Appendix I: Timeline
Annotated Bibliography
Primary Sources
"25,000 Greet Khrushchev: He Challenges U.S. to Contest
in Corn and Meat." The Des Moines Register, 23 September
1959: 1, 8, 10, 16.
The front page of the register heralded
Khrushchev's arrival in Iowa, and described his first encounter
with an American hot dog, which cautious security agents had checked
with a Geiger counter before the Soviet Premier ate it. News coverage
portrayed Khrushchev's sense of humor and described Iowa's friendly
if not enthusiastic welcome. An estimated 25,000 curious spectators
crowded around Khrushchev's Des Moines hotel. I was able to use
this to find out how vulnerable Khrushchev was in America and
how difficult it was to maintain security. This problem was compounded
when he visited rural Coon Rapids.
Adler, Fagan D. "Seed Corn Genius Garst Helped to Pave Way
for Historic Session at Camp David." Undated newspaper clipping.
Garst Papers. Iowa State University Archives: Alumni Affairs/Alumni
and Former Students. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Box 84,
file 4.
Adler stated that Garst "grubbed
most of the underbrush out of the tangled pathway leading to Camp
David where President Eisenhower and Nikita Khrushchev met last
week to brighten the chain of peace." I liked Adler's metaphor
because it mirrors agricultural experience. In Taubman's biography
of Khrushchev, one reason given for agricultural failure in the
Soviet Union was that farmers would plant corn, then not have
the machinery required to cultivate the soil or the herbicides
to destroy weeds. Adler's comment illustrates how political weeds
impeded the process of cultivating peace and credited Garst with
clearing the way.
"Astray in Hawkeyeland: A Day in the Country." Iowan
8 (Oct.-Nov. 1959): 49.
Few events in American history have
been as well covered as the visit of Nikita Khrushchev to the
farm of Roswell Garst, claimed this editorial. I classified this
as a primary source because the writer witnessed what he described
as the "carnival mob scene," and the "comic opera"
it became. Despite the more than 1,500 highway patrolmen, national
guardsmen, reporters, caterers, and television technicians at
the farm, "the original simple purpose of the visit did shine
through." I also learned from this article that Soviets wanted
to see Garst's farm because it was closer to the scale of Soviet
farms that could be 70,000 acres in size.
Atwood, Mary Miller. "Disagrees With Views Of Garst."
The Des Moines Register, 11 September 1959: 8.
Atwood's letter to the editor illustrates
opposition to Garst's opinions. Many who disagreed with Garst,
as this letter showed me, thought it was wrong to lend aid to
tyrannical Russian regime.
Childs, Marquis. "Nikita Visit Called Dialogue of the Deaf."
The Des Moines Register, 22 September 1959: 10.
Writing from San Francisco, columnist
Marquis Childs described this East-West encounter as a dialogue
of the deaf, because neither side wanted to hear what the other
side was saying. "It is a deafness conditioned by decades
of fear, suspicion, and naked hostility." For me this editorial
emphasized the importance of Garst's contributions as a citizen
diplomat because he looked ahead to a peaceful futureand had plans
for how to achieve itinstead of being held back by fears.
Clabby, William. "Mr. K & Corn: He'll Learn in Iowa
How U.S. Lifts Output Through Acreage Drops." The Wall
Street Journal, 1 September 1959.
The upcoming visit with "Farmer
Garst" would demonstrate farming methods including the use
of heavy doses of chemicals to boost yields and grain dryers to
permit picking corn before it dries in the field. Clabby pointed
out how far Russia lagged behind American agriculture, but admitted
that Garst, a leading corn grower, was probably "many years
ahead of most of his contemporaries in the science of corn productions."
Cooley, Harold D. "Facts About U.S. Agriculture for Khrushchev."
The Des Moines Register, 22 September 1959: 10.
Cooley's editorial compares the
efficiency of U.S. farms to communist farms in their abilities
to feed their respective populations. This helped me understand
the reason for the disparity: in Russia half the population worked
on farms to feed their people a subsistence diet; in America 10%
of the population provides more than enough food for the entire
country, freeing up the other 90% for other work. Food costs were
lower in the United States than anywhere else in the world.
Crankshaw, Edward. "Mr. K. Needs U.S. Trip for Prestige
at Home." The Des Moines Register, 22 September 1959:
10.
Crankshaw disputed Khrushchev's
stated motive for his excursion to the United States. The Soviet
Premier did not come to ease Cold War tensions or learn about
American agriculture, Crankshaw claimed. "The most important
aspect of this remarkable excursion is that he is making it,"
wrote Crankshaw, who specialized in Soviet Affairs for the London
Observer. This showed me how complicated and tangled opinions
about Khrushchev's visit to America were around the world.
"Details of Nikita's Itinerary for First Nine Days."
The Des Moines Register, 11 September 1959: 6.
Newspapers kept people of Iowaand
the nationupdated on details of Khrushchev's itinerary for his
planned visit to the United States. Roswell Garst was the only
individual besides President Eisenhower that Khrushchev specifically
asked to see while in this country. This helped me understand
the significance of the relationship between Garst and Khrushchev.
Encounter with Garst: Challenger of Tradition. Scrapbook.
Coon Rapids Public Library, Coon Rapids, Iowa.
After my day touring and conducting
research at the Garst farm I stopped at the Coon Rapids Public
Library to read the local newspaper's coverage of Khrushchev's
visit. The librarian set me up with the September/October 1959
roll of microfilm, and then, after asking questions about the
nature of my research, returned with a crumbling scrapbook stuffed
with photographs and clippings that chronicled Roswell Garst's
work as a citizen diplomat. The librarian did not know who had
compiled and titled the scrapbookshe only knew that it had been
in a library cupboard for years. The scrapbook was an extremely
valuable source of information about Roswell Garst.
Faltermayer, Edmund K. "Farmer Khrushchev: He Has Better
Luck in Space Race Than With Milk and Meat." The Wall
Street Journal, 10 August 1959.
Faltermayer's article helped me
understand the difficulties faced by Russian agriculture. Improving
techniques and equipment, largely through the help of Roswell
Garst, had helped increase harvests. However, the Soviet Union
lacked the storage capacity needed to preserve harvests and the
roads necessary to transport agricultural goods. The article also
provided me with information to compare agriculture in the U.S.
and in the Soviet Union. In the U.S. at the time, 8.1 million
farmers grew enough food to feed 175 million people. By contrast,
45 million Russian farmers worked to feed a total population of
209 million. U.S. farmers grew about twice as much as their Russian
counterparts, and U.S. per capita meat consumption in 1959 was
nearly double the 85-pound Russian average.
Film Memories: Roswell Garst. Videotape. Garst Farm, Coon
Rapids, Iowa.
Following my tour of the Garst farmhouse
and interview with Liz Garst, she allowed me to watch a videotape
compiled of newsreel footage from Khrushchev's visit. Newscasts
showed the crowd of reporters, photographers, and curious onlookers
as they crushed in around Garst and Khrushchev throughout their
inspection of Garst's farming operations. I had read so many accounts
of the crowded scene, but as Khrushchev often said in quoting
a Russian proverb: "It is a hundred times better to see than
to hear." I enjoyed watching the chaotic scene for myself
while sitting in the farmhouse at the center of the event. Looking
out the dining room windows, I could almost imagine the excitement
of the day. A sense of place helps bring history to life.
Frankel, Max. "Soviets Told Heckling of Khurshchev."
The Des Moines Register, 21 September 1959: 1.
Frankel's article illustrates the
exchange of information about Khrushchev's visit between the U.S.
and the U.S.S.R. in newspapers. Soviet Papers told of instances
where Khrushchev was heckled but did not describe exchanges where
U.S. representatives disagreed or presented counter arguments
to Khrushchev's statements. Russian reports described Khrushchev
as being in control of discussions while American participants
were silent or unresponsive. This article showed me how the public
was given the wrong impression about the other country, and also
how misconceptions of each other were allowed to grow.
Gallup, George. "Public Likens Khrushchev to Shrewd Businessman."
The Des Moines Register, 11 September 1959: 7.
Mr. Gallup's poll illustrated the
preconceptions held by normal, every-day people before the Soviet
Premier came to Iowa. Ironically, many people described the world's
top communist as a "shrewd businessman and wonderful salesman"terms
more often used to describe Khrushchev's capitalist opponents,
or his friend, Iowa farmer Roswell Garst. Some expressed kind
thoughts toward Khrushchev; others described him as "ruthless,
cruel, domineering and deceitful," opposing his trip to America.
This poll helped me understand just how polarized the views of
the citizens of the United States were about our Soviet rivals.
Garst, Elizabeth "Liz." Interview by author, 11 February
2004. Garst Farm Resorts, Coon Rapids, Iowa. Tape recorded.
While at the farm of Roswell and Elizabeth Garst I interviewed
their granddaughter, Elizabeth "Liz" Garst. While interviewing
her I was able to learn things that were not disclosed in published
accounts such as: none of the 700 national Guardsmen activated
to protect Premier Khrushchev in Iowa were given bullets for their
guns because our State Department was afraid of an assassination
attempt from the inside. Liz was eight years old when the visit
took place and the memories she shared with me of her childhood
encounters with the Soviets (during the 1959 visit and others
before and after) added another dimension to my research. While
many American children were conditioned to believe that the Soviets
would start a nuclear war, Liz followed Russians around her grandfather's
farm, collecting medals from the Soviet visitors and spying on
Khrushchev's food-tasters hoping to find out what would happen
if "one them dropped dead."
Garst Farm Resort. Historic Site Tour. 1390 Hwy. 141, Coon Rapids,
Iowa. 11 February 2004.
After studying Roswell Garst's papers at Iowa State University,
this tour made the history of my project come to life before my
eyes. Being in the place where this historic East-West
encounter occurredeven though it was quiet and there were no reporters
nesting in the treesgave me a sense of its significance. The farmhouse
has been restored, maintaining its early 1900s flavor, and is
filled with photographs of Khrushchev's visit and the Garst family;
memorabilia from the Garst and Thomas Seed Corn Company; gifts
from Russian visitors; and hundreds of stories of the Garst family
and their guests. With Liz Garst as my tour guide, it was as if
the walls could talk.
Garst, Roswell. Papers. Iowa State University Archives: Alumni
Affairs/Alumni and Former Students. Iowa State University, Ames,
Iowa.
Roswell Garst's papers were an invaluable source for my research.
Garst wrote countless letters explaining his opinions about the
importance of developing agriculture around the world in order
to secure lasting peace. I accessed boxes 34, 81-89, and 90. These
boxes contained extensive correspondence, newspaper clippings
from all over the country, Russian newspapers Garst gathered on
his many trips (he often made news in the Soviet Union), and transcribed
interviews that Roswell granted following Khrushchev's visit.
These files also contained a 1959 publication of the U.S. House
of Representatives' Committee on Un-American Activities that detailed
the crimes of Khrushchev and warned that the "great expectations
aroused by the exchange [of visits between U.S. and Soviet representatives]
reveal the tragic failure of Western statesmen to recognize the
character and the magnitude of the Communist challenge."
This diplomatic opinion illustrates the contrast between the Government
and Roswell Garst, who believed political systems could be set
aside and peace could be achieved by standing on the common ground
of agriculture.
"Global Crossroads: War and 'Peace'As We Stand." Newsweek
54, no. 11 (14 September 1959): 31-36.
Newsweek published this article prior to Khrushchev's arrival
to the United States. It described political hot spots around
the world where "the Red and free worlds touch" and
where every crackle of gunfire heightened cold war tensions and
precipitated "anguished cries" for a summit to negotiate
possibilities for peace. This helped me understand the enormity
of the issues facing diplomats. Could Garst's simple policy of
feeding people really generate lasting peace?
"Great Encounter: The 'Moon Man' Cometh." Newsweek
54, nos. 12,13,14. (21 and 28 September; 5 October 1959).
Throughout this three-part installment there was an in-depth
analysis of Khrushchev's encounters and exchanges in the United
States. The series highlighted the recent Soviet triumphs in science
and industry including the successful unmanned trip to the moonKhrushchev
was very proud of this exploration. Leading the U.S. in the space
race allowed him to "save face" when coming here for
agricultural assistance. This helped me find out why Khrushchev's
desire was to compete peacefully with the United States and avoid
World War III.
Hahn, Grover H. "Garst and His Farm Techniques." Letter
to the Editor. The Des Moines Register, 10 September 1959:
10.
This letter to the editor referred to an article previously
appearing in the Register that described Garst's "revolution"
in farming. Written by an Iowa State University county extension
director, this letter argues that Garst's techniquessuch as application
of fertilizer and the use of chemical pesticides and herbicideswere
not new. What set Garst apart, thought Hahn, was Garst's wealth;
his ability to afford resources that the average farmer could
not. This letter illustrated the rift between Garst and his Iowa
State University counterparts. Like Khrushchev, Garst did not
always get along with the "intelligentsia," and perhaps
he was not the "ordinary American farmer" he portrayed
himself to be.
Harnack, Curtis. "Farm Messiah from Coon Rapids." Iowan
4 (June-July 1956): 17-44.
Harnack describes how controversial Iowa farmer Roswell Garst
sold his revolutionary farming ideas at home and a new agricultural
era abroad. With gospel fervor, Garst's most spectacular sale
was to the Soviet and Rumanian Communist leaders. For me, this
article underscored Garst's belief that aiding agriculture in
any country is "an aid to peace."
"Iowa Governor Opposes Visit by Khrushchev." Minneapolis
Tribune, 23 August 1959.
When it was formally announced that Khrushchev would visit Iowa
during his 12-day trip to the U.S., Iowa Governor Herschel C.
Loveless announced that he opposed the Soviet premier's visit.
Loveless' opinion helped me understand how polarized opinions
were in this country about Khrushchev's visit. Loveless feared
the tour would be used for propaganda purposes. He also feared
that the hostility of Eastern European immigrants might make the
visit a "precarious venture." Understanding this helped
me put into perspective the impact of events such as Khrushchev's
suppression of the Hungarian uprising on opinions held in the
United States.
"Jovial Nikita Leaves Iowa: Let's Be Good Neighbors, He
Says at Garst Farm." The Des Moines Register, 24 September
1959: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13.
Khrushchev spent two days in Iowa during his 12-day trip to
the U.S. From Roswell Garst's living room in Coon Rapids, Khrushchev
told reporters, "I have seen the way the slaves of capitalism
live and I see they live pretty well. But the slaves of communism
live pretty well, too. So let each one of us remain with his own
way of life and be friends, living as good neighbors in the world."
As I look back on my research of these exchanges, I see the wisdom
behind Khrushchev's comment. One government trying to destroy
the other would lead to war, but history revealed that communism
would collapse on its own.
Kaiser, Robert G. "Roswell Garst's Links With Soviet Union
Being Renewed." The Des Moines Tribune, 15 July 1971.
Garst's relations with the Russians cooled after Khrushchev's
fall from power in 1964. In 1971, Vladimir Matskevitch, the first
important Soviet to visit Garst's farm in 1955, was back in power
as minister of agriculture and re-established contact with Garst,
giving the Iowa corn farmer a voice in foreign policy once again.
Garst hoped the United States would "get away from the arms
race and get down to business."
Khrushchev, Nikita S. For Victory in Peaceful Competition
with Capitalism. New York, NY: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc.,
1960.
In his introduction to this volume of speeches, Khrushchev stated
that "Mankind has approached a time when the peoples are
faced with a choiceeither peaceful coexistence of states with
different social systems, or a disastrous nuclear war." Khrushchev
published these speeches in English so that Americans could learn
"what we Soviet people were preoccupied withand how we evaluated
the most important international events." His remarks emphasized
for me how committed Khrushchev was to the peaceful exchange of
information related to agriculture, science, and culture.
Khrushchev, Nikita S. Khrushchev in America. New York:
Crosscurrents Press, 1960.
All of the speeches Khrushchev delivered during his tour of
the United States were compiled and published in the Soviet Union
as Live in Peace and Friendship! The English translation
of that volume, Khrushchev in America, provided me with
the Soviet point of view on various aspects of the Khrushchev
trip, including his stop in Iowa.
Khrushchev, Sergei N. Interview by author, 4 December 2003. Digital
recording of telephone conversation.
While searching the web for Khrushchev information I came across
a CNN interview with Sergei Khrushchev, son of Soviet Premier
Nikita Khrushchev. I learned from this interview that Sergei had
moved to the United States and became professor at Brown University.
On the Brown University web site I located Sergei's address and
phone number, and then wrote him a letter telling him about my
project and requesting an interview. We corresponded by e-mail
several times before setting a date for an interview. Sergei Khrushchev
accompanied his father to Iowa and it was interesting to discuss
his memories of the visit. He corrected one rumor that has persisted
in Iowa since 1959: legend has it that Khrushchev thought all
of the farm silos were missile silos. "My father knew that
there were no missile silos in the United States at that timethe
U.S. started building missile silos in 1962," Sergei said.
"He knew that Mr. Garst's silos stored food for pigs and
cows. My father was interested in pigs more than missiles."
Khrushchev, Sergei N. Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of
a Superpower. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State
University Press, 2000.
In one of my earliest correspondences with Sergei Khrushchev,
he told me I should read this, his book, before interviewing him.
The book records Sergei's conversations with his father and documents
events he witnessed throughout his father's time as Premier of
the Soviet Union. The part describing the visit to the Garst farm
helped me see just how important the exchange was from Nikita
Khrushchev's perspective. Sergei accompanied his family to the
United States.
"Khrushchev Story: How 'Dark Horse' Took Over." The
Des Moines Register, 9 February 1955: 1, 8.
This article appeared under the banner headline, "MORE
SOVIET SHAKEUPS SEEN." People in the United States knew little
about Nikita Khrushchev when he took over the job of first secretary
of the Communist Party, the platform from which Stalin vaulted
into complete control. The article helped me understand just how
turbulent the relationship was between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.
at the time and how complicated the leadership transition was
after Stalin's death.
"Khrushchev Urges Peaceful Competition." The Des
Moines Register, 23 September 1959: 12.
The text of Nikita Khrushchev's speech in Des Moines and news
analysis of his remarks helped me understand the local reaction
to Khrushchev's visit. Pages of photographs in this edition of
the Register allowed me to see the crowds around Khrushchev's
hotel. Some members of the crowd, described as former political
prisoners from Hungary, held up signs of protest.
Kihsa, Peter. "Groups Plan Protests on Khrushchev."
The Des Moines Register, 11 September 1959: 5.
This article describes efforts of various anti-communist groups
to protest during Khrushchev's visit to the United States. A group
of senators and representatives called for national mourning "for
the victims of Communist terror" throughout Khrushchev's
stay. Kihsa, a New York Times writer, reported that National
Review, a conservative weekly, claimed to have sold 30,000
"Khrushchev Not Welcome Here" bumper stickers and planned
to print 10,000 more.
Kissinger, Henry A. "The Khrushchev VisitDangers and Hopes."
The New York Times Magazine, 6 September 1959: 5, 44.
Kissinger did not agree with Garst's position that Soviets with
full stomachs would pose less of a threat. Kissinger's insistence
that political avenues were the only road toward peace helped
me present both sides of the argument in my paper.
Lamberto, Nick. "Hungarians Urge: Don't Stir Trouble."
The Des Moines Register, 22 September 1959: 3.
A bold headline topped the page: "Nikita's Peaceful Exchange."
This article illustrated for me how the Hungarians felt after
Khrushchev squashed their attempt to remove themselves from the
Eastern Bloc in the 1956 uprising. Members of an exiled Hungarian
political organization visited places ahead of Khrushchev to caution
against disorderly demonstrations. "We do not want to cause
any trouble," a Hungarian representative said. The Russians,
he continued, could learn much about American agriculture that
would contribute to a lasting peace.
Lippmann, Walter. "Why Both Sides Need Slowdown in Armaments
Race." The Des Moines Register, 26 September 1959:
4.
Acclaimed New York Herald Tribune columnist Walter Lippmann
offered his analysis of U.S. and Soviet positions concerning the
armaments race prior to the Camp David summit that followed Khrushchev's
visit to Iowa and exploration of the Garst Farm. Khrushchev had
said that his friendship with Garst paved the way to a profitable
summit. Lippmann did not think there would be enough time to thoroughly
negotiate any of the "great issues," but that any agreement
would represent a significant gain. Lippmann's analysis helped
me understand how the arms race hurt both sides.
Miller, Frank. "Khrushchev's Idea of American People."
Political Cartoon. The Des Moines Register, 10 September
1959: 10.
In a cloud above the Soviet Premier's head, Miller drew Khrushchev's
preconception of the American people, depicting the average American
as one weighed down by the shackles of capitalism. Under Miller's
cartoon read the caption, "A good handshake might get rid
of some handcuffs." The drawing depicted a portly Nikita
Khrushchev extending his hand to shake the hand of an "average"
American. As their hands come together, the image in Nikita's
mind begins to disintegrate. This cartoon, I think, illustrates
the kind of diplomacy Garst practiced: personal encounters and
exchange of mutually helpful information instead of political
debate.
Mills, George. "A 'Friendly' Welcome is Seen HereBut Without
Any Fawning." The Des Moines Register, 22 September
1959: 1, 16.
Simply stated, said Mills, "Today is a big day in Iowa
History." Never before had this agricultural state hosted
so powerful an individual from a foreign land. Mills predicted
that Iowans would be generous with their farming knowledge, even
though Khrushchev and Communism were not popular in this state.
The State Department warned Iowans not to make "needling"
remarks. I found this slightly amusing since Khrushchev and Garst
often addressed needling remarks to one another, underscoring
for me Garst's ability to speak bluntly to Khrushchev in ways
the diplomats and politicians could not.
Mills, George. "Kind Words From Garst For Nikita."
The Des Moines Register, 9 September 1959: 1, 9.
Two weeks before Khrushchev's visit, Garst granted an interview
to the Register, explaining that he admired the communist
administration but he wasn't a communist. Garst also reported
that even though Khrushchev had a difficult and dark history,
his family would still welcome them and teach them what they knew
about agriculture. This article showed me that the encounters
and exchanges between these two men were not politically motivated,
but were in the interest of helping the Soviet agricultural crisis.
Mills, George. "Nikita, Adlai May Meet at Coon Rapids."
The Des Moines Register, 11 September 1959: 1.
Mills' article demonstrated the significance of Khrushchev's
visit. Garst had arranged for Adlai Stevenson to be one of the
dignitaries at the farm during the visit. Stevenson's 1958 trip
to the Soviet Union left him pessimistic as to the chances of
real peace, but he looked forward to another encounter with Khrushchev.
Mitchell, Don. "Mrs. K. Gardener." Newark, N.J.
News. 2 September 1959.
Mitchell described Garst's earlier visits to the Soviet Union
and Mrs. Khrushchev's interest in gardening. The interesting part
of this article to me was that it confirmed that Khrushchev's
son, Sergei, and two daughters would also travel to the United
States. I knew then that I would want to interview Sergei about
his experiences in Iowa.
"Mr. Garst's Mail." Sunday World-Herald (Omaha),
6 September 1959.
Roswell Garst was flooded with mail after the announcement that
Khrushchev would visit his farm. In every delivery, Garst was
informed "that he is a savior of humanity and also that he
is a rat, with countless variations on each theme." This
supported what Liz Garst told me in my interview with her: "[Roswell]
got lots of hate mail, but nobody knows what they said because
he put those letters in the trash can."
"Mr. K. Can Be Charming." The Des Moines Register,
26 September 1959: 4.
In this editorial the author straightened out the crooked beliefs
that Khrushchev was an ill-mannered, tough man who had no respect
for others. It also explained that the group visiting Iowa was
a kind group that wanted to learn as much as they could about
agriculture in the short time they had in the United States. Reading
this editorial prompted me to ask Sergei Khrushchev what kinds
of preconceptions they encountered in the United States, and what
kinds of preconceptions they brought with them.
"National Affairs." Time 74, no. 13 (28 September
1959): 9-17.
The peasant face of Nikita Khrushchev appeared on the cover
of the 28 September Time Magazine. The author called Krushchev's
visit to the United states "one of the grand confrontations
of the cold war and of all time," quoting President Eisenhower's
tribute to the freedom he said is instinctive in all men. "We
do not have a system," Eisenhower told Khrushchev. "We
have a way of life. We think that the systematized order observed
in Russia is a step backward, not forward." For me, this
illustrated the differences between Eisenhower and Khrushchev
and explained why Eisenhower distanced himself from Khrushchev
during most of the 12 days the Soviet premier was in the country.
Instead, Eisenhower selected U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. to be Khrushchev's official host.
"Nikita Down to Earth at Iowa Farm." Mountain News
(Denver, Colorado), 24 September 1959.
What caught my eye in with this article was the 3-column photograph
that accompanied it. The close-up picture showed Nikita Khrushchev
bending over to kiss one of Roswell and Elizabeth Garst's granddaughters
goodbye. The girl in the photo was Elizabeth "Liz" Garst,
who I was scheduled to interview the next day. The article described
the chaos at Garst's farm during Khrushchev's visit and how difficult
it was to move among hundreds of reporters and photographers.
This information helped me set the scene in my opening paragraph
and provided Garst's quote about farmers being able to settle
problems faster than diplomats.
"Nikita States the Communist Case in TV Speech." The
Des Moines Register, 28 September 1959: 1, 4, 6, 7, 13.
Khrushchev was a good communist; he believed whole heartedly
that the communist government and economy would win out in the
end. In this transcript of his speech, Nikita said that he was
glad about these dealings and hoped for more of the same type
of talks later on. I learned from this article that even though
our countries' governments were different both hoped to coexist
on Earth together.
Orr, Richard. "Iowa Farmer Bob Garst Has Much to Show Nikita."
Chicago Sunday Tribune, 13 September 1959.
Orr's feature in the Chicago Tribune introduced readers
to Coon Rapids, Iowa, Bob Garst and his wife, Elizabeth, and the
farm Nikita Khrushchev would visit during his trip to the United
States. This article provided me with the information that Garst
was the only individual except for President Eisenhower that Khrushchev
specifically asked to see while in the U.S. The novelty of a foreign
dignitary's visit to rural Iowa caused stories like this to appear
in newspapers throughout the United States.
Perkes, Dan. "Khrush No More Blunt Than Freethinker Garst."
Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 September 1959.
Perkes describes Garst's promise to show Khrushchev "a
thorough demonstration of how Americans overthrew agricultural
tradition and multiplied nature's blessingsa type of revolution
he willingly would share with the Soviet Union." The article
reinforced similarities between Khrushchev and Garst that I have
noticed in other sources: both were candid and blunt, not inhibited
by conventional diplomatic restraints.
"Questioning Stirs Soviet Boss to Fury." The Des
Moines Register, 21 September 1959: 1, 5.
This article demonstrates Khrushchev's conviction that communism
would be the social system that triumphed over capitalism. He
was meeting with American union leaders who expressed their contempt
for communism. The union leaders' questioning caused Khrushchev
to become quite agitated. I compared this confrontation to similar
confrontations between Garst and Khrushchev. Garst, a true capitalist,
often disagreed with Khrushchev, sometimes in loud arguments,
but their friendship compensated for this kind of an exchange.
Raskin, A.H. "Nikita Worse Than Stalin, Say Unions."
The Des Moines Register, 22 September 1959: 1, 11.
Agriculturalists, it seemed, got along better with Khrushchev
than did labor leaders attending an A.F.L.-C.I.O. convention.
Raskin reported that labor leaders' differences with Khrushchev
were "irreconcilable." I thought this was ironic because
Khrushchev envisioned communism as a worker's paradise. This was
one of the first articles I encountered that deemed Khrushchev
to be worse than Stalin.
Reston, James. "Halt Armed Forays, Ike To Tell Red."
The Des Moines Register, 15 September 1959: 1, 8.
Reston describes President Eisenhower's plans to postpone talks
about sensitive issues including arms control and Berlin until
after Khrushchev has completed his American tour. This article
demonstrated how delicately diplomats must proceed, in contrast
to Roswell Garst's blunt statements to Khrushchev. For Garst,
no issue was "too sensitive" to discuss.
"Roswell Garst Helped to Spur Big Changes in Agriculture."
Pioneer Horizons Pamphlet. Winter 1978.
Printed after Roswell Garst's death in 1977, this newsletter
of the Garst and Thomas Hybrid Corn Company paid tribute to Garst's
agricultural accomplishments and contained a transcript of his
obituary. I learned that Garst considered his greatest accomplishment
to be his role in "talk and trade" with communist governments,
actions which helped ease world tensions.
Salisbury, Harrison. The Des Moines Register, 8-15 September
1959: "Finds Khrushchev's Russia Freer, Happier." 8
September 1959; "Only Khrushchev Can Make The Decisions."
9 September 1959; "Labor Camps Gone, People Talk Freely."
10 September 1959; "Fear of China Spurs Russia's Peace Quest."
11 September 1959; "Why Khrushchev Trip May Soften His Stand."
15 September 1959.
Salisbury, a New York Times reporter who served as Soviet
correspondent from 1949 to 1954, wrote a series of eight articles
describing changes that had taken place in the U.S.S.R. since
the death of Stalin. This series, especially the articles noted
above, was a valuable resource I encountered early in my research.
His synopsis of the pre-Stalinist and Stalinist periods compared
with changes emerging during the Khrushchev era gave me a good
foundation in Russian history from which I could understand the
context of the agricultural exchanges.
Salisbury, Harrison. "Sees Americans at Work, Eats Cafeteria
Apple Pie." The Des Moines Register, 22 September
1959: 1, 6.
Khruschev refuted a long-standing position of Soviet propaganda
by announcing that he drew no line of distinction between the
American people and the American government. Soviet propaganda
had claimed that there was a vast difference between the views
of ordinary Americans and the views of the American government.
Khrushchev's desire for friendship with the American people, I
believe, was an outgrowth of his friendship with Roswell Garst
whose brand of citizen diplomacy blurred the lines between public
representative and private citizen.
Soth, Lauren K. "If the Russians Want More Meat" The
Des Moines Register, 10 February 1955.
Soth's Pulitzer Prize winning editorial is often quoted in published
material dealing with the beginnings of East-West agricultural
exchange. I located this editorial as it originally appeared in
the Des Moines Register while looking through the Iowa
State University Library's microfilm files. Soth wrote in a very
casual voice, as if the Russians were sitting across the kitchen
table from him while talking about farming. This helped me understand
the roots of the agricultural exchange involving Roswell Garst.
Stanford, Neal. "Eisenhower, Khrushchev to Swap Visits."
The Christian Science Monitor, 4 August 1959.
"A new chapter in East-West diplomacy is opening,"
stated Stanford, who described the informal talks planned between
Eisenhower and Khrushchev. This article underscored for me how
important the encounters between Garst and Khrushchev had been
in setting the stage for Khrushchev's historic visit to the United
States and meetings with President Eisenhower.
"State Department Gets a Lesson." The Cedar Rapids
Gazette. 24 September 1959, Editorial Page.
This unsigned editorial pointed out the different opinions
regarding Khrushchev's visit to Iowa. The writer quoted Ambassador
Lodge as saying, "I never knew it would be like this. I'm
learning an awful lot about this country myself on this tour."
Government officials, I believe, often represent people they do
not know. I share the editorial's opinion that "one of the
best things that could happen to some of our state department
officials would be for them to share Ambassador Lodge's discoveries
by touring our country on their own sometime."
Comrade Khrushchev and Farmer Garst: East-West Encounters
State Historical Society of Iowa Special Collections, Iowa City,
Iowa. 25 March 2004.
When I visited the State Historical Society Special Collections
I viewed pictures taken while the first delegation of Soviets
was visiting Iowa in response to Lauren Soth's editorial in the
Des Moines Register. The photographs helped me see the
importance that Khrushchev placed on agriculture: he sent Soviets
to study American farming techniques, admitting American superiority
in this area, and he allowed an exchange so that Iowa farmers
could visit the Soviet Union.
Strohm, John, NEA Special Correspondent. "Why is U.S. Far
Ahead of Russia in Farming? Mr. K. Seeks The Answer." Kingsport
Times, 21 September 1959.
Strohm describes Garst as the "one man who told Khrushchev
the truth about what's wrong with Soviet agriculture." This
article made me wonder if the Soviets would have been so far behind
in agriculture if their leaders had been able to tell the truth
to the Soviet Premier. Telling Stalin unpopular news signed one's
death warrant. Taubman's biography of Khrushchev described him
as being surrounded by sycophants who were conditioned to tell
the top Soviet exactly what he wanted to heareven if it did not
represent reality. This led Khrushchev to make unwise decisions
and implement ineffective reforms based on incorrect information.
Khrushchev's agricultural failures contributed to his ouster.
"War and 'Peace'As We Stand." Newsweek. 14 September
1959: 31-37.
In this article the author discusses Nikita's visit to the U.N
and the effects of the Laos situation on the world at the time.
It also described the opposition to Khrushchev and how that affected
his power during this crisis. This article helped me to understand
the immense pressure Khrushchev was under at the time of his visit.
Wilson, Richard. "'Highlight of Trip,' Lodge Tells Garst."
The Des Moines Register, 24 September 1959: 6.
Khrushchev's visit made Garst's farm the most famous establishment
of its kind in the world, Wilson stated. "It was the place
where Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev preached peace in the
barnyard and living room and enjoyed himself immensely."
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Khrushchev's official host in America,
told Roswell Garst that the day spent at his farm had been the
highlight of the whole trip. Lodge, the U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations, admitted that he learned almost as much about
Midwestern life as did Khrushchev. This gave credence to the Garst
quote I used on the first page of my paper: "we two farmers
could settle the problems of the world faster than politicians."
Wilson, Richard. "Hope to Keep Red Premier in Good Mood."
The Des Moines Register, 22 September 1959: 1, 4.
Wilson's article was a big help for me to see the misunderstandings
and assumptions that our government had about Khrushchev. The
U.S. thought that Nikita would not cooperate while he was in the
United States, but those thoughts were totally wrong. Escorts
of the Khrushchev party found out in a hurry that the delegation
from the Soviet Union was here to work with us to learn about
agriculture.
Wilson, Richard. "Ike Asks Courtesy to Nikita: Hopes Visit
Will Result in Progress." The Des Moines Register,
11 September 1959: 1, 6.
President Eisenhower called upon the American people to receive
Khrushchev "with traditional American courtesy and dignity."
This article illustrates the complexity of working between two
countries for peace. Eisenhower had to go over many details with
Khrushchev before peace talks could even be arranged. Having studied
the reasons Garst and Khrushchev's relationship worked so well,
I could contrast the stiff, formal, "official" talks
that would later take place.
Wilson, Richard. "Ike to Meet Plane, Ride in 15-Mile Parade."
The Des Moines Register, 15 September 1959: 1, 5.
News of Khrushchev's arrival in the United States dominated
the front page. His first stop would be in Washington, D.C. for
the first direct two-way discussion ever held between the President
of the United States and the Premier of the Soviet Union. After
the talks, Khrushchev would tour the United States before returning
to Camp David for continued talks with Eisenhower. This helped
me appreciate the significance of Khrushchev's historic trip.
Wilson, Richard. "Khrushchev Rise Causes U.S. Concern."
The Des Moines Register, 9 February 1955: 5.
Wilson Stated that Nikita S. Khrushchev's emergence as the "strong
man of Russia" caused great concern here over the future
of Soviet-American relations. This article helped me understand
Khrushchev's mercurial ways; on one hand he was ominous and threatening,
on the other he was peaceful and offered words of reassurance.
Americans, who were already drilling their children for nuclear
attacks, were all the more alarmed at the news of Khrushchev's
rise to power.
Wilson, Richard. "Nikita Says He Won't Go, Crisis Ends."
The Des Moines Register, 21 September 1959: 1, 13.
Two days before coming to Iowa, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev
was offended by his frosty reception in Los Angeles. Khrushchev
threatened to break off his visit and return immediately to Moscow
because he didn't feel welcome in the hostile, anti-communist
Los Angeles atmosphere. Khrushchev declared, "if the U.S.
wants war, Russia is ready to meet the challenge." This article
helped me understand the volatile nature of the diplomatic relations
between the U.S.S.R. and the United States, illustrating just
how quickly Khrushchev vacillated between positions of war and
peace. It also helped me appreciate his friendship with Roswell
Garstthey could argue and discuss matters in ways that diplomats
could not.
Wilson, Richard. "Sees Crumbling of Cold War Ice."
The Des Moines Register, 17 September 1959: 1, 4, 11.
Under the banner headline, "RUSSIA HINTS POLICY SHIFTS,"
Wilson described Khrushchev's statements about disarmament and
the Berlin issue that might indicate a shift in his position.
To President Eisenhower Khrushchev said, "The ice of the
Cold War has not only shown a crack but has begun to crumble."
This article helped me comprehend why Khrushchev came to the United
States and what he hoped to gain from the venture.
Wilson, Richard. "Think Nikita Has Altered U.S. Opinion."
The Des Moines Register, 27 September 1959: 3.
Wilson covered Khrushchev's entire 12 day visit to the United
States. This article offers his analysis of Khrushchev's impact
on the American public. Before he came, Americans saw Khrushchev
as oafish and rude. Wilson described the "shocking impact"
of the visit on American preconceptions of the Soviet leader.
The encounter allowed Americans to see Khrushchev's intellectual
sophistication in international politics, the quickness of his
mind, and the ruthlessness of his wit. Wilson's viewpoint helped
me develop my own analysis for this paper.
Wolfe, Thomas. "Official Nerves to Jangle In Salute to Khrushchev."
Washington, D.C. Post, 21 August 1959.
A month before Khrushchev's trip to the U.S., nearly 300 cities,
towns, organizations, clubs and individuals had submitted invitations
requesting the Soviet Premier to visit. Invitations arrived at
the U.S. State Department and Soviet Embassy every day. Wolfe
credited America's unofficial Corn Belt Ambassador to Moscow,
Roswell Garst, with starting it all when he invited Khrushchev
to see his Coon Rapids farm. This, for me, emphasized the significance
of Garst's encounters with Khrushchev.
Secondary Sources
Conquest, Robert. "Loudmouth." The New Yorker, 31 March
2003: 99, 100.
This New Yorker book review first introduced
me to William Taubman's book, Khrushchev: The Man and His Era.
Conquest offers a synopsis of the book and describes Taubman's
work as the first comprehensive and scholarly biography of Stalin's
successor, pointing out that such a book would not have been possible
until recently since the research relies in part on countless
pages of archival material that has emerged since the collapse
of the Soviet Union.
Elbert, David. "Historical Farm Will Become Resort Site."
The Des Moines Register, 3 May 1997: 1, 5.
The Garst farm that opened doors to Soviet-U.S. relations rolled
out its welcome mat to tourists in the Summer of 1997. This article
brought the Garst farm to my attention as an historical site that
I must visit in order to complete my research.
Graham, Loren R. Science in Russia and the Soviet Union. Cambridge:
University of Cambridge Press, 1993.
Graham's assessment of science in the Soviet Union contained
a section on agriculture that explained why the Soviets lagged
behind the United States in agriculture, supporting the statement
I make in the opening of my paper. The Soviets collectivized agriculture
based on the principle of socialist ownership and on the conviction
that "the full potential of modern agricultural machinery
could not be fulfilled as long as the land was divided into small
private plots." They sought a technological fix for an economic
and social problem.
Grathwol, Robert P. and Donita M. Moorhus. Berlin and the
American Military: A Cold War Chronicle. New York: New York
University Press, 1999.
The text of this book was very helpful to me when I was putting
the events of the 1950s and 1960s in context. It helped me find
out how Khrushchev's foreign policy blunders contributed to his
eventual demise. This book also helped me prepare my timeline.
"JFK: A Presidency Revealed." History Channel Documentary
produced by David Taylor. A&E Television Networks: 2003.
I saw this documentary on the History channel and then
purchased the DVD set because it included never-before released
source material including Kennedy's White House audiotapes and
Soviet footage from his sole superpower summit with Premier Nikita
Khrushchev. It helped me understand Khrushchev's preferred negotiation
style: long unhurried conversations, as he had demonstrated with
Garst. This documentary illustrated how Khrushchev was irritated
by Kennedy's brusque and efficient manner.
Lee, Harold. Roswell Garst: A Biography. Ames: Iowa State
University Press, 1984.
Lee described Roswell Garst as an independent, strong-willed,
free-spirited original thinker who had a major impact on East-West
cooperation in agriculture. This first comprehensive biography
of Garst demonstrated his unique roll on the international stage.
This book first introduced me to Roswell Garst and Lee's notes
led me to Garst's papers at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.
Lucas, Marlene. "Garst Farm Resorts in Coon Rapids Opens
Doors to Visitors." The Cedar Rapids Gazette, 4 October
1998: 1D, 12D.
The Gazette featured the Garst farm in a series profiling
Iowa's agriculture entrepreneurs who developed non-traditional
ways to increase their incomes. Proprietor Liz Garst makes sure
that guests staying in her grandparents' farmhouse know that it
is more than a typical bed and breakfast; it is a piece of international
history. This article provided me with the farm's phone number,
website, and email address.
Malcolm, Andrew H. "Coon Rapids: Unchanged Since Khrushchev."
The New York Times. 23 May 1972.
Malcolm recalled that Khrushchev's visit to the Garst Farm was
"12 summers, 13 falls, 13 winters, and 13 springs ago."
The article described the impact of the Soviet Premier's 1959
visit, the one time Coon Rapids was plucked from obscurity. It
demonstrated for me how Garst, as a self-appointed agricultural
missionary to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, also had a
major impact on his hometown.
Muhm, Don and Virginia Wadsley. "Roswell Garst." Iowans
Who Made a Difference: 150 Years of Agricultural Progress.
West Des Moines, Iowa: Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, 1996: 80-82.
The chapter describing Roswell Garst provided a brief, but very
helpful, overview of his life and achievements. It helped me understand
how Garst's role on the international stage was unique for his
time. His selection for this volume underlines how important he
was to Iowa agricultural history.
Pins, Kenneth. "FBI Saw Garst as 'Difficult,' Say Secret
Files." Des Moines Register. 27 August 1989.
Pins described Garst as a blunt-talking, globe-trotting, seed
corn merchant who was an exasperating pain in the neck for the
U.S. State Department and the FBI during the Cold War. Garst berated
agents that shadowed him, and accused the FBI of intercepting
cables sent by his Eastern Bloc friends. This article led me to
Garst's FBI file, released to the Des Moines Register under
the Freedom of Information Act. The redacted file yielded more
black ink than information.
Sloan, William David and Laird B. Anderson, eds. Pulitzer
Prize Editorials: America's Best Writing 1917-2003. Third
Edition. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 2003.
This volume included Lauren Soth's editorial, "If the Russians
Want More Meat" which won the 1956 Pulitzer Prize. The editorial
itself is a primary source, but I used this book for the commentary
that it offered about the editorial. It also described the selection
criteria for Pulitzer Prize editorials and explained how rare
it is for an editorial to have a direct effect on a major public
event, as Soth's did.
Taubman, William. Khrushchev: The Man and His Era. New
York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2003.
This Khrushchev biography, written by Amherst College political
science professor William Taubman, describes the contradiction
of Khrushchev's legacy. Taubman's book is a page turner that really
got me caught up in the drama of Soviet history. The author's
analysis helped me understand how Khrushchev, who worked closely
with Stalin and approved many arrests and executions, eventually
introduced reforms that led to the downfall of Soviet communism.
Taubman, William, Sergei Khrushchev, and Abbott Gleason, eds.
Nikita Khrushchev. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000.
Contributors to this volume of essays included Russian, Ukrainian,
American, and British scholars; a former foreign policy aide to
Khrushchev; the executive secretary of a Russian commission investigating
Soviet-era repressions, and Khrushchev's own son Sergei. The collection
describes how the spotlight once again fell on Khrushchev in the
late 1980s when Gorbachev finally lifted the taboo on Khrushchev's
name. Comparing analysis in these essays helped balance older
sources about Khrushchev written before Soviet-era archives were
opened for study. Especially helpful was Anatolii Strelianyi's
essay describing Khrushchev's role in agricultural reform and
why many of these reforms failed.
Thomas, Evan. "Cold War: Bluster Before the Fall."
Newsweek, 15 September 2003: 10.
Thomas wrote this article a week before the Russian government
was to release documents related to the deliberations of the Politburo
from 1954 to 1964. These documents were expected to show Prime
Minister Nikita Khrushchev and his comrades worrying about "planes
that won't fly and bread lines that won't go away," while
at the same time taking risks that brought the world to the brink
of a nuclear war they were not strong enough to fight. Until the
Soviet Union collapsed in the late 1980s, Washington did not realize
that the "evil empire" had long been rotting from within.
Roswell Garst did, and I believe his efforts to strengthen their
nation by helping the Soviets develop better agriculture was truly
a superior path to peace.
Weinberg, Steve. "Iowa State Press Collects Best, History-Changing
Writing." The Des Moines Register, undated clipping.
This clipping led me to the book, Pulitzer Prize Editorials:
America's Best Writing, 1917-2003. Featured in this is Lauren
Soth's editorial, "If the Russians Want More Meat."
The article also reproduced a Des Moines Register file photo of
Khrushchev inspecting corn that I used in my paper.
Whitman, Alden. "Khrushchev's Human Dimensions Brought Him
to Power and to His Downfall." Obituary. New York Times,
12 September 1971.
I classified this as a secondary source because, in addition
to notification of Khrushchev's death, the article offered a detailed
history of the former Soviet Premier's rise to power and causes
for his downfall. The obituary was extremely helpful in putting
events in Khrushchev's life in context and in developing my timeline
(Appendix I).
Notes
1. John Strohm, "Why
Is U.S. Far Ahead Of Russia In Farming? Mr. K Seeks the Answer."
Kingsport Times, 21 September 1959: 2.
2. Kolkhozes,
or collective farms, in theory were agricultural cooperativesa
voluntary union of free peasants. In reality, collective farms
were regimented, state-controlled operations into which peasants
were forcibly herded and from which they were forbidden to leave.
3. Nikita Khrushchev,
Khrushchev in America (New York: Crosscurrents Press, 1960),
25.
4. "Nikita Down
to Earth at Iowa Farm." Mountain News (Denver, CO),
24 September 1959: 1.
5. William Taubman,
Khrushchev: The Man and His Era (New York: W.W. Norton
& Co.): 21.
6. "Khrushchev
Story: How 'Dark Horse' Took Over," Des Moines Register,
9 February 1955: 1.
7. Sergei Khrushchev,
interview by author, 4 December 2003. Sergei accompanied his father
to the United States in 1959. Sergei explained that Leonid Brezhnev,
Khrushchev's successor, halted his father's agricultural reforms
and that agricultural science in Russia today is declining. "In
Russia today they import most of the food that they consume. They
are selling oil and buying food."
8. Sergei Khrushchev,
interview by author, 4 December 2003.
9. Part of the reason
the Soviet economy lagged behind the United States was the communist
system's reliance on a command economy where the government told
farmers and other workers how much to produce without regards
to production capacity or how much was really needed.
10. Lauren Soth,
"If the Russians Want More Meat" The Des Moines Register,
10 February 1955.
11. Ibid. Soth won
the 1956 Pulitzer Prize for this editorial because of the impact
it had on a major public eventencouraging exchanges between the
U.S. and U.S.S.R. that helped thaw the chill that had developed
between the two nations. After a Soviet delegation visited Iowa
farms, Soth toured the Soviet Union with an American delegation.
12. Elizabeth "Liz"
Garst (granddaughter of Roswell and Elizabeth Garst), interview
by author, Coon Rapids, Iowa, 11 February 2004. Sergei Khrushchev
confirmed this in my interview with him.
13. After extensive
negotiations, the U.S. State Department required that only scientists
and agronomistsno politiciansbe included in the Soviet delegation.
Their plane flew directly to Des Moines, never going near Washington,
D.C. The U.S. Federal Government wanted nothing to do with the
initial agricultural exchange.
14. Elizabeth "Liz"
Garst, interview by author, Coon Rapids, Iowa, 11 February 2004.
15. According to
Liz Garst, the Iowa Farm Bureau selected only small family farms
with no hired labor for the Soviets to tour in an effort to prove
to them that 80-160 acre family farms were superior to Soviet
collective farms. "The smallest farms in the Soviet Union
were at least 20,000 acres," she explained. Garst Farms,
totaling about 5,000 acres, were omitted from the tour even though
they employed the latest technology in grain and livestock productionexactly
what the Soviets had come to see. Roswell Garst arranged to meet
Matskevitch at a reception and described his techniques to the
Soviet official. Determined to see Garst's farm, Matskevitch refused
to accompany his delegation to the next day's scheduled stop.
Instead, Matskevitch accepted the ride Garst provided to Coon
Rapids.
16. Harold Lee,
Roswell Garst: A Biography (Ames: Iowa State University
Press, 1984), 183.
17. Ibid, 186.
18. Taubman, Khrushchev:
The Man and His Era, 372; Lee, 189.
19. Garst provided
western correspondents the first news of Khrushchev's family.
Up until this point people in the West knew very little about
Nikita or his family. Early newspaper coverage of Khrushchev's
rise to power said the new leader was known to have been married,
but it was not known if his wife was still living. Khrushchev's
first wife died of hunger and exhaustion during the famine following
the Russian civil war. He divorced his second wife, and Nina,
his third wife, would later host agricultural deleg |