Biography of Nikita Khrushchev, Cold War Era Soviet Leader

On September 15, 1959, Soviet Premier Khrushchev arrived in the United States to begin a 13-day visit. An excerpt from the article:

"A few months later, in September 1959, Khrushchev accepted an invitation to visit the United States. He stopped in Washington, D.C., before traveling to New York City, where he addressed the United Nations. He then flew to Los Angeles, where the trip seemed to veer out of control. After expressing abrupt greetings to local officials who welcomed him, he was taken to a movie studio. With Frank Sinatra acting as the master of ceremonies, dancers from the film "Can Can" performed for him. The mood turned bitter, however, when Khrushchev was informed that he would not be allowed to visit Disneyland.

The official reason was that local police couldn't guarantee Khrushchev's safety on the long drive to the amusement park. The Soviet leader, who was not used to being told where he could go, erupted in anger. At one point he bellowed, according to news reports, "Is there an epidemic of cholera there or something? Or have gangsters taken control of the place that can destroy me?"

At one appearance in Los Angeles, the mayor of Los Angeles, made reference to Khrushchev's famous "we will bury you" remark from three years earlier. Khrushchev felt he had been insulted, and threatened to return immediately to Russia."