"Hurricane Nikita" and his infamous shoe.
Khrushchev is also known for removing his shoe and banging on a table in defiance of the United States and the West during a United Nations Delegation. |
Nikita Khrushchev was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1953-1964. His reign was responsible for major Cold War policies and events, such as: the Warsaw Pact, the Space Race, the Berlin Wall, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. (1) During these years, Khrushchev attempted to separate from Stalinist regime and improve the Soviet Union through his doctrine of 'Peaceful Co-Existance' and launching Sputnik I during the Space Race. (2)
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U-2 Spy planeThis photograph shows Khrushchev examining the wreckage of a US spy plane shot down over Soviet territory in May 1960. The US initially denied involvement, but later had to admit they were spying after a the public display of the plane. The pilot was eventually released, but the event increased tensions between Soviets and the West.
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the berlin wallThis political cartoon shows Khrushchev yelling over the Berlin Wall "See how many are staying on our side." After orders/approval from him, East German officials sealed the border between East and West Berlin overnight in August 1961 to prevent East Germans from fleeing the communist side. This cartoon makes fun of the idea that people had to be trapped in a place Communist leaders claimed was perfect.
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the cuban missile crisisThis image shows Khrushchev and President John Kennedy meeting in Vienna in June 1962 after the Crisis was "resolved." This 13-day conflict over the Soviet installing missiles in Cuba (so close to the US) has been cited as the "height" of the Cold War. The Soviets eventually agreed to relocate their missiles if the US would not invade Cuba (and secretly remove US missiles from Turkey).
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Footnote Citations
1. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1906.html
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/khrushchev_nikita.shtml
1. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1906.html
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/khrushchev_nikita.shtml