Dethroning Stalin, 1953–6

Despite Khrushchev’s efforts since the 19th Party Congress to restore the authority of the party, it was those in favour of the state’s authority who benefitted at first from Stalin’s death. It was no accident that Khrushchev was the only member of the new ruling Presidium who was not a member of the Council of Ministers. The key figures in the new government announced at a joint meeting of the Central Committee Plenum, the Council of Ministers and the Supreme Soviet Presidium on 5 March were. Malenkov, as prime minister; Beria, as Minister of Internal Affairs; Molotov, as Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Bulganin, as Minister of Defence. Khrushchev, it was suggested, would “concentrate on work in the Central Committee”; he would not, however, have any title other than “Secretary” for the post of general secretary was abolished. The implication was fairly clear, Khrushchev’s role was to mobilise the party into supporting the implementation of government decisions. This situation was reinforced when on 14 March a Central Committee Plenum relieved Malenkov of his party responsibilities and gave Khrushchev leadership of the Secretariat; at the same time Khrushchev gave up his responsibility for Moscow’s party organisation.1