AP European History
De-Stalinization policies refer to the series of political reforms initiated by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953, aimed at dismantling the oppressive regime associated with Stalin's rule. These policies sought to reduce the use of terror, promote greater political openness, and rehabilitate those who were unjustly persecuted during Stalin's reign. The impact of these reforms extended beyond the Soviet Union, influencing Eastern Bloc countries and contributing to the wider dynamics of the Cold War and the eventual decline of communist regimes in Europe.