Oil instead of coal: the impact of the events in Hungary in 1956 on changes in the energy policy of the USSR

The subject of this study is the Soviet energy policy. The author highlights the main stages of the Soviet energy policy determined by their timing and distinctive features. The focus is on the transition from the second phase of the energy policy of the USSR to the third. The purpose of this paper is to show the crucial role of foreign factors, primarily related to the relationship with the countries of "people's democracy" in Europe, the development of new content in the Soviet energy policy in the mid-1950s. Under the influence of these events the country entered into not only a new stage of energy policy, but also, to a certain extent, a new stage of economic development, closely aligned with the extraction of energy resources such as oil and gas, and the ever-increasing exports of energy resources. The content of the new stage of the energy policy of the USSR was initially determined by the formula "oil instead of coal". The landmark of the transition to a new course was the events of 1956 in Hungary. The article shows that the development of a new course occurred in the highest organ of the party authorities, the Party Central Committee Presidium, which developed and defended position on the rate of increase in oil and gas production, as well as the export of energy resources to Europe, a group of individuals which can be referred to as the "oil lobby". It is emphasized that N.S. Khrushchev's original intention was to increase, according to tradition, the pace of coal mining. The article focuses on one of the representatives of the party elite of N.S. Khrushchev's era A.B. Aristov, the Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, member of the Presidium of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the RSFSR. His work on strengthening the oil industry personnel is shown. The article focuses on the coverage of A.B. Aristov's activities on developing a new mining area, Western Siberia, manifested in strengthening the position of Tyumen geologists, creating a scientific base of geology in the city of Tyumen, transferring of the territory of geological studies from Novosibirsk to the Tyumen Geological Survey. It is with A.B. Aristov that the author of the article connects A.K. Protozanov's party work placement in Tyumen Oblast. Protozanov played a prominent role in laying the foundations of oil and gas area and in changing the fate of Tyumen Oblast. It is indicated that the paths of Aristov and Protozanov crossed in 1956 in Hungary. The study is based on the rough materials of the Presidium of the Party Central Committee transcripts and interviews with A.K. Protozanov.

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