Question by David M: Nikita Khrushchev, the shoe, and “We will bury you”?
My history teacher claims that Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe at the UN and shouted “We will bury you” at the damned capitalists. However, Wikipedia says that the shoe and “we wil bury you” are two difference incidents. He also said he saw a video of the incident, but I have found sources that say no videos or pictures of the incident exist, so I know his memory is somewhat fogged. Can someone help me prove him wrong by finding a reputable source that says that the two occurences happened at different times?
Answers and Views:
Answer by aiminhigh24u2
There is film of the incident. It occured at the UN.
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llordlloyd says
The incidents are separate.
The shoe incident occurred in the UN as there was not much to it, but it was well before the kitchen debate. The shoe incident occurred at a time of high tensions over U2 flights and the like.
"The 'we will bury you' statement was not an implied military threat, but Krushchev saying that, over time, the communist system would prevail due to its inherent superiority. Capitalism would become a distant memory, not the US would become a radioactive desert.
Check the second link below for full details of the shoe incident:
At the United Nations two weeks later, in one of the most surreal moments in Cold War history, the premier waved his shoe and banged it on his desk, adding to the lengthening list of antics with which he had been nettling the General Assembly. During a debate over a Russian resolution decrying colonialism, he was infuriated by a statement, expressed from the rostrum by Lorenzo Sumulong. The Filipino delegate had charged the Soviets with employing a double standard, pointing to their domination of Eastern Europe as an example of the very type of colonialism their resolution criticized. Mr. Khrushchev thereupon pulled off his right shoe, stood up, brandishing it at the Philippine delegate on the other side of the hall. He then began to furiously bang the shoe on his desk. The enraged Khrushchev accused Mr. Sumulong of being "Холуй и ставленник империализма" (kholuj i stavlennik imperializma), which was translated as "a jerk, a stooge and a lackey of imperialism". The Premier alternately shouted, waved a brawny right arm, shook his finger and removed his shoe a second time. The second shoe incident occurred during a speech by Francis O. Wilcox, an Assistant U.S. Secretary of State. The chaotic scene finally ended when General Assembly President Frederick Boland broke his gavel calling the meeting to order, but not before the image of Khrushchev as a hotheaded buffoon was indelibly etched into America’s collective memory. At another occasion, Khrushchev said in reference to capitalism, "Мы вас похороним!", translated to "We will bury you". This phrase, ambiguous both in the English language and in the Russian language, was interpreted in several ways."
Che'Ghandi says
Ah, yes, that nasty pinko commie heathen, Khrushchev, bitchslapping Nixon and then all of the United States in two of history's great PR stunts.
Here's what I think I remember: The shoe banging incident happened when then vice president went to Russia, and what was meant to be a press junket turned into an ugly bout of bravado in front of some crazy pro capitalism kitchen of the future display. The "we will bury you" statemet happened at the UN, I believe…not at the classic comedy shoe banging episode.
Im Joining Air Force says
I was watching fox news the other day, and they showed this incident. Khrushcheve was invited to the UN and he did bang his feet and say "we will bury you".
This was regards to whether President of Iran should be allowed to the UN meeting.
rukidding says
I don't know, but don't you wish we had more shoe banging these days? There was excitement in politics!
Steelhead says
Same time same place same bat channel…I have seen the clip many times…