SOVIET LEADERSHIP: THE LOSING FACTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000800090030-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 8, 2002
• Sequence Number: 30
• Content Type: REPORT

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LWW2R8H1P*- TIM LOSING FACTION
The opposition has been thoroughly defeated.
A, Five of Khrushcheev's colleagues have been dropped from
full membership in the presidium, another from candidate
membership.
B. They were also stripped of their main government positions
(Pervukbin remains atomic energy minister).
1. This and the reorganization has effectively destroyed
the old Council of Ministers structure.
2. Of the top-level personnel listed in December (Chairman
Bulganin, 5 first deeputiees, and 9 deputies) only
Bulganin--rho may be in trouble-
y Mikoyan
and Deputy Kosygin remain. (min is newly appointed
planning chief, probably Khrushcheev man)-
C. Some members of now presidium may Xti1 vacant government
posts,
Ii. A public campaign of denunciation against the purged leaders
has developed rapidly. There is a clear threat of criminal action
in some of the charges now being thrown out.
A. Maleenhov has been accused of trumping-up a 1949 purge of the
Leningrad party organization and, together with Molotov and
Kaganovich, has been implicated in Stalin's Great fur a
a 491
of the late 30's.
If
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Although they fa
gave
had consider
all
~d, Lhrushaheo-v'a opponents undoubted:
bad moments* Then, too, they have
e prestige and may still have some i
rt. {
reasons, Khrushchev may be obliged to
out of harm's way once and for all
heh?v's fear of or*
obvious
lol with the Stalin ;purgese
se demoted to candidate msmbersh
Uoeever , he is officially ranked last among
andidatees and In probably due for eventual
elimination from the top ranks*
Laos position is also shaakyo
s reports a r* are true tha
ly, his days Aree
recent months ghrushchev has moved full force
'sa field of governmeentaal ad inistra-tion, and
pushed his into the baegrod .
Press speculates that Zhukov might replace his.
rv is
per
There
level
rumored to be on the way out.
y figurehead, h
d be of less
d*
as can be expected as s Xbrushchev moves to
remove adherents of the defeated faction.
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III, The three chief purge victims, Malenkov, Molotov and Kaganovich
have apparently carried grudges against Khrushehev for some time.
Malenkov suffered an earlier defeat at Khrusshchev's hands
in early 1955, largely over the question of investment
priorities. (Light-vs-Heavy industry controversy) A
that time he was dropped from the premiership and publicly
humiliated,
Molotov and ICaganovich, oldest of the Old Bolsheviks, have
been unable to accept changes in policy since Stay
death.
1. Khrushchev and Molotov are known to have been feudin
at least since July 19 a5.
Kaganovich's motivations are obscure, but Khrushchev's
anti-Semitism may have been a factor.
it Is most unlikely that the three men had a common view
with respect to all points of policy.
1. Malenkov very probably not a "Stalinist" in the sense
that he insisted on all of the old methods like Molotov
Ka anovich. They seem to have united mainly in
opposition to rushchev's dominance.
2. Shepilov evidently joined the opposition very late
in the game and for purely opportunist reasons. One
report suggests that, in return for his support, he
was offered Khrushchev's post as Party First Secretary.
This accounts for present treatment of him as a conte ib s
second-rater. Khrushchev called him "double-dealer,"
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. Pervuk':
y. This has for the time being protected
';y dimWeed with
v on policy, but Probably did not Joie the
hem from public attack.
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