National Press Club Luncheon Speakers

Nikita Khrushchev, September 16, 1959

Nikita Khrushchev with William H. Lawrence of the New York Times, 1959 NPC President, September 16, 1959. Photo by Benjamin E. Forte, News Associates, Inc. National Press Club Archives

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971) spoke at a National Press Club luncheon the day after he arrived in Washington on the first visit by a Soviet leader to this country. The talk was televised nationally and broadcast over Voice of America radio to Russia, the first such broadcast in ten years that the Soviets did not jam. Press Club officials insisted that no screening of questions by the Soviets would occur. The sometimes combative question-and-answer session gave Khrushchev a foretaste of American reactions to his policies, ideology, and rhetoric that he was to hear voiced during the fifteen-day visit to Washington, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Des Moines, and Pittsburgh, prior to talks with President Dwight D. Eisenhower at Camp David. Khrushchev’s visit signaled fragile hopes by leaders of both countries for a thaw in Cold War relations.... More [PDF; 158 KB]

Timings (hh:mm:ss)

Introductions: 00:00-08:44
Speech: 08:45-01:00:24
Q & A: 01:00:25-01:44:21

Topics of the Talk

• Prior Contact with U.S. President Eisenhower: 15:40-15:59
• Purpose of Visit to U.S.: 16:42-17:22; 18:02-18:40
• U.S./Soviet Union Arms Race: 19:46-20:41; 21:28-22:05
• War and Disarmament to Avoid War: 22:48-23:17; 23:57-24:33; 25:26-26:12
• Resolution of Germany/West Berlin Conflict: 25:26-26:12; 27:11-28:10; 29:28-30:32; 31:57-33:19
• Berlin: 34:16-34:58; 35:23-35:46; 36:50-37:47
• Soviet Union’s Desire for Peace: 42:43-43:42; 44:49-45:53
• Soviet Union Flight to the Moon: 44:49-45:33; 01:03:42-01:08:02; 01:20:21-01:21:35
• Peace between Soviet Union and U.S.: 46:50-47:40; 48:37-49:28
• Equality of Opportunities for Jewish People in the Soviet Union: 01:31:18-01:34:48
• Meaning of Khrushchev Quote “We Will Bury You”: 01:34:49-01:43:45