Cold War Files: All Units: Events: Joseph Stalin Dies

Josef Stalin died in Moscow of a brain hemorage at the age of 74. Initially a collective leadership emerged, made up of Nikita Khrushchev, Georgy Malenkov, Lavrenty Beria, and Vyacheslav Molotov. First to go was Beria, who was accused of being a spy for the West and executed. Khrushchev was soon able to outmanover Malenkov and Molotov and emerged as the new General-Secretary of the Communist Party of Soviet Union.

CPSU Politburo at Stalin's Funeral