1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: show that takes you on a quick trip through history 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: every day of the week. I'm Gabe Lucier, and in 5 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: this episode, we're looking at a bizarre moment in Cold 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: War history, the day when the leader of the Soviet 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,959 Speaker 1: Union threw a tantrum because he wasn't allowed to ride 8 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: the teacups. The day was September nineteenth, nineteen fifty nine. 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: Soviet leader Nikita Khrushev lost his composure after being told 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 1: that he could not go to Disneyland. An afternoon visit 11 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: to the park had been scheduled for his wife and 12 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: two daughters, but when the Soviet premiere expressed an interest 13 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: in tagging along, American officials wouldn't allow it. Khrushchev made 14 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: a fiery speech criticize it his exclusion, and in the end, 15 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: no one in his family went to Disneyland. Nikita Khrushev 16 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: came to power following the death of infamous dictator Joseph 17 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: Stalin in nineteen fifty three. Most in the international community 18 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: expected his leadership style to be more of the same, 19 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: but in a pleasant surprise, Khrushev announced his desire for 20 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: a peaceful coexistence with the United States. It was with 21 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: that goal in mind that the US and Soviet governments 22 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: arranged for Khrushchev and his family to visit America in 23 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty nine, four days prior to his non visit 24 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: to Disneyland, Khrushchev arrived in Washington, d c. For a 25 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: coast to coast tour of the country, followed by a 26 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: summit meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was the 27 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: first time a Soviet head of state had ever set 28 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: foot on American soil, and Khrushev intended to make the 29 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: most of his twelve day visit. His whirlwind schedule would 30 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: take him to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and 31 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: Des Moines before returning to the nation's capital to meet 32 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: with the President. His family tagged along for the tour, 33 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: and although they only spent a single day in Hollywood, 34 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: it proved to be one of the most memorable parts 35 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: of their visit for all the wrong reasons. Every leg 36 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: of the Khrushev's journey had been carefully planned in advance 37 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,399 Speaker 1: by the Soviet security Police and the U. S. State Department, 38 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: But it wasn't until the flight to Los Angeles on 39 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: September nineteenth that Khrushev learned he would be touring the 40 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: city's housing developments while his wife and children went to Disneyland. 41 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: The news came as quite a blow to Khrushchev, who 42 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: had been looking forward to seeing Walt Disney's famous theme 43 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: park in person. He asked his aides to make arrangements 44 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: for him to visit as well, but they told him 45 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 1: that wouldn't be possible. Apparently, the Los Angeles chief of 46 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: Police had recommended Khrushev not attend Disneyland, as he thought 47 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: the crowdouds might pose a safety risk and wasn't sure 48 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: the department would be able to provide adequate security for 49 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: the thirty mile trip down to Anaheim. The Soviet police 50 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: agreed to drop his visit from the schedule, but unfortunately 51 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: no one on the Soviet Premier's team had told him 52 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: of the change in plans. As a result, Khrushchev was 53 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: already in a bad mood by the time he landed 54 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles, and the disappointment continued to gnaw at 55 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: him for the rest of the day. After being greeted 56 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: by the city's mayor at the airport, Khrushev and his 57 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: wife proceeded to the twentieth Century Fox Movie Studio in Hollywood. 58 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: They were treated to a behind the scenes tour of 59 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: an active sound stage where the musical can Can was 60 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: currently in production. The cast of the film, including Shirley Maclin, 61 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: Frank Sinatra, and Juliette Prauss, greeted them enthusiastically. McLain even 62 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: tried to get the premier to join her in an 63 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: impromptu dance, but he politely declined. Of course, the tour 64 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: went smoothly enough, with the cast of the film performing 65 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: a musical number just for the Krushevs, but things got 66 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: a little bumpy when the studio's president, Spiro Scorus, introduced 67 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: the Soviet leader at ELA's town hall. Scorus, who is 68 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: devoutly anti Communist, made a reference to Khrushev's famous boast 69 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 1: that the Soviet Union would quote bury capitalism. Scorus remarked 70 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: that Los Angeles wasn't interested in burying anyone, but that 71 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: it would meet the challenge if needed. Khrushev didn't appreciate 72 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: that light hearted taunt, and his response was deadly serious. 73 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: If you want to go on with the arms race, 74 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: he told Scorus, very well, we accept that challenge. As 75 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: for the output of rockets, well they are on the 76 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: assembly line. This is a most serious question. It is 77 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: one of life or death, ladies and gentlemen, one of 78 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: war and peace. Following that tense risk exception at town Hall, 79 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: the Khrushchevs returned to twentieth Century Fox Studios for a 80 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: star studded luncheon. They were seated alongside Hollywood legends such 81 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: as Gary Cooper, Eddie Fisher, Marilyn Monroe, and James Mason. 82 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: But Khrushchev couldn't have cared less. He was still stewing 83 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 1: over his canceled trip to Disneyland, a fact he made 84 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: painfully clear by delivering a bitter tirade right in the 85 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: middle of the meal. We have come to this town, 86 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: he said, where lives the cream of American art. And 87 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: just imagine I a premier, a Soviet representative. When I 88 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,119 Speaker 1: came here to this city, I was given a plan, 89 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: a program of what I was to be shown and 90 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: whom I was to meet. But just now I was 91 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: told that I could not go to Disneyland. I asked, 92 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: why not? What is it? Do you have rocket launching 93 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,359 Speaker 1: pads there? I do not know? And just listen, just 94 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: listen to what I was told. To what reason I 95 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: was told we which means the American authorities cannot guarantee 96 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: your security if you go there. What is it? Is 97 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: there an epidemic of cholera there or something? Or have 98 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: gangsters taken over the place that can destroy me? Then 99 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: what must I do? Commit suicide? This is the situation. 100 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: I am in your guest for me. The situation is inconceivable. 101 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: I cannot find words to explain this to my people. 102 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 1: The celebrities and attendance were stunned by the Soviet leader's outburst. 103 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: Frank Sinatra, who was seated next to missus Khrushev, reportedly 104 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: leaned over to actor David Niven and said, quote, tell 105 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: the old broad you and I will take them down 106 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: there this afternoon. A State Department official later made it 107 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: clear that missus Khrushev and her daughters were welcome to 108 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: visit Disneyland, but she ultimately decided to stay with her 109 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: husband in solidarity. The Krushevs spent the rest of the 110 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: afternoon touring the arts architecture of Los Angeles, and departed 111 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: the city the following morning. Aside from that rough day 112 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles, the Soviet leader's first trip to America 113 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: was largely his success. His meeting with President Eisenhower at 114 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: Camp David was cordial, if not productive, and by the 115 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: end of the trip all of his photo ops had 116 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: succeeded in boosting the American public's opinion of him for 117 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,559 Speaker 1: the first time in more than a decade. Peace between 118 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: the United States and the Soviet Union seemed possible, but 119 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: alas it wasn't meant to be. All the good will 120 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: between the heads of state evaporated the following May when 121 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: an American U two spy plane was shot down over 122 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: the Soviet Union. The news broke during a crucial Paris 123 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: Summit conference about disarmament, and Nikita Krushev stormed out after 124 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: condemning the US for its actions. Any hopes of peace 125 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: were dashed in that moment, and the Cold War would 126 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: drag on for another three decades. Letting Khrushev go to Disneyland, 127 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: probably it wouldn't have changed that outcome, which you never know. 128 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: I'm Gabeluesier and hopefully you now know a little more 129 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you have 130 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: a second and you're so inclined, consider following us on Twitter, Facebook, 131 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: and Instagram. You can find us at pdi HC Show, 132 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: and if you have any feedback you'd like to share, 133 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: feel free to get in touch by writing to This 134 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for 135 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: producing the show, and thanks to you for listening. I'll 136 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 1: see you back here again tomorrow for another day in 137 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 1: History class.