Stalin Coursework
4.) Study sources G and H.
Do you trust Khrushchev’s assessment of Stalin?
Use your knowledge of Stalin to explain your answer.
Sources G and H are extracts taken from a speech made by Khrushchev in 1956. In source G Khrushchev is standing up for Stalin and defending his use of terror and executions. Khrushchev says, “We cannot say these were the deeds of a mad despot. He considered this should be done in the interests of the party and working masses.” This shows that Khrushchev believed that Stalin was acting in the interests of the people. However, my background knowledge tells me that this was not true. Stalin did not care for the people, millions of people died because of his policies. His famous quote, “A single death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic.” emphasised just how much he didn’t care for the people that died by his actions.
