Vyacheslav Molotov: Difference between revisions

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|goals = Spread his influence throughout the Soviet Union (partially successful)

|crimes =

|hobby = }}

|hobby = }}{{Quote|The trouble with free elections is that you never know how they are going to turn out.|Vyacheslav Molotov}}'''Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov''' Russian: Вячесла́в Миха́йлович Мо́лотов; 9 March 25 February] 1890 – 8 November 1986) was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik, and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of [[Joseph Stalin]]. Molotov served as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) from 1930 to 1941, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1939 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1956. He served as First Deputy Premier from 1942 to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev. Molotov retired in 1961 after several years of obscurity.

'''Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov''' Russian: Вячесла́в Миха́йлович Мо́лотов; 9 March 25 February] 1890 – 8 November 1986) was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik, and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of [[Joseph Stalin]]. Molotov served as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) from 1930 to 1941, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1939 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1956. He served as First Deputy Premier from 1942 to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev. Molotov retired in 1961 after several years of obscurity.

Molotov was the principal Soviet signatory of the [[Nazi]]–Soviet non-aggression pact of 1939 (also known as the Molotov–[[Joachim von Ribbentrop|Ribbentop]] Pact), whose most important provisions were added in the form of a secret protocol that stipulated an invasion of Poland and partition of its territory between Germany and the Soviet Union. This effectively marked the beginning of [[World War II]] and made the Soviet Union an unofficial ally of Nazi Germany in the period from 1939 until the German invasion in 1941. During this period, Molotov knew of the Katyn massacre committed by the Soviet authorities. Following the end of World War II (Great Patriotic War), Molotov was involved in negotiations with the Western allies, in which he became noted for his diplomatic skills. He kept his place as a leading Soviet diplomat and politician until 1949. In March of that year, after losing Stalin's favour, he lost the foreign affairs ministry leadership to Andrei Vyshinsky. Molotov's relationship with Stalin deteriorated further, with Stalin complaining about Molotov's mistakes in a speech to the 19th Party Congress. However, after Stalin's death in 1953, Molotov was staunchly opposed to Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation<nowiki> </nowiki>policy. Molotov defended the policies and legacy of Stalin until his death in 1986, and harshly criticised Stalin's successors, especially Khrushchev.

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Molotov at the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1939 with Stalin and Georgy Malenkov

Despite the great human cost, the Soviet Union under Molotov's nominal premiership made great strides<nowiki> </nowiki>in the adoption and widespread implementation of agrarian and industrial technology. In a document written by Molotov he noted how [[cannibalism]] and starvation were still serious problems even in 1937 in the Soviet Union. Andrey Vyshinsky, the Procurator General, even told Molotov personally of incidents involving mothers eating their newly born children. The rise of [[Adolf Hitler]] in Nazi Germany precipitated the development of a modern armaments industry on the orders of the Soviet government. Ultimately, it was this arms industry, along with American Lend-Lease aid, which helped the Soviet Union to prevail in World War II (Great Patriotic War). Set against this, the purges of the Red Army<nowiki> </nowiki>leadership, in which Molotov participated, weakened the Soviet Union's defence capacity and contributed to the military disasters of 1941 and 1942, which were mostly caused by unreadiness for war.The purges also led to the dismantling of privatised agriculture and its replacement by collectivised agriculture. This left a legacy of chronic agricultural inefficiencies and under-production which the Soviet regime never fully rectified.

Molotov was reported to be a vegetarian and teetotaler by American journalist John Gunther in 1938. However, Milovan Djilas claimed that Molotov "drank more than Stalin" and did not note his vegetarianism despite attending several banquets with him.

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<nowiki> </nowiki>a failed attempt to remove Khrushchev as First Secretary. Although Molotov's faction initially won a vote in the Presidium, 7–4, to remove Khrushchev, the latter refused to resign unless a Central Committee plenum decided so. In the plenum, which lasted from 22–29 June, Molotov and his faction were defeated. Eventually, he was banished as ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic. Molotov and his associates were denounced as "the Anti-Party Group"<nowiki> </nowiki>but, notably, were not subject to the physical repressions that marked the Stalin years. In 1960, he was appointed Soviet representative to the<nowiki> </nowiki>International Atomic Energy Agency, which was seen as a partial rehabilitation. However, after the 22nd Party Congress in 1961, during which Khrushchev carried out his de-Stalinisation campaign, including the removal of Stalin's body from Lenin's Mausoleum, Molotov (along with Lazar Kaganovich) was removed from all positions and expelled from the Communist Party. In 1962, all of Molotov's party documents and files were erased by the authorities.

In retirement, Molotov remained totally unrepentant about his role during Stalin's rule. He suffered a heart attack in January 1962. After the Sino-Soviet split, it was reported that he agreed with the criticisms made by [[Mao Zedong]] of the supposed "revisionism" of Khrushchev's policies. According to Roy Medvedev, Stalin's daughter Svetlana<nowiki> </nowiki>recalled Molotov's wife telling her: "Your father was a genius. There's<nowiki> </nowiki>no revolutionary spirit around nowadays, just opportunism everywhere" and "China's our only hope. Only they have kept alive the revolutionary spirit".

=== Rehabilitation, death, beliefs and legacy ===

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |goals = Spread his influence throughout the Soviet Union (partially successful)
 |crimes =
-|hobby = }}
+|hobby = }}{{Quote|The trouble with free elections is that you never know how they are going to turn out.|Vyacheslav Molotov}}'''Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov''' Russian: Вячесла́в Миха́йлович Мо́лотов; 9 March 25 February] 1890 – 8 November 1986) was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik, and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of [[Joseph Stalin]]. Molotov served as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) from 1930 to 1941, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1939 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1956. He served as First Deputy Premier from 1942 to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev. Molotov retired in 1961 after several years of obscurity.
-'''Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov''' Russian: Вячесла́в Миха́йлович Мо́лотов; 9 March 25 February] 1890 – 8 November 1986) was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik, and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of [[Joseph Stalin]]. Molotov served as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) from 1930 to 1941, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1939 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1956. He served as First Deputy Premier from 1942 to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev. Molotov retired in 1961 after several years of obscurity.
 Molotov was the principal Soviet signatory of the [[Nazi]]–Soviet non-aggression pact of 1939 (also known as the Molotov–[[Joachim von Ribbentrop|Ribbentop]] Pact), whose most important provisions were added in the form of a secret protocol that stipulated an invasion of Poland and partition of its territory between Germany and the Soviet Union. This effectively marked the beginning of [[World War II]] and made the Soviet Union an unofficial ally of Nazi Germany in the period from 1939 until the German invasion in 1941. During this period, Molotov knew of the Katyn massacre committed by the Soviet authorities. Following the end of World War II (Great Patriotic War), Molotov was involved in negotiations with the Western allies, in which he became noted for his diplomatic skills. He kept his place as a leading Soviet diplomat and politician until 1949. In March of that year, after losing Stalin's favour, he lost the foreign affairs ministry leadership to Andrei Vyshinsky. Molotov's relationship with Stalin deteriorated further, with Stalin complaining about Molotov's mistakes in a speech to the 19th Party Congress. However, after Stalin's death in 1953, Molotov was staunchly opposed to Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation<nowiki> </nowiki>policy. Molotov defended the policies and legacy of Stalin until his death in 1986, and harshly criticised Stalin's successors, especially Khrushchev.
@@ Line 52: / Line 51: @@
 Molotov at the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1939 with Stalin and Georgy Malenkov
-Despite the great human cost, the Soviet Union under Molotov's nominal premiership made great strides<nowiki> </nowiki>in the adoption and widespread implementation of agrarian and industrial technology. In a document written by Molotov he noted how [[cannibalism]] and starvation were still serious problems even in 1937 in the Soviet Union. Andrey Vyshinsky, the Procurator General, even told Molotov personally of incidents involving mothers eating their newly born children. The rise of [[Adolf Hitler]] in Nazi Germany precipitated the development of a modern armaments industry on the orders of the Soviet government. Ultimately, it was this arms industry, along with American Lend-Lease aid, which helped the Soviet Union to prevail in World War II (Great Patriotic War). Set against this, the purges of the Red Army<nowiki> </nowiki>leadership, in which Molotov participated, weakened the Soviet Union's defence capacity and contributed to the military disasters of 1941 and 1942, which were mostly caused by unreadiness for war.The  purges also led to the dismantling of privatised agriculture and its replacement by collectivised agriculture. This left a legacy of chronic agricultural inefficiencies and under-production which the Soviet regime never fully rectified.
+Despite the great human cost, the Soviet Union under Molotov's nominal premiership made great strides<nowiki> </nowiki>in the adoption and widespread implementation of agrarian and industrial technology. In a document written by Molotov he noted how [[cannibalism]] and starvation were still serious problems even in 1937 in the Soviet Union. Andrey Vyshinsky, the Procurator General, even told Molotov personally of incidents involving mothers eating their newly born children. The rise of [[Adolf Hitler]] in Nazi Germany precipitated the development of a modern armaments industry on the orders of the Soviet government. Ultimately, it was this arms industry, along with American Lend-Lease aid, which helped the Soviet Union to prevail in World War II (Great Patriotic War). Set against this, the purges of the Red Army<nowiki> </nowiki>leadership, in which Molotov participated, weakened the Soviet Union's defence capacity and contributed to the military disasters of 1941 and 1942, which were mostly caused by unreadiness for war.The purges also led to the dismantling of privatised agriculture and its replacement by collectivised agriculture. This left a legacy of chronic agricultural inefficiencies and under-production which the Soviet regime never fully rectified.
 Molotov was reported to be a vegetarian and teetotaler by American journalist John Gunther in 1938. However, Milovan Djilas claimed that Molotov "drank more than Stalin" and did not note his vegetarianism despite attending several banquets with him.
@@ Line 95: / Line 94: @@
 <nowiki> </nowiki>a failed attempt to remove Khrushchev as First Secretary. Although Molotov's faction initially won a vote in the Presidium, 7–4, to remove Khrushchev, the latter refused to resign unless a Central Committee plenum decided so. In the plenum, which lasted from 22–29 June, Molotov and his faction were defeated. Eventually, he was banished as ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic. Molotov and his associates were denounced as "the Anti-Party Group"<nowiki> </nowiki>but, notably, were not subject to the physical repressions that marked the Stalin years. In 1960, he was appointed Soviet representative to the<nowiki> </nowiki>International Atomic Energy Agency, which was seen as a partial rehabilitation. However, after the 22nd Party Congress in 1961, during which Khrushchev carried out his de-Stalinisation campaign, including the removal of Stalin's body from Lenin's Mausoleum, Molotov (along with Lazar Kaganovich) was removed from all positions and expelled from the Communist Party. In 1962, all of Molotov's party documents and files were erased by the authorities.
-In retirement, Molotov remained totally unrepentant about his role during Stalin's rule. He suffered a heart attack in January 1962. After the Sino-Soviet split, it was reported that he agreed with the criticisms made by [[Mao Zedong]] of the supposed "revisionism" of Khrushchev's policies. According to Roy Medvedev, Stalin's daughter Svetlana<nowiki> </nowiki>recalled Molotov's wife telling her: "Your father was a genius. There's<nowiki> </nowiki>no revolutionary spirit around nowadays, just opportunism everywhere"  and "China's our only hope. Only they have kept alive the revolutionary spirit".
+In retirement, Molotov remained totally unrepentant about his role during Stalin's rule. He suffered a heart attack in January 1962. After the Sino-Soviet split, it was reported that he agreed with the criticisms made by [[Mao Zedong]] of the supposed "revisionism" of Khrushchev's policies. According to Roy Medvedev, Stalin's daughter Svetlana<nowiki> </nowiki>recalled Molotov's wife telling her: "Your father was a genius. There's<nowiki> </nowiki>no revolutionary spirit around nowadays, just opportunism everywhere" and "China's our only hope. Only they have kept alive the revolutionary spirit".
 === Rehabilitation, death, beliefs and legacy ===