During the height of the Cold War, the leader of the Soviet Union was Nikita Khrushchev. He served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party from 1953 to 1964 and became the Premier in 1958. Khrushchev is known for his role in escalating tensions with the United States, most notably during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear conflict. However, he also sought to reform the Soviet economy and improve international relations. His leadership was characterized by a mix of aggressive foreign policy and attempts at de-Stalinization within the domestic sphere.