Reception of Gagarin in Moscow 1961

Description

Reception of Gagarin in Moscow 1961, photo; licensed article; original: 5740×4315; photographer: unknown; subject to license; rights: a9 Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows Nikita Khrushchev at the ceremonial reception of Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961, at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, a symbolic moment in Soviet history.
Scene: Nikita Khrushchev, the General Secretary of the CPSU, at the Bolshoi Theatre, as he welcomes Gagarin.
Significance: Khrushchev uses the triumph politically to emphasize the superiority of the Soviet system and the progress of socialism.
Expression: He appears enthusiastic, proud, and perhaps emotional, as the spaceflight was considered a significant victory in the Cold War.
The photo symbolizes the close association between space exploration and politics and shows how Khrushchev staged Gagarin’s success as a prestige gain for the Soviet Union.