--- title: "10 facts you didn’t know about Nikita Khrushchev" description: "Check out these little-known facts about Nikita Khrushchev and his time as a leader on We Are the Mighty. Click to read more." date: "2022-09-07" modified: "2023-09-06" authors: - name: "Bethaney Phillips" job_title: "Contributor, Veteran Spouse" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/bethaneyphillips/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/facts-you-didnt-know-about-nikita-khrushchev/" categories: - "Cold War" - "History" - "War History" --- # 10 facts you didn’t know about Nikita Khrushchev ![A vintage photograph showing a group of men engaged in conversation. The man on the left has a beard and is wearing a military-style jacket. The man on the right, who is smiling, is dressed in a suit with medals pinned to his chest. The background is dark, and the image has a sepia tone.]() Nikita Khrushchev is one of the most well-known leaders of a communist nation. As leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, he also became arguably the most well-*liked* communist leader to date (that is, by democratic nations). Perhaps most notably, he [denounced Stalin]() and implemented de-Stalinization, a move that shocked the country and communist supporters worldwide. It even required him to flee the country -- to Poland -- for some time. ## Take a look at these little-known facts about deposed Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ### 1. Public transportation Early in his career, Khrushchev boosted his stance by overseeing the completion of the Moscow subway station in 1935. ### 2. Forced to dance? It’s no secret that Khrushchev and Stalin butted heads, likely leading to the eventual de-Stalinization. But when the latter was still in office, Khrushchev said he was once forced to do a traditional Ukrainian dance as a sign of obedience. ![nikita Khrushchev with stalin]() *Khrushchev (center) in a propaganda photo with Stalin, 1938 (public domain/ Wikimedia Commons)* ### 3. No Disneyland for you When he took a trip to the U.S. in 1959, Khrushchev was slated for a stop in Disneyland. Government officials ended up canceling the event due to security concerns, over which he was said to be extremely upset. He was, however, able to visit a farm, a supermarket and a television studio. ### 4. A cushy retirement Though he was forced out of office, Khrushchev came out of the ordeal in a good way. He was given an apartment, a country cottage and was paid a generous pension. He died seven years later of a heart attack. ### 5. After the Cuban Missile Crisis, Khrushchev was deposed Khrushchev initiated the Cuban Missile Crisis by placing missiles in Cuba, as well as calling out the U.S. for “piracy and trying to destroy humankind.” However, President Kennedy was able to make amends with Khrushchev. His party said this was the last straw in a string of reckless behavior and had him deposed. ![nikita Khrushchev and kennedy]() *President Kennedy meets with Khrushchev at the U. S. Embassy residence, Vienna. U. S. Dept. of State photograph in the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library* ### 6. A skilled metal worker As a young boy, Khrushchev became an apprentice where he worked at a factory and learned metal fitting. However, he was fired when he collected money for family members of victims of the Lena Goldfields massacre, a mass shooting of striking factory workers by the Imperial Russian Army. His metalworking skills also got him out of being drafted into World War I. ### 7. Loss of his wife His first wife, Yefrosinia, died of famine in 1921, brought on by food shortages of the Russian Civil War. ![nikita Khrushchev and wife]() *Khrushchev and his wife, Yefrosinia, in 1916 (public domain/ Wikimedia Commons)* ### 8. Becoming a communist He joined the [Russian Communist Party]() in 1918, then joined the Red Army (Russian Krasnaya Armiya) as a junior political commissar. He worked his way up through the ranks, eventually serving under Stalin as First Secretary, then taking over as Chairman of Council of Ministers after the latter passed away. ### 9. Return to metalworking Though he was working politically, in 1929, Khrushchev obtained permission to study metallurgy at the Stalin Industrial Academy. Two years later, he returned to Moscow to work as a party organizer. ### 10. Political style Khrushchev was known for his brash, extroverted personality, even when being diplomatic. He had a reputation for stepping on toes, as well as trying to make amends with other countries. He brought “reform communism” into being, with a goal to coexist peacefully with other countries, especially non-communist countries. *Feature image: National Archives* ## Author Bethaney Phillips has contributed to We Are the Mighty and MilSpouseFest since 2015, covering history and military family topics. She also served as the Interim Content and Digital Manager at MilSpouseFest in 2021. Now a veteran spouse, she spent six years in an active duty family and served as an SFRG leader. With a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing, she has more than 15 years of experience in digital and print writing, focusing on researched pieces and human interest stories. She is also a regular contributor to Business Insider, covering family and parenting topics. Her work has been included on Business Insider, Yahoo, Military.com, and Manhattan Magazine. While continuing to freelance, she works as the founding editor of the Clay County Regional, a print and digital newspaper delivered to more than 5,500 recipients. She also serves as the Digital Director/News Director for Taylor Communications out of north-central Kansas. Bethaney spends her free time chasing her two elementary-aged boys, raising chickens, and reading fiction. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [WWW]()