Born into a Ukrainian peasant family in 1894, Nikita Khrushchev, a close associate of Joseph Stalin (the authoritative leader of the Soviet Union as of 1924), was voted unanimously by the Supreme Soviet (the Soviet legislature) to be the first Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, considered to be the leader of the USSR. This unanimous vote occurred on March 27, 1958, six months after Joseph Stalin's death. Khrushchev had struggled with Stalin's successor, Georgy Malenkov, for the Secretary position, and ultimately Malenkov was appointed as Premier in a ceremonial post. By 1956, Khrushchev had denounced Stalin and his totalitarian policies at the 20th Party Congress. Millions of political prisoners were released via uprisings, which led also to anti-Soviet uprisings in Poland and Hungary. In a bid to negotiate a diplomatic solution, Khrushchev flew to Poland, but the Hungarian rebellion was crushed by the Warsaw Pact. By 1957, Khrushchev battled top party officials who opposed some of his policies. One of his policies was "peaceful coexistence with the West." He led the Soviet space race with cosmonauts and satellites, authorized the construction of the Berlin Wall, came head-to-head with the US in the Cuban Missile Crisis, faced a Soviet agricultural crisis, and struggled with relations with China. By October 14, 1964, Khrushchev's protégé and deputy, Leonid Brezhnev, led a successful coup against him, and Khrushchev stepped down as first secretary and premier. He died in 1971. (Source: History.com)
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Ref: UN 200
