part Two: Descriptive Analysis.
2. Becoming a Strong National Leader, 1953-57,
3. On Top of the World, 1958-62.
4. Decline and Fall, 1963-64.
5.The Unwilling Pensioner, 1964-71.
Part Three: Assessment.
6. Courageous Failure.
Part Four: Documents.
Chronology.
Glossary.
Bibliography.
Index