Final answer:
Party leaders were shocked by Khrushchev's rejection of Stalin because it represented a significant departure from the previous regime's policies and diminished the cult of personality around Stalin. Khrushchev's speech at the Twentieth Congress and his reforms triggered alarm among Soviet hardliners and the international communist community, leading to a brief thaw in the Cold War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The shocking reaction to Nikita Khrushchev's rejection of Joseph Stalin can be attributed to the abrupt shift in Soviet policies and the long-standing cult of personality that had been built around Stalin. As Khrushchev took power after Stalin's death in 1953, he introduced a series of reforms aimed at de-Stalinization, distancing himself from Stalin's repressive regime. These included denouncing Stalin's atrocities, dissolving the secret police, ending censorship, and reducing the harshness of the government. This bold move by Khrushchev also reflected a change in foreign policy; he advocated for a policy of peaceful coexistence with the West, which contrasted with the aggressive stance taken by Stalin.
Party leaders, including Soviet hardliners, were shocked and alarmed by Khrushchev's disparagement of Stalin, who had been an unquestioned authority figure. They were especially taken aback during Khrushchev's speech at the Twentieth Congress of the Soviet Communist Party, where he condemned Stalin's brutal purges and oppressive tactics. The rejection of Stalin's legacy was not just a repudiation of a single leader but of the system that he had created, a system which many party leaders had navigated and benefited from.
Despite facing criticism both at home and from international communist allies like China and Cuba, Khrushchev continued his reformist agenda, eventually resulted in a period of thaw in the Cold War tensions and reflected a moderate approach to international relations.