Destalinization

/dɛˌstɑːlɪnɪˈzeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The historical process of removing Stalin's influence and undoing his policies, especially in the Soviet Union after his death in 1953.

Etymology

From de- (removal) + Stalin (Soviet leader) + -ization suffix; a historical term coined in the 1950s during the Soviet Union's denunciation of Stalin's regime.

Kelly Says

Khrushchev's famous 1956 'Secret Speech' launched destalinization, physically removing Stalin's statues, renaming cities, and revealing his atrocities—it was one of history's boldest attempts to literally erase a leader from a nation's identity.

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