ABSTRACT
Nikita Khrushchev’s enthronement as Stalin’s successor took place in stages. In September 1953 he was appointed First Secretary of the Soviet communist party. In February 1955 he was instrumental in forcing Malenkov’s resignation as Soviet premier. At the twentieth party congress in February 1956-the first such party gathering since the death of Stalin-Khrushchev was the dominant figure. In June 1957 he defeated an attempt to depose him by elements of the Stalinist old guard (including Molotov and Malenkov). Finally, in March 1958 Khrushchev became Chairman of the Council of Ministers (i.e. prime minister), thus combining the two most powerful positions of the party and the state.
