Nikita Khruschev and Armand Hammer (photo)

Photo by John Schiff (1907-76) The image shows a photograph of Nikita Khruschev standing next to [Armand Hammer] down a hallway. There is writing in Russian at the bottom of the photograph. Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev was the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev stunned the communist world with his denunciation of his predecessor Joseph Stalin's crimes and embarked on a policy of de-Stalinization. He sponsored the early Soviet space program and the enactment of moderate reforms in domestic policy. He also conducted successful negotiations with the United States to reduce Cold War tensions. In 1964, the Kremlin leadership stripped him of power.;Armand Hammer was an American business manager and owner. He spent decades with Occidental Petroleum in the mid 20th century. He was also known for his art collection and his close ties to the Soviet Union. Nikita Sergeevich;Hammer Armand Khrushchev (1894-1971;1898-1990)