- De-Stalinization: Khrushchev's "Secret Speech" in 1956, denouncing Stalin's cult of personality and repression, initially garnered significant support. However, it also led to a backlash among some party members who feared instability and disruption to the system.
- Agricultural Failures: Khrushchev's ambitious agricultural reforms, such as the "Virgin Lands Campaign," had mixed success, leading to shortages and disruptions in the food supply.
- Economic Stagnation: The Soviet economy experienced a slowdown during Khrushchev's leadership, with lagging growth and inefficiencies, further eroding public confidence.
- Housing Shortages: Despite efforts to improve housing conditions, shortages persisted, adding to public discontent.
- Cultural Crackdown: Khrushchev's policies included a crackdown on creative freedoms and artistic expression, alienating intellectuals and artists who felt their creativity stifled.
- Foreign Policy Missteps: Khrushchev's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and his confrontational approach in other international crises created a perception of recklessness, reducing his credibility at home and abroad.
Removal from power:
In October 1964, a group of senior party leaders orchestrated Khrushchev's ouster in a relatively bloodless coup. The official reasons for his removal included poor health, advancing age, and strategic mistakes in foreign policy. Other factors may have included concerns about his erratic decision-making and a power struggle within the collective leadership.
Khrushchev's downfall marked a turning point in Soviet history and paved the way for a more cautious and conservative leadership under Leonid Brezhnev, ushering in the era of "Brezhnev Stagnation."