Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev was a liberal opportunist who led the USSR as General Secretary from 1956 until 1964. He was the only General Secretary who did not die in office, but was removed in disgrace, besides Gorbachev.

Khrushchev's leadership saw extensive Ls in both foreign and domestic policy, and humiliation of the USSR to the West. In domestic policy, his failures included agriculture, the Sovnarkhoz (attempted end of central planning), cancelling OGAS cybernetics, and destruction of the environment (cancelling the Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature and draining the Aral Sea). In foreign policy, he made concessions to Austria, Japan, West Berlin, and the USA, finally leading to his removal over the Cuban Missile Crisis. He is also remembered for his 1956 speech spreading myths about Stalin, which he used to justify his seizing of power.