Who succeeded Joseph Stalin as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union?

Nikita Khrushchev succeeded Joseph Stalin as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union because he was able to outmaneuver his rivals and gain the support of the party elite. He played an instrumental role in the removal of Stalin's cult of personality and initiated a period of de-Stalinization, which aimed to reverse the repressive policies of the past. Khrushchev's rise to power brought about significant changes in the Soviet Union, including a focus on agricultural reforms, the easing of tensions with the West, and a more relaxed cultural environment known as the "Thaw."