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It was not long, however, before Khrushchev began lining up other allies for a showdown. He took Malenkov aside and told him: "We're heading for disaster. Beria is sharpening his knives." When Malenkov asked what could be done, Khrushchev replied, "The time has come to resist."
What followed was a bold and secret plan to arrest Beria within the very walls of the Kremlin. The most sensitive problem was finding a way of holding Beria once he was under arrest. Explains Khrushchev: "The Presidium bodyguard was obedient to him. His Chekists would be sitting in the next room, and Beria could easily order them to arrest us all. We would have been quite helpless."
Khrushchev enlisted the support of General K.S. Moskalenko, the air-defense commander. He was soon joined in the plot by ten other generals and marshals, including Georgy Zhukov, who was later to become Khrushchev's Defense Minister. "In those days all military personnel were required to check their weapons when coming into the Kremlin, so Bulganin was instructed to see that the marshals and generals were allowed to bring their guns with them," says Khrushchev. "We arranged for Moskalenko's group to wait for a summons in a separate room." On the appointed day, the conspirators and their allies assembled for the fateful session of the Central Committee Presidium.
Secret Button. "I requested the floor and proposed that we discuss the matter of Beria," says Khrushchev. "Beria was sitting on my right. He gave a start, grabbed me by the hand, looked at me with a startled expression, and said, 'What's going on, Nikita?' I said, 'Just pay attention.' " Khrushchev then delivered a speech denouncing Beria. He concluded by saying: "I have formed the impression that he is no Communist. He is a careerist who has wormed his way into the party for self-seeking reasons." Khrushchev formally moved that Beria be stripped of his titles.
"Malenkov was still in a state of panic," Khrushchev continues. "As I recall, he didn't even put my motion to a vote. He pressed a secret button which gave the signal to the generals who were waiting in the next room. Zhukov was the first to appear. Then Moskalenko and the others came in. Malenkov said in a faint voice to Comrade Zhukov, 'As Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the U.S.S.R., I request that you take Beria into custody.' 'Hands up!' Zhukov commanded Beria." The police boss seemed to be reaching for his briefcase, says Khrushchev. "I seized his arm to prevent him from grabbing a weapon in the briefcase." When searched, however, Beria proved to be unarmed. Six months later, after summary proceedings, he and about half a dozen subordinates were shot. Among the charges against Beria was the rape of more than 100 women and girls, one a seventh-grade student. "He had used the same routine on all of them." says Khrushchev. "He gave them some dinner and offered them wine with a sleeping potion in it."