Who became the leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin died in 1953?

When Stalin died on March 5 1953, he was replaced by Georgy Malenkov. In fact, Malenkov had held the position of Deputy Prime Minister since 1946 and was, to a certain extent, Stalin's heir apparent. The day after Stalin died, Malenkov became the Premier of the Soviet Union, a role which gave him total control.

Malenkov was not the only man with political ambition, however. Nikita Khrushchev was one such man and, within a few...

When Stalin died on March 5 1953, he was replaced by Georgy Malenkov. In fact, Malenkov had held the position of Deputy Prime Minister since 1946 and was, to a certain extent, Stalin's heir apparent. The day after Stalin died, Malenkov became the Premier of the Soviet Union, a role which gave him total control.

Malenkov was not the only man with political ambition, however. Nikita Khrushchev was one such man and, within a few weeks, had become the first secretary of the Communist Party, a move which demonstrated the strength of his ambition. Over the next few years, Khrushchev consolidated his position through a series of political alliances and, by 1956, had enough power to successfully oust Malenkov and take over as the leader of the Soviet Union.

For more information on the power struggles between Malenkov and Khrushchev, please see the reference link provided.