Response#10: Myth, Memory, Trauma by Polly Jones and Khrushchev’s Secret Speech

Part 1: The first chapter of Polly Jones’ Myth, Memory, Trauma discusses the shockwaves generated by Nikita Khrushchev’s Secret Speech. The speech attacks Stalin’s legacy splitting the Soviet historiography into multiple different views and brings chaos to the new Soviet government. Victims of the purges seek vengeance against the officials of the bureaucracy for their sufferings. Revisionists describe Stalin as a stain to the Bolshevik legacy and responsible for numerous World War II losses. Conservative rightists argue a pro-Stalin stance saying that victory in World War II was a result of Stalin’s industrialization efforts.

Part 2: Stalin remains a controversial figure in Soviet historiography. He towers in history as the Soviet leader in charge during World War II. His governance resulted in the death of millions through starvation, deportation, and enslavement. His leadership was seen as vital to the Russian victory over Nazi Germany, saving communism from the evil forces of fascism. His reign marked the transition of the Soviet Union from Russian backwater to world superpower. Ultimately, he stands as a complex and ambiguous figure because of his contradictory policies.

The left views Stalin as a corrupting figure in the development of communism. The story is told as such. Vladimir Lenin was the original founder who started it all. Lenin led the Bolsheviks to victory during the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War, creating the foundation for the Soviet Union. After Lenin’s death, the battle for a successor began. Stalin, an old friend of Lenin, used clever organizational tactics and shifting political allegiances to defeat his rivals. He then proceeded to tarnish Lenin’s legacy by purging old party members and creating a new hierarchical system. Stalin’s actions during the Second World War were equally as bad. He stumbled around and was completely unprepared for the Nazi invasion. The result was a contamination of the original and idyllic Bolshevik dream of communism as well as the death of millions of innocents.

The right views Stalin as a savior of Mother Russia. Their version of the story describes Stalin as a clairvoyant leader that knew of the threat of capitalist encirclement and of possible capitalist invasion. In order to quickly develop the Soviet Union to match the West, Stalin pursued “socialism in one country.” He embarked on policies of collectivization and industrialization. There were enormous periods of suffering during Five-Year Plans; however, this was for the long-term benefit. The new industrial capabilities of Russia during the Great Patriotic War enabled the Red Army to defeat the Nazis.

The Khrushchev government had the problem of maintaining a middle line between these two polarized sides. The leftists posed the danger of attacking the entire Soviet Communist Party. Radical leftists were threatening to separate from the Union of United Socialist Republics especially in Border States such as Georgia and Hungary. Rightist also posed a danger to the new government. The radical right strongly continued to support Stalin and actively discredited Khrushchev and the Central Committee. Khrushchev had to criticize Stalin enough so that he could create a new legacy, but at the same time had to deflect criticism away from the party and the system. Thus, he never fully rehabilitated imprisoned communist party members and focused the criticism solely on Joseph Stalin. In short, Khrushchev was playing a dangerous game that could threaten to collapse the Soviet Union.