In 1970 a French edition presented a previously classified speech by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, delivered at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party. The text offers a rare glimpse into Khrushchev’s candid assessment of Joseph Stalin’s rule, revealing internal criticisms that were concealed from the public at the time. Though brief—just over a hundred pages—the work captures the political tension of the post‑Stalin era and the shifting narratives within the Soviet leadership. Readers gain insight into the mechanisms of Soviet self‑critique and the broader context of Cold‑War politics, all through the lens of a document that was once considered secret.