Khrushchev: A Political Profile: I

Abstract

THE appointment of N. S. Khrushchev in January 1938 as Party I leader in Ukraine' placed under his immediate command the major forge and granary of the Soviet Union, and its southern and western flank. The sudden switch from Moscow to Kiev was characteristic of Stalin's rule, whereby he sent loyal subordinates in to govern administrative areas without regard for principles of local political succession or of seniority of regional leaders. The appointment also was evidently instrumental for ushering in a sharp change in Bolshevik policy with respect to leadership purge, and for mustering new energies to meet basic economic and social problems. The tremendous importance of Ukraine to Soviet agricultural and industrial policies together with Ukrainian nationalist aspirations had a great impact on Khrushchev's political thinking. His departure from Moscow had, of course, closed a vitally important chapter in his career. It meant losing the many advantages of being at the political center and that the organization which he built up personally since the early 1930's would pass to the hands of new bosses, responsible to other top leaders.2 Men picked by Khrushchev as possible successors, like D. S. Korotchenko and S. Z. Korytnyi (who had once served with Khrushchev in Kiev),3 were removed from Moscow assignments, most likely under pressure from top leaders who anticipated Khrushchev's transfer.