What is history: it is the echo of the past to the future, the reflection of the future on the past. - Hugo
Khrushchev was probably the most controversial of all Soviet leaders.
Khrushchev was very impatient, noisy, and rude. He once put his shoes on the table at an international conference because he was dissatisfied with the speeches of foreigners, which became a classic scene in the history of Soviet diplomacy. In addition, Khrushchev's era coincided with the height of the Cold War and the beginning of the U.S.-Soviet arms race, and the short leader liked to clamor for war, which made him very dissatisfied in the minds of Western countries.
Khrushchev was tough on the outside, but flexible on the inside. The most prominent symbol of his achievements in the Soviet Union was the "Reform" movement. He had an economic, cultural, political, and military influence on the Soviet Union. "Corn", Khrushchev's most famous nickname comes from the extensive cultivation of corn during his land reforms.
Internationally, the Soviet Union was a scourge to the West, and Khrushchev was tough on the West at the beginning of his administration and made many bold remarks, but he changed his attitude toward the West a few years after he took office. Khrushchev was the first supreme Soviet leader to visit the United States, and in 1959 he was invited by President Eisenhower to visit the United States.
The trip to the United States became the focus of the world's attention, not only because it was the first meeting of the supreme leaders during the Cold War, but also because Khrushchev made two unusual demands: a visit to Disneyland and dinner with the world-famous actress Marilyn Monroe at that time.
Both of these demands had nothing to do with the politics of both countries, and the Americans received inexplicable information that Khrushchev was joking. The Soviets, however, said that these demands were serious, and that the Americans had no choice but to arrange a trip for Khrushchev.
However, due to Khrushchev's understatement and the malicious propaganda of the US government, the image of the Soviets in the eyes of the Americans was very bad, and Khrushchev was simply the "devil" in everyone's eyes.
Because Khrushchev's arrogant image of a war maniac has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, the American people are strongly opposed to him going to the children's paradise to play. However, under the persuasion of the US government, Marilyn Monroe agreed to have dinner with Khrushchev, and she was still very face-saving to the US government.
Khrushchev's demands may seem strange, but they have political significance: one is to remove the Soviet Union's old-fashioned, serious, and terrible labels; the other is to let the Americans know that the Soviet people and Soviet leaders are not demons, but ordinary people who can approach them.
Khrushchev wanted to visit Disneyland in order to establish a people-friendly image. He once said that Soviet children also like amusement parks, and he wanted to build such a happy park in the Soviet Union. Khrushchev wanted americans to know that he was a man who liked celebrities and beautiful women, and that such a flesh-and-blood leader would shake American prejudice against the Soviet Union.
These two seemingly bizarre demands are actually the result of Khrushchev's deliberations, with profound political considerations behind them.
However, the refusal of American civilians to open Disneyland to Khrushchev made Khrushchev very unhappy, and if Marilyn Monroe also refused to attend the dinner, then the trip to the United States could end in failure. So, after many requests and many adjustments to the contents of the dinner, Marilyn Monroe and Khrushchev finally met.
The dinner was very different from Khrushchev's demands. First, the time moved from evening to noon; second, the dinner was not a separate meeting for the two, but a grand banquet attended by 400 people. The dinner was attended not only by representatives of American society, but also by a number of Hollywood actors, including Marilyn Monroe.
However, in order to make Khrushchev happy, at Khrushchev's main table, accompanied by American stars Gary Cooper, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, Khrushchev directly made a joke about the United States, saying that Americans really "cut the door" and even Disneyland did not allow themselves to play. He even made a joke that made everyone laugh. There are definitely missile launchers in Disneyland.
Four hundred Americans watched Khrushchev's jokes, but Khrushchev was only interested in Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe, a simple and straightforward person, said to Khrushchev: "What the Prime Minister just said is really funny. Khrushchev was pleased, which eased the awkward atmosphere of the meeting.
He was particularly fond of Marilyn Monroe. Khrushchev even invited Marilyn Monroe to visit the Soviet Union, saying that the enthusiastic Soviet people would treat her kindly, and he would even make a pie for her to taste.
After lunch with Marilyn Monroe, Khrushchev was satisfied with the arrangement, and he and Eisenhower met at Camp David in a very harmonious atmosphere, not as tense as before.
Marilyn Monroe was a passionate, simple person who could not understand the complex political situation and international conspiracies, and during her lifetime, Monroe did look forward to visiting the Soviet Union one day. But two years later, in August 1962, the United States discovered a Soviet missile launch base in Cuba, and the Cuban Missile Crisis broke out.
Meanwhile, in the early hours of August 5, Marilyn Monroe, a woman of a generation's dreams, was found dead in her apartment. She left behind countless mysteries, and her relationship with the Kennedy brothers and even the Soviet Union has also made countless people curious.