Nikita Sergeyevich Khruschev Biography

Birth of Nikita Sergeyevich Khruschev

Born in Kalinovka in the Kursk Governorate of the Russian Empire.

His family moves toward the Donbas industrial region, where he later enters mining and metalworking.

Moves with his family to the Donbas industrial region, where his father seeks mining work.

Works as a metal fitter at the Rutchenkovo mine near Yuzovka.

Becomes active in workers' political organizations during the revolutionary upheaval.

Appointed Member of Communist Party

Appointed Member of Communist Party

Joins the Bolshevik Party during the Russian Civil War.

Serves as a political commissar with Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War.

Continues political work with Red Army units during the final stages of the Civil War.

Returns to the Donbas and becomes assistant director for political affairs at the Rutchenkovo mine.

Becomes Communist Party secretary of the technical college while continuing his studies.

Enrolls in the workers' faculty attached to a technical college in Yuzovka.

Becomes party secretary of the Petrovo-Marinsky district near Stalino.

Attends the Fourteenth Communist Party Congress as a non-voting delegate.

Continues professional party work in the Stalino area and strengthens ties with regional leaders.

Moves into higher Ukrainian party work before his transfer to Moscow for advanced study.

Sent by his local party to the Stalin Industrial Academy

Is sent by the Communist Party to study at the Stalin Industrial Academy in Moscow.

Becomes secretary of the Communist Party organization at the Industrial Academy.

Takes charge of the Bauman district party organization in Moscow.

Moves to lead the Krasnaya Presnya district party committee later in the year.

Moves into the senior ranks of the Moscow City party organization as its second secretary.

Appointed Member of Central Committee

Is elected a member of the Communist Party Central Committee.

Describes Stalin as "our genius leader"

Advances into senior Moscow party leadership during his rapid rise through the Communist hierarchy.

Assumes overall leadership of the Communist Party organization governing the Soviet capital.

Becomes first secretary of the Moscow Regional Communist Party committee.

Participates in the political oversight surrounding the opening of the first Moscow Metro line.

Participates in Stalin-era purges while leading the Moscow party organization.

Becomes a candidate member of the Politburo as his national influence expands.

Is sent to Ukraine to lead the Communist Party organization after extensive purges of its leadership.

Is confirmed as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine.

Becomes a full member of the Communist Party Politburo.

Appointed Lieutenant General

Appointed Lieutenant General

Appointed Member of Politburo, full member

Oversees party measures accompanying Soviet control of territories incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet republic.

Serves on the military council of the Southwestern Front during the German invasion.

Helps organize evacuation of industrial assets as German forces advance into Soviet Ukraine.

Works with Soviet military commanders during the defense and counteroffensive around Stalingrad.

Serves with the Southwestern Front leadership during the failed Soviet offensive near Kharkov.

Receives promotion to lieutenant general while serving in senior wartime political roles.

Continues senior political work with Soviet field armies during the Red Army's 1943 counteroffensives.

Returns to Kiev after Soviet forces retake the Ukrainian capital from German occupation.

Directs early planning for reconstruction of war-damaged Ukrainian cities, industry and agriculture.

Becomes chairman of the Ukrainian republican government while retaining senior party responsibilities.

Oversees restoration of Soviet administration and party control across western Ukraine after the war.

Faces severe agricultural shortages and famine conditions while serving in the Ukrainian leadership.

Leaves the Ukrainian party first-secretary post while remaining head of the republican government.

Returns as First Secretary of the Ukrainian Communist Party after a nine-month interruption.

Supports consolidation of Ukrainian collective farms and continued postwar agricultural reconstruction.

Appointed First Secretary of All-Union Central Committee

Returns to Moscow as a Central Committee secretary and senior Moscow party leader.

Resumes leadership of the Moscow regional party organization after leaving Ukraine.

Promotes agricultural reorganization around the capital while rebuilding his position in Stalin's inner circle.

Promotes large planned agricultural settlements before retreating after the proposal draws criticism from Stalin.

Attends the Nineteenth Party Congress and remains among the senior figures of the enlarged party Presidium.

9 Russian & 6 Jewish doctors confess to the murder of Andrei Zhdanov

Becomes a secretary of the Communist Party Secretariat following Stalin's death.

Appointed Secretary of the Party Secretariat, 1 of 5

Enters the collective leadership struggle that follows Joseph Stalin's death.

Has Beria arrested for allegedly staging a coup

Supports the leadership coalition that arrests Lavrenti Beria and removes him from the post-Stalin power struggle.

Has Beria arrested for allegedly staging a coup

Supports removal of officials associated with Beria as the new leadership restructures the security apparatus.

Appointed First Secretary of the CPSU

Is elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Has Beria executed

Beria is executed after being removed from power and tried by the Soviet leadership.

Russia sells a shipment of arms to Guatemala. Khruschev agrees to withdraw Russian troops for Austrian neutrality

Russia sells a shipment of arms to Guatemala

Khruschev agrees to withdraw Russian troops for Austrian neutrality

Khruschev agrees to withdraw Russian troops for Austrian neutrality

Directs major investment and migration toward new grain-growing areas in northern Kazakhstan.

The Soviet Presidium approves transfer of Crimea from the Russian republic to the Ukrainian republic during his leadership.

Launches his "Virgin & Idle Lands" programme to increase sown areas

Launches the Virgin Lands campaign to expand grain cultivation in Kazakhstan and other eastern regions.

Visits Beijing and reaches agreements expanding Soviet economic assistance to China.

Khruschev visits China & concludes a favourable trade agreement to the Chinese

Russia provides major military support to Egypt

Supports the agreement under which Austria becomes independent and permanently neutral.

Manages to manoeuvre Malankov from his position as First Secretary

Begins dismantling selected aspects of Stalin's political legacy before the Twentieth Party Congress.

Gosplan is divided into two commissions, the USSR Council of Minister's State Commission for Advanced Planning and the USSR Council of Minister's Economic Commission on Current Planning, tasked with predictive and immediate planning

Gosplan is divided into two commissions, the USSR Council of Minister's State Commission for Advanced Planning and the USSR Council of Minister's Economic Commission on Current Planning, tasked with predictive and immediate planning

The Soviet planning apparatus is reorganized into separate long-term and current-planning bodies.

Approves major Soviet-bloc military assistance to Egypt during the expansion of Soviet influence in the Middle East.

Agrees Austria will be neutral, neither part of the Eastern bloc nor part of the west

A state Treaty is signed with by the 4 occupying powers, Austria remains neutral

Begins the policy of de-Stalinization

Russia & Yugoslavia sign a Treaty of friendship

Russia & Yugoslavia sign a Treaty of friendship. Russia provides major military support to Egypt. Khruschev visits Yugoslavia to "bury the hatchet" with Tito. Khruschev & Bulganin visit Indonesia. Khruschev & Bulganin visit India. Khruschev & Bulganin visit Burma. Goes on a visit to India in order to provide technical & economic assistance. Agrees Austria will be neutral, neither part of the Eastern bloc nor part of the west

A state Treaty is signed with by the 4 occupying powers, Austria remains neutral

The Soviet Union formally ends its state of war with Germany.

Russia declares an end to belligerency with Germany

Helps force Georgy Malenkov from the premiership, strengthening Khruschev's position in the collective leadership.

West Germany joins NATO, an obstacle to east-west relations

West Germany joins NATO, an obstacle to east-west relations

8 Communist countries sign a Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation & Mutual Assistance

The Soviet Union and seven Eastern European allies establish the Warsaw Pact.

The four occupying powers sign the Austrian State Treaty, leading to the withdrawal of occupation forces.

Visits Yugoslavia and repairs relations with Josip Broz Tito after the Stalin-era split.

Signs the Belgrade Declaration recognizing different national paths to socialism.

The 1st postwar East-West summit. Pravda writes about the "spirit of Geneva" & endorses Khruschevs foreign policy. Khruschev rejects Eisenhowers proposals for free flights over Russia & the USA. Despite a spirit of rapprochement the Geneva Conference is disappointing

Attends the four-power Geneva Summit, where leaders discuss European security, German reunification and disarmament.

Pravda writes about the "spirit of Geneva" & endorses Khruschevs foreign policy

Visits India with Nikolai Bulganin and promotes Soviet economic and diplomatic cooperation.

Visits Burma during a wider Asian tour intended to expand Soviet relations with non-aligned states.

Russia agrees to build medical, sports & educational facilities for Burma

The Cominform is abolished to improve relations with the West & Yugoslavia

Abolishes the Cominform as part of efforts to improve relations with Yugoslavia and reduce Stalin-era controls.

The Cominform is abolished to improve relations with the West & Yugoslavia

Publicly attributes the fabricated Doctors' Plot to Stalin-era political repression and antisemitism.

Approves Soviet assistance for medical, educational and sports projects in Burma.

Says that the plot was instigated by Stalin to begin an anti-semitic purge

Accelerates review and rehabilitation of many people imprisoned or condemned during Stalin's purges.

Promotes peaceful coexistence with capitalist states as an official theme of Soviet foreign policy.

Makes a speech in closed session demolishing Stalins supposed infallibility

Opens the Twentieth Party Congress and presents a report emphasizing peaceful coexistence and economic competition.

Denounces Stalin as a criminal & that unreconstructed Stalinists are no better

Delivers the secret speech denouncing Stalin's cult of personality, purges and abuses of power.

Makes a speech denouncing Stalin as a military incompetent, a liar & mass murderer

Begins a state visit to Britain with Premier Nikolai Bulganin for talks on East-West relations.

Khrushchev pays a visit to Elizabeth II

The Central Committee adopts a resolution condemning the cult of personality and its consequences.

The Central Comm passes a resolution "overcoming the Cult of the Individual"

Travels to Warsaw during the Polish October crisis and accepts Wladyslaw Gomulka's return to power.

Joins the Soviet leadership decision to reverse course and use military force against the Hungarian uprising.

Hungary rebels against Russian rule

Hungary rebels against Russian rule

Approves the Soviet military intervention that crushes the Hungarian Revolution.

Sends forceful warnings to Britain and France during the Suez Crisis and demands an end to their military intervention in Egypt.

The Polish protests and Hungarian uprising led to major social and economic changes, including the 1957 abandonment of the 1956-1960 Soviet five-year plan, as the Comecon Governments struggled to reestablish their legitimacy and popular support

Dismisses those opposing transferring economic planning from Government to party

Expands Soviet economic assistance to Indonesia as part of a broader outreach to non-aligned states.

The Polish protests and Hungarian uprising led to major social and economic changes, including the 1957 abandonment of the 1956-1960 Soviet five-year plan, as the Comecon Governments struggled to reestablish their legitimacy and popular support

Abandons the current five-year plan as the leadership restructures economic planning after unrest in Eastern Europe.

Transfers economic planning from the Government to the party

Russia makes US $100 million worth of aid to Indonesia

Reorganizes industrial management around regional economic councils, reducing the authority of many central ministries.

Zhou Enlai visits Moscow

Meets Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during talks on Communist bloc relations.

Faces an attempt by senior Presidium rivals to remove him from the party leadership.

The Party Presidium votes to dismiss, but only the Central Committee can do this

Wins Central Committee backing against Molotov, Malenkov, Kaganovich and their allies.

Defeats the "Anti-Party Group" & becomes the undisputed leader of the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union successfully tests the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile during his leadership.

Sputnik is launched

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, during Khruschev's leadership.

Removes Marshal Georgy Zhukov from the defense ministry and party Presidium after fearing his political independence.

Sputnik 2 carries the dog Laika into orbit, demonstrating another Soviet space milestone.

Appointed Chairman of the Council of Minister's

The West replies to Russias ultimatum & tries to negotiate but the time limit expires

The West replies to Russias ultimatum & negotiates in Geneva. Intends to sign a peace with East Germany ending Allied rights in west Berlin

Promotes an education reform linking secondary schooling more closely with practical and industrial work.

Appointed Prime Minister of the Soviet Union

Directs preparation of the Seven-Year Plan intended to accelerate chemicals, energy and consumer production.

Suspends aid to the Chinese nuclear programme

Becomes Chairman of the Council of Ministers, combining the premiership with Communist Party leadership.

Begins difficult talks with Mao Zedong over defense cooperation, Taiwan and the direction of the Communist alliance.

Khrushchev issues an ultimatum giving the Western powers 6 months to agree to withdraw from Berlin and make it a free, demilitarized city

Demands that Western powers end their occupation rights in West Berlin and proposes transforming it into a free city.

Challenges Western NATO powers over their occupation rights and military presence in Berlin.

The category "enemies of the people" is eliminated

The Soviet legal system removes the Stalin-era category of enemies of the people.

Attends but a Treaty is not agreed due to US opposition, the "big hole" theory. Attends but a Treaty is not agreed due to US opposition, the "big hole" theory

21st Party Congress

Khrushchev & Eisenhower stated jointly that the most important issue in the world was general disarmament & Berlin to be resolved by negotiation. Russia withdraws its deadline & instead meets with the Western powers in a Big Four Foreign Minister's conference

Promotes wider maize cultivation as part of his effort to increase livestock feed and agricultural output.

Launches the maize campaign

Open disagreements with Mao Zedong deepen the emerging Sino-Soviet split.

The Sino-Soviet split becomes public

Visits Eisenhower to discuss general foreign policy including Berlin

Uses the Twenty-First Party Congress to launch the Seven-Year Plan and proclaim progress toward communism.

1st unmanned space probe is launched, Luna I

The Soviet Union launches Luna 1, the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity.

Debates Vice President Richard Nixon at the American National Exhibition over consumer living standards and rival political systems.

Khrushchev & Eisenhower stated jointly that the most important issue in the world was general disarmament & Berlin to be resolved by negotiation

Agrees with President Eisenhower that negotiations on Berlin should continue without a fixed Soviet deadline.

Khrushchev & Eisenhower stated jointly that the most important issue in the world was general disarmament & Berlin to be resolved by negotiation

Luna 2 becomes the first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon.

Arrives for his official American tour and is welcomed by President Eisenhower.

Begins the first visit to the United States by a Soviet leader, meeting President Dwight Eisenhower.

Addresses the United Nations General Assembly during his visit to the United States.

Visits a Hollywood studio during his widely publicized tour of the United States.

Tours San Francisco during his American visit and meets civic and business representatives.

Visits an Iowa farm and studies American maize production during his agricultural tour.

Visits Pittsburgh to inspect American industrial facilities before continuing to Camp David.

Holds extensive private and formal talks with Eisenhower on Berlin, disarmament and bilateral relations.

Concludes talks with Eisenhower by affirming that international disputes should be settled through peaceful negotiations.

Visits Beijing for the tenth anniversary of the People's Republic amid worsening Sino-Soviet relations.

Visits China for the 10th anniversary of the revolution

Criticised in the press for a visit to the US

Luna 3 photographs the far side of the Moon for the first time.

Days before an Allied summit the Russians capture a US U-2 spy plane over Russia

Days before the Allied summit the Russians capture a US U-2 spy plane over Russia

Expands political and economic ties with Fidel Castro's Cuba.

Strengthens relations with Fidel Castro's government as Cuba moves closer to the Soviet Union.

Soviet air defenses shoot down Francis Gary Powers's U-2 reconnaissance aircraft over Soviet territory.

Leaves the Paris summit after the United States refuses his demands over the U-2 reconnaissance programme.

Demands an American apology and an end to U-2 reconnaissance flights after the capture of pilot Francis Gary Powers.

Khrushchev pledges support for "wars of national liberation" in an address to the United Nations

Withdraws thousands of Soviet specialists from China, sharply worsening the dispute with Mao Zedong.

Orders Soviet technical experts withdrawn from China as the Sino-Soviet split intensifies.

Uses the Francis Gary Powers espionage case to condemn American aerial reconnaissance over the Soviet Union.

Uses his United Nations appearance to advocate general and complete disarmament under international arrangements.

Addresses the United Nations and attacks colonialism while promoting Soviet support for newly independent states.

Takes part in heated United Nations debates during an extended visit to New York.

1st manned space flight

The continuing flight from East Germany through Berlin intensifies pressure for a Soviet-backed border closure.

Overall operations for the construction of the Berlin Wall are directed by Marshal Ivan Konev, commander in chief of the GSFG. East German President Walter Ulbricht persuaded the Soviets that an immediate solution was necessary & that the only way to stop the exodus was to use force

Refugees from east Berlin to west Berlin creates a shortage of labour & skills

Announces he intends to support "wars of national liberation"

Albania is expelled from the Comecon

Declares Soviet political support for anti-colonial and national liberation movements while advocating avoidance of direct superpower war.

Albania leaves the Warsaw Pact Organisation

Yuri Gagarin completes the first human orbital spaceflight, a major Soviet achievement under Khruschev.

Hosts national celebrations for Yuri Gagarin after the first human orbital flight.

Soviet law expands capital punishment to specified major economic crimes.

Capital punishment is extended to include economic crime

Russia & the USA agree to enforce a truce within their areas of influence. Kennedy & Khrushchev meet to avoid direct confrontation between USA & Russia

Meets Kennedy & will settle with East Germany if the west signs a peace Treaty

Meets President John F. Kennedy in Vienna for tense discussions on Berlin, Laos and nuclear issues.

Renews pressure for a German peace settlement and threatens a separate treaty with East Germany.

Agrees with Kennedy on the goal of a neutral Laos governed by a coalition rather than direct superpower confrontation.

Announces the Defence budget will be increased by 30%

Announces a major increase in Soviet defense spending during the renewed Berlin confrontation.

The Soviet Union launches Gherman Titov on Vostok 2 for a day-long orbital mission.

The Warsaw Pact calls on East Germany for "protection & control" of the Berlin borders

Warsaw Pact governments support East German measures to tighten controls around Berlin.

The Warsaw Pact calls on East Germany for "protection & control" of the Berlin borders

Supports East German measures sealing the border between East and West Berlin.

The border between East & West is sealed off

The border between East & West is sealed off

Construction of the Berlin Wall begins

The fortified Berlin Wall begins taking shape after the initial closure of the sector boundary.

Construction of the Berlin Wall begins

Ends the Soviet nuclear testing moratorium and orders a new series of weapons tests.

Congress votes to remove Stalins body from the mausoleum on Red Sqr

The Central Committee plenum adopts a new Party programme replacing that of 1919

The new party programme describes the CPSU as the party of the whole people rather than solely the proletariat.

Defined as a party of the whole people rather than a dictatorship of the proletariat

By 1980 "distribution according to need" should be in place

Proposes a 20 year plan to usher in a communist society

Opens the Twenty-Second Party Congress and renews public criticism of Stalin-era repression.

Presents a new party programme promising to build the material foundations of communism within twenty years.

The Soviet Union detonates the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful nuclear device ever tested.

Stalins body is removed from the Kremlin

The Twenty-Second Party Congress adopts a new Communist Party programme replacing the 1919 programme.

Stalin's body is removed from Lenin's Mausoleum following renewed condemnation at the Twenty-Second Party Congress.

Stalingrad is renamed Volgograd as de-Stalinization reshapes Soviet public symbols.

A Comecon council session approved the Basic Principles of the International Socialist Division of Labour, which talked of closer coordination of plans and of "concentrating production of similar products in one or several socialist countries"

Comecon adopts principles for closer coordination and specialization among member economies.

A Comecon council session approved the Basic Principles of the International Socialist Division of Labour, which talked of closer coordination of plans and of "concentrating production of similar products in one or several socialist countries"

A Comecon council session approved the Basic Principles of the International Socialist Division of Labour, which talked of closer coordination of plans and of "concentrating production of similar products in one or several socialist countries"

The United Nations General Assembly adopts the McCloy-Zorin Accords

The United Nations endorses agreed United States-Soviet principles for future general and complete disarmament negotiations.

The United Nations General Assembly adopts the McCloy-Zorin Accords

Calls for "a common single planning organ", resisted by Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland, but most emphatically by increasingly nationalistic Romania, which strongly rejected the notion that they should specialize in agriculture. Mongolia joins the Comecon

The US & Russia withdraw their tanks from the Berlin Wall

Raul Castro agrees for missiles to be based in Cuba

Mongolia joins the Comecon. Forcred by Kennedy to remove missiles from Cuba

Meets Raul Castro during preparations for expanded Soviet military support to Cuba.

Authorizes deployment of Soviet nuclear-capable missiles to Cuba in an attempt to deter another American invasion.

Approves the secret plan to deploy Soviet missiles, bombers and troops to Cuba.

Khrushchev discussed placing Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba as a means of strengthening the island's defense and Soviet strategic leverage.

Workers protest food-price rises and wage pressures in Novocherkassk, leading to a violent state crackdown.

Public disorder in Novocherkassk

Finalizes arrangements with Cuban leaders for the secret deployment of Soviet strategic weapons.

American and Soviet tanks withdraw from their confrontation at Checkpoint Charlie, easing the immediate Berlin crisis.

Rejects the American naval quarantine of Cuba and warns Kennedy against escalating the crisis.

Tells Kennedy that the American quarantine is unlawful and insists Soviet-Cuban relations concern sovereign states.

Khrushchev rejected the legality of the American quarantine but ordered Soviet shipping movements handled cautiously as the confrontation intensified.

Khrushchev exchanged messages with Kennedy as both governments searched for a way to prevent the naval confrontation from escalating.

Khruschev sends a letter to Kennedy suggesting that the sites would be dismantled if the United States gave its reassurance that it would not invade Cuba.

Khrushchev sent Kennedy a lengthy private message proposing missile withdrawal in return for a pledge that Cuba would not be invaded.

Offers to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba if the United States pledges not to invade the island.

Proposes linking missile withdrawal from Cuba to removal of American Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

Khrushchev publicly added removal of American Jupiter missiles from Turkey to the terms he sought for resolving the crisis.

Publicly accepts a settlement based on Soviet missile withdrawal and an American pledge not to invade Cuba.

Khrushchev agrees to remove the Soviet missiles from Cuba. Khruschev removes the missiles but on the understanding the USA does not invade Cuba.

Khrushchev ordered the offensive missiles dismantled and returned to the Soviet Union under the emerging settlement.

Orders Soviet offensive missiles in Cuba dismantled and returned to the Soviet Union.

Khrushchev defended the settlement to Soviet leaders while implementation shifted toward dismantling, shipment, and verification.

Calls for "a common single planning organ", resisted by Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland, but most emphatically by increasingly nationalistic Romania, which strongly rejected the notion that they should specialize in agriculture

Calls for stronger supranational economic planning within Comecon, meeting resistance from several member states.

Calls for "a common single planning organ", resisted by Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland, but most emphatically by increasingly nationalistic Romania, which strongly rejected the notion that they should specialize in agriculture

Divides regional party organizations into separate industrial and agricultural structures in a controversial administrative reform.

Agrees to remove Soviet IL-28 bombers from Cuba as implementation of the missile-crisis settlement continues.

Khrushchev continued correspondence with Kennedy about verification and the remaining questions surrounding Soviet military equipment in Cuba.

Khrushchev resisted American demands over Soviet IL-28 bombers while negotiations continued after the ballistic missiles were dismantled.

Khrushchev accepted removal of the IL-28 bombers, clearing the principal remaining obstacle to ending the American quarantine.

Declares the Kazakhstan virgin lands a failure & seeks 2 million tons of US wheat

Responds to a poor harvest by arranging large grain purchases from Western countries.

Declares the Kazakhstan experiment a failure & seeks 2 million tons of US wheat

Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space during the Soviet Vostok programme.

The Soviet Union and United States agree to establish a direct communications link between their governments.

Publicly offers a treaty banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space and underwater.

Meets American negotiator Averell Harriman and accepts negotiations focused on a three-environment nuclear test ban.

Soviet, American and British negotiators initial the Limited Test Ban Treaty after intensive Moscow talks.

Hosts the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty by the Soviet Union, United States and United Kingdom.

The Limited Test Ban Treaty enters into force after ratification by the three original parties.

Sends condolences after President John F. Kennedy is assassinated and signals a desire to preserve improving relations.

Wilson & Walker visit Khrushchev but there is disagreement over Berlin

Wilson & Walker visit Khrushchev to reach a "friendly understanding"

Visits Egypt and publicly celebrates Soviet-Egyptian cooperation on the Aswan High Dam.

Receives Egypt's Hero of the United Arab Republic title during his state visit.

Joins President Gamal Abdel Nasser at ceremonies marking major progress on the Aswan High Dam.

Signs a twenty-year friendship treaty with East Germany.

Russia signs a 20 year Treaty of fiendship with East Germany

Faces mounting criticism from senior party colleagues over agricultural failures, administrative reorganizations and an increasingly personal style of rule.

Withdraws from public political life and lives under close state supervision outside Moscow.

Is summoned back to Moscow as party leaders prepare a coordinated challenge to his leadership.

Dismissed as First Party Secretary by a Central Committee plenum

Is removed as Communist Party First Secretary by the Central Committee and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev.

Leaves the chairmanship of the Council of Ministers after his removal from party leadership.

Begins recording extensive autobiographical recollections at his state dacha after several years in enforced retirement.

The unmanned Venus 3 touches down on Venus

Continues tape-recording memoirs covering Stalin, war, domestic policy and Cold War crises.

His memoirs are published abroad as Khrushchev Remembers despite official Soviet disapproval.

Dies in Moscow at age seventy-seven after several years outside public political life.

Is buried at Novodevichy Cemetery rather than receiving burial in the Kremlin Wall necropolis.