De-Stalinized

Definition

De-Stalinization refers to the process initiated by Nikita Khrushchev to denounce and remove the influence of Joseph Stalin's policies and personality cult within the Soviet Union. It involved a significant shift in political, social, and cultural aspects of Soviet society.

Related terms

Thaw: A period following de-Stalinization characterized by relaxed censorship, increased cultural freedom, and a more open political atmosphere in the Soviet Union.

Gulag: A system of forced labor camps during Stalin's rule used for political repression and punishment of perceived enemies of the state.

Warsaw Pact Invasion of Czechoslovakia: In 1968, several Warsaw Pact countries led by the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia to suppress political reform movements known as the Prague Spring.