Observations of the Cuban Missile Crisis

JR Degenfelder April 20, 2021

Khrushchev's Premiership

What effects did the Cuban Missile Crisis have on the premiership of Khrushchev?

The general consensus amongst historians that have studied Khrushchev and the Cold War is that the Cuban Missile crisis and the way that it was handled by the Soviet Premier was the final straw for the Soviet elite. It is generally seen as the ultimate reason as to why Khrushchev was removed from power just two years later.

Indeed, Usitalo and Whisenhunt argue that Khrushchev “provoked the most dangerous crises of the cold war in Berlin and Cuba. He meant well and he cared about his people and country, but by the time of his ouster in 1964 he was unappreciated and even despised”[1]. The recklessness of Khrushchev is exemplified here, as well as the fact that the Cuban Missile Crisis was a step too far for the soviet elite and as a result, he had to go.

 Additionally, these two historians also argue that the way that Khrushchev handled the crisis was done in the complete opposite way in which other soviet leaders would have and thus this cost him his premiership. Where they say “Would anyone else in the Central Committee Presidium have sent rockets capable of striking the United states to Cuba?… it is virtually certain that none of them (soviet leaders) would have triggered the CMC in the first place”[2] which further reinforces that the soviet leaders gave him plenty of chances despite serious blunders. The Cuban Missile crisis was thus the final straw for the leadership and was what tipped them over the edge leading to his removal from power.

Source: https://discoverthecubanmissilecrisis.wordpress.com/khrushchevs-premiership/