See Also: Twentieth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union(encyclopedia)
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU)(encyclopedia)
Communist Party(dictionary)
Communist Party(encyclopedia)
Chinese Communist Party (CCP)(encyclopedia)
French Communist Party(encyclopedia)
Congress Party, the(dictionary)
Soviet Union, the(dictionary)
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the(dictionary)
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.)(encyclopedia)

Twentieth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (sh)




(Feb. 14-25, 1956) Meeting at which Nikita Khrushchev repudiated Joseph Stalin and Stalinism.

Khrushchev's secret speech denouncing the former Soviet leader was accompanied by his Report of the Central Committee to the Congress, which announced a new line in Soviet foreign policy. He based his new policy on "the Leninist principle of coexistence of states with different social systems." Khrushchev also used the Congress to promote his loyal supporters to high party office and to take control of the party from the Stalinist old guard.