Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Agriculture--International cooperation--History--20th century; Agriculture and state--United States--History--20th century; Agriculture and state--Iowa--History--20th century; Agriculture and state--Soviet Union--History--20th century; Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeevich, 1894-1971--Travel--History--20th century;

Abstract

On September 23, 1959, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visited Roswell Garst to inspect US hybrid corn and agricultural methods. Khrushchev’s initial reforms are discussed to show why Khrushchev sought agricultural knowledge abroad. The details of Khrushchev’s and Garst’s life regarding their work in agriculture are explored up to the visit. The visit would leave an indelible mark on the USSR and Iowa. Khrushchev and his successors would use Garst’s model for hybrid corn farming as the template for Soviet farming. Garst would use his limelight to catapult his corn diplomacy into action around the world. Lastly, the legacy of Khrushchev’s visit is examined to see how it impacted Iowa through economics, shift in Iowans perceptions, and the development of Soviet Bloc countries requests for Iowa’s agricultural knowledge. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to demonstrate the significance of Khrushchev’s visit to Iowa.

Year of Submission

2025

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of History

First Advisor

Konrad Sadkowski

Date Original

2025

Object Description

1 PDF file (vii, 118 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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