During his rule, Khrushchev stunned the communist world with his denunciation of his predecessor Joseph Stalin 's crimes and embarked on a policy of de-Stalinization with his key ally Anastas Mikoyan. He sponsored the early Soviet space program and the enactment of moderate reforms in domestic policy.

After Stalin’s death in 1953, a power struggle for leadership ensued, which was won by Nikita Khrushchev. His landmark decisions in foreign policy and domestic programs markedly changed the direction of the Soviet Union, bringing détente with the West and a relaxation of rigid controls within the country.

During World War II, Khrushchev mobilized troops to fight Nazi Germany in the Ukraine and at Stalingrad. After the war, he helped to rebuild the devastated countryside while simultaneously stifling Ukrainian nationalist dissent. By the time Stalin died in March 1953, Khrushchev had positioned himself as a possible successor.

As leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, he also became arguably the most well- liked communist leader to date (that is, by democratic nations). Perhaps most notably, he denounced Stalin and implemented de-Stalinization, a move that shocked the country and communist supporters worldwide.