On This Day

22nd Congress of the CPSU opens in Moscow

The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: XXII съезд КПСС) was held from 17 to 31 October 1961.

The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: XXII съезд КПСС) was held from 17 to 31 October 1961. In fourteen days of sessions (22 October was a day off), 4,413 delegates, in addition to delegates from 83 foreign Communist parties, listened to Nikita Khrushchev and others review policy issues. At the Congress, the Sino-Soviet split hardened, especially due to Soviet de-Stalinization efforts, and it was the last Congress to be attended by the Chinese Communist Party. The Congress elected the 22nd Central Committee.

Historical Significance

The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: XXII съезд КПСС) was held from 17 to 31 October 1961.

Events Before

  1. Fausto Coppi dies

    Fausto Coppi cyclist, known for italian cyclist, died on 1960-01-02. Angelo Fausto Coppi was an Italian cyclist, the dominant international cyclist of the years after the Second World War.

  2. A photograph of a 13-year-old South African boy in a torn vest working in a mine is published in the Daily Herald; emplo

    A photograph of a 13-year-old South African boy in a torn vest working in a mine is published in the Daily Herald; employing a 'native' under 18 in the mines is illegal under the Native Labour Regulation Act

  3. LaMar Clark sets pro boxing record of 44 consecutive knockouts

    LaMar Clark sets pro boxing record of 44 consecutive knockouts

  4. Comedic actor Bob Denver (25) weds Maggie Ryan in California

    Comedic actor Bob Denver (25) weds Maggie Ryan in California

  5. American songwriter Adolph Green (45) weds (for 3rd and final time) American actress and singer Phyllis Newman (24) in N

    American songwriter Adolph Green (45) weds (for 3rd and final time) American actress and singer Phyllis Newman (24) in NYC, until his death in 2002

Events After

  1. Belgium grants Rwanda internal self-governance

    Belgium grants Rwanda internal self-governance

  2. John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7

    John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, astronaut, businessman, and politician.

  3. Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points, the most ever by an NBA player in a single game, in the Warriors

    Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points, the most ever by an NBA player in a single game, in the Warriors' 169-147 win over the NY Knicks in Hershey; 36-of-63 from the field, 28-of-32 from the free-throw line

  4. Five research groups announce the discovery of antimatter

    Five research groups announce the discovery of antimatter

  5. Stan Musial scores his 1,869th run, setting a new National League record

    Stan Musial scores his 1,869th run, setting a new National League record

More from the 1960s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 17, 1961?
The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: XXII съезд КПСС) was held from 17 to 31 October 1961. In fourteen days of sessions (22 October was a day off), 4,413 delegates, in addition to delegates from 83 foreign Communist parties, listened to Nikita Khrushchev and others review policy issues. At the Congress, the Sino-Soviet split hardened, especially due to Soviet de-Stalinization efforts, and it was the last Congress to be attended by the Chinese Communist Party.
Why is 22nd Congress of the CPSU opens in Moscow significant?
The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: XXII съезд КПСС) was held from 17 to 31 October 1961.

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