Unrepentant Stalinist 1953–1957

Abstract

Molotov was restored to a very strong position on Stalin’s death. He was called to two meetings of the Central Committee Presidium Bureau, held to discuss Stalin’s illness, on 2 March 1953. At the end of three further sessions in the next two days, in the early hours of 5 March, it was decided to convene a joint meeting of the Central Committee, Council of Ministers and Presidium of the Supreme Soviet that day. Such a joint meeting was unprecedented.¹ At its forty-minute session, chaired by Khrushchev, the joint party and government body appointed Malenkov head of government, with Beriya, Molotov, Bulganin and Kaganovich (listed in this order) as first deputy chairmen of the Council of Ministers. Molotov was also re-appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Bureaux of the Presidium of the Council and Central Committee were abolished. Molotov became a member of the 15-person Central Committee Presidium, where he was listed third in seniority (fourth if the dying Stalin who was listed first, is counted) behind Malenkov and Beriya, but before Khrushchev, who was listed fifth.² Whilst most of the ‘leading group’ seemed to show relief, Molotov sat stony-faced and immobile through these and other proceedings.³ The abolition of the Central Committee Presidium’s Commission for Foreign Affairs enhanced Molotov’s status as Minister for Foreign Affairs,⁴ although a move, in April or May, to have foreign policy questions discussed only in the Presidium of the Council of Ministers, which Molotov ascribed to Beriya, but possibly by Malenkov, may have weakened his position temporarily.⁵