Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev {{Audio|Ru-Leonid Ilich Brezhnev.ogg|listen}} ({{lang-ru|??????? ?????? ????????}}) ({{OldStyleDate|December 19|1906|December 6}} – November 10, 1982) was effective ruler of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, though at first in partnership with others. He was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, and was twice Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (head of state), from 1960 to 1964 and from 1977 to 1982.

Brezhnev and Khrushchev

Brezhnev met Nikita Khrushchev in 1931, shortly after joining the party. Before long, he became Khrushchev's protegé as he continued his rise through the ranks.

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Stalin died in March 1953, and in the reorganisation that followed the Presidium was abolished and a smaller Politburo reconstituted. Although Brezhnev was not made a Politburo member, he was instead appointed head of the Political Directorate of the Army and the Navy, with rank of Lieutenant-General, a very senior position. This was probably due to the new power of his patron Khrushchev, who had succeeded Stalin as Party General Secretary. In 1955 he was made Party First Secretary of Kazakhstan, also an important post.

Related Topics:
1953 - 1955 - Kazakhstan

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In February 1956 Brezhnev was recalled to Moscow, promoted to candidate member of the Politburo and given control of the defence industry, the space program, heavy industry, and capital construction. He was now a senior member of Khrushchev's entourage, and in June 1957 he backed Khrushchev in his struggle with the Stalinist old guard in the Party leadership, the so-called "Anti-Party Group" led by Vyacheslav Molotov, Georgy Malenkov and Lazar Kaganovich. Following the defeat of the old guard Brezhnev became a full member of the Politburo.

Related Topics:
1956 - Moscow - Space program - 1957 - Anti-Party Group - Vyacheslav Molotov - Georgy Malenkov - Lazar Kaganovich

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In 1959 Brezhnev became Second Secretary of the Central Committee and in May 1960 was promoted to the post of President of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, making him nominal head of state. Although real power resided with Khrushchev as Party Secretary, the presidential post allowed Brezhnev to travel abroad, and he began to develop the taste for expensive western clothes and cars for which he later became notorious.

Related Topics:
1959 - 1960 - Presidium of the Supreme Soviet

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Until about 1962 Khrushchev's position as Party leader was secure, but as the leader aged he grew more erratic and his performance undermined the confidence of his fellow leaders. The Soviet Union's mounting economic problems also increased the pressure on Khrushchev's leadership. Outwardly, Brezhnev remained conspicuously loyal to Khrushchev, but in 1963 he became involved in the plot, instigated by Anastas Mikoyan, to remove the leader from power. In that year Brezhnev succeeded Frol Kozlov, Khrushchev's protege, as Secretary of the Central Committee, making him Khrushchev's likely successor. On October 14, 1964, while Khrushchev was on holiday, the conspirators struck and removed him from office. Brezhnev became Party First Secretary, Aleksei Kosygin became Prime Minister and Mikoyan became head of state. (In 1965 Mikoyan retired and was succeeded by Nikolai Podgorny.)

Related Topics:
1962 - 1963 - Anastas Mikoyan - Frol Kozlov - October 14 - 1964 - Aleksei Kosygin - 1965 - Nikolai Podgorny

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