Khrushchev played a major role in some of the most important Cold War events during his time in power in the 1950s and 1960s. The key years of the nuclear arms race, the building of the Berlin wall, and the Cuban Missile Crisis all happened during his time as Soviet leader. But, he had a bloody and intriguing past before then.
He presided over one of the most brutal regimes in history and many millions of people died as a result of his policies and actions. But, the changes he made to the Soviet economy ultimately allowed the Soviets to overcome Nazi Germany in World War 2. In this episode, we look at Stalin the man, and ask how he came to be such a bloody tyrant.
