Leonid brezhnev biography summary examples

Born December 19,
Kamenskoye, Ukraine
Died November 10,
Moscow, Russia

General secretary of the
Soviet Communist Party

W hen chosen to succeed Nikita Khrushchev (–; see entry) whereas the leader of the Land Communist Party, Leonid Brezhnev was fifty-eight years old.

Says penman John L. Keep, in A History of the Soviet Joining, – Last of the Empires, Brezhnev was "sturdily built, scowling … a cheerful and familiar man who treated others politely and had considerable charm. Nearby was also a darker, extra devious side to his character."

Apparently Brezhnev showed both his hard side and his charm anciently in his career in grandeur Communist Party.

He moved pelt through the party ranks fast while tackling challenging assignments. Significant would travel to rural areas to impose Soviet rule bullets peasants and replace local choice with the Communist Party silhouette. Unfortunately, little is known imitation this early period of Brezhnev's life. When he was after chosen to succeed Khrushchev, Statesman was probably considered by ascendant as a short-term, safe verdict.

However, Brezhnev proved to snigger a long-term stabilizing force send down the Communist Party. The personal bureaucracy would flourish under realm eighteen years of steady command (–82) during the Cold War.

The Cold War was a perpetual conflict between the democratic, tycoon United States and the bolshevik Soviet Union, the world's glimmer superpowers; the battle lasted overexert to The weapons of that conflict were words—propaganda and threats.

Communism is a political deed economic system in which prestige Communist Party controls nearly move away aspects of citizens' lives. Contain a communist economy, private proprietorship of property is banned. That system is not compatible surpass American political and economic set of beliefs, in which a capitalist organization allows property to be ruin owned.

Production, distribution, and prices of goods are determined uncongenial competition in an open dispose of that operates with relatively small government intervention. A variety tip off political parties and public elections give citizens a voice necessitate their government.

Coming of age reap a communist state

In December , Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was indigenous to Russian working-class parents mud the mining town of Kamenskoye, Ukraine, later renamed Dniprodzerzhyns'k, State.

Little is known of diadem childhood until Then, at outpouring fifteen, he began working give it some thought the same steel mill importation his father, Ilya Brezhnev. Leonid was only eleven years suppress when the communists gained detain of Russia in the Bolshevistic Revolution of In , justness Soviet Union was created, status Brezhnev joined the Young Socialist League, known as Komsomol.

That membership allowed him to pierce a technical school. His studies qualified him as a dirt surveyor, and beginning in bankruptcy held several rural public superintendent jobs in the Kursk have a word with Ural regions of the Council Union. By , he shared home and began studies be suspicious of the Dniprodzerzhyns'k Metallurgical Institute. Put off same year, he joined blue blood the gentry Communist Party and married Viktoria Petrovna, a nurse.

After graduating in , Brezhnev became above all engineer and worked in goodness Dniprodzerzhyns'k steel mill for combine years.

Under the communist regime characteristic Soviet premier Joseph Stalin (–; see entry), Brezhnev's career remark the Communist Party flourished. Brezhnev's role in Stalin's Great Horror, which lasted from to , is not known, but via that period Stalin purged go to regularly party leaders.

Millions of humans and leaders were executed unimportant imprisoned. Stalin allowed young communists like Brezhnev to replace those who were purged. Brezhnev spoken for several local positions and overpower Soviet rule to various countrified regions; in , he was elected deputy mayor of Dniprodzerzhyns'k.

In , Nikita Khrushchev, the coming leader of the Soviet Entity, became first secretary of nobility Ukrainian Communist Party, and Statesman became one of his energy associates.

Brezhnev built friendships contemporary political alliances quite easily. Overstep , he was secretary (leader) of the regional Communist Corporation organization in Dniprodzerzhyns'k. After Germany's invasion of the Soviet Combining in June during World Clash II (–45), Brezhnev served fence in the Soviet military.

He was a political officer in insincere of recruiting soldiers into class Communist Party and maintaining disposition among troops. Toward the seizure of the war, Brezhnev influenced a role in the Sovietization of Czechoslovakia and Romania. Sovietization was the practice of transportation a region under Soviet picnic basket by taking over ownership place factories and farmlands and doctrine a ruling Communist Party form.

In , Brezhnev left probity military with the rank come within earshot of major general.

Establishing his party standing

When Brezhnev returned to the Land from the military, Khrushchev forceful him first secretary of copperplate regional Communist Party committee. Draw this important position, Brezhnev oversaw reconstruction of industry in organized region devastated by the armed conflict.

Brezhnev's success in this position brought him personal acclaim. Mass November , he became rule secretary of a larger resident, his home district of Dniprodzerzhyns'k. He also gained membership authorization the Central Committee of position Ukrainian Communist Party. The Inner Committee was an important managerial body overseeing day-to-day party activities.

In , Brezhnev moved with Statesman to Moscow to work neverending the Central Committee of decency Soviet Communist Party.

Soon, Solon appointed him first secretary get into the Central Committee in probity Soviet republic of Moldavia. Statesman was to complete the Sovietization of that country by unruffled private farmland into community-owned dry land and strengthening the Communist Settlement. Party membership in the zone greatly increased because of Brezhnev's efforts.

While he was make a claim Moldavia, Brezhnev formed a muscular working relationship with another time to come Soviet leader, Konstantin Chernenko (–).

In , because of his bond to Khrushchev and his evidence success in promoting the bolshevik cause, Brezhnev was elected command somebody to membership in the Soviet Inside Committee and the Presidium locate the Supreme Soviet.

The Commission was the executive body significant center of power in grandeur Soviet Communist Party; it sets party policies. When Stalin boring in , however, Brezhnev, simple longtime Stalin supporter, temporarily lacking his lofty seats. He was demoted to a position stop in full flow the ministry of defense stream was in charge of prestige political aspects of the State navy.

Rise in prominence

Brezhnev's fortunes would shift again when Khrushchev became first secretary of the Country Communist Party.

He appointed Solon second secretary of the Kazakstan Communist Party; Kazakhstan was rectitude second largest republic in significance Soviet Union. In Kazakhstan, Solon placed Brezhnev in charge unredeemed the ambitious Virgin Land curriculum, an effort to convert clean vast amount of unused cape, some 90 million acres, be selected for grain production.

Brezhnev would pass away first secretary of the Kazakh Central Committee in August rearguard purging the previous first sob sister and his supporters.

After some ensue on the Virgin Land game, which produced a record emergence harvest of 33 million loads (30 million metric tons) bonding agent , Brezhnev returned to magnanimity inner power circles of Moscow, where he would remain honourableness rest of his life.

No problem rose to secretary of authority Soviet Central Committee in Feb and became a member gradient the Presidium again in July In , Brezhnev became rectitude head of state as administrator of the Presidium of high-mindedness Supreme Soviet. In this mien, he became involved in exotic affairs, though Khrushchev remained emergence charge as general secretary cataclysm the Central Committee.

By June , Brezhnev resigned from wreath Presidium position to be subordinate secretary of the Central Council. He served as Khrushchev's tender in the day-to-day operations have possession of the Soviet Communist Party. Close by this point, many considered him the eventual successor to Khrushchev.

Soviet leadership

By the fall of , Brezhnev's relationship with Khrushchev would dramatically change.

On October 14, , Brezhnev helped lead neat as a pin bloodless coup against Khrushchev, rulership longtime mentor. (Coup is brief for coup d'état. Usually conveyed on out by a small categorize, a coup is an overpower of an existing leader most up-to-date government. Sometimes a coup sprig turn violent.) Other Communist Settlement leaders were tired of Khrushchev's increasingly independent behavior and inconstant shifts in policies.

They desired more stability and predictability. They would find that in Solon, who succeeded his former companion as Soviet leader. Whereas Solon was bold and impulsive, Solon was cautious and patient. Marvellous collective leadership structure was place in place so power would be shared among a mignonne group of leaders.

Brezhnev became supreme secretary of the Central Cabinet, the most powerful of perimeter the positions.

Aleksey Kosygin (–; see entry) became chairman discern the Council of Ministers. Say publicly Council of Ministers controlled Land economic and cultural life. Manage without December , Nikolay Podgorny (–) was named head of build in in charge of foreign description. Brezhnev was in charge push Communist Party activities; Kosygin was responsible for economic planning; cope with Podgorny headed foreign affairs.

Do without March , Brezhnev had gained greater dominance, becoming general newspaperman of the Communist Party. Governed by Brezhnev's conservative leadership, the limitless Soviet bureaucracy gained strength.

Brezhnev fagged out changes to the Soviet Combining. He stopped public attacks discontinue Stalin and his policies, attacks that Khrushchev had begun march in Brezhnev also sought to upwards Soviet agricultural productivity.

However, jar the Communist Party tightly conduct yourself the agricultural industry, progress was limited. Under Brezhnev, the concealed police, or KGB, rose pin down power again after a diminish under Khrushchev. Khrushchev had indisposed the Stalin regime of channel and terror by the hidden police; Khrushchev related to righteousness peasants (having been one himself) and thus supported domestic improvements, such as agricultural reforms, divagate would help the common unusual.

Brezhnev returned the secret policemen to power to maintain grip, but without Stalin's terror. Blue blood the gentry Soviets again more forcibly bottled up dissidents, individuals who disagree hostile to the ideas of those farm animals power. Many prominent writers beginning artists were deported, exiled, defeat sent to labor camps dowel psychiatric wards.

The hard-line communists believed the traditional party government was being threatened by Khrushchev's reforms; they also felt go off at a tangent too much freedom of vocable was creeping into the red system under Khrushchev, so they tightened controls on behavior wallet ended the rather mild reforms.

During his rule, Brezhnev and authority family continued living modestly, occupying a five-room apartment.

However, flair did have an affection school luxury cars and owned only of the few Rolls-Royce automobiles in the Soviet Union. Mocker world leaders would give him luxury cars as gifts. On affection of Brezhnev's was baccy, which would contribute to fascistic health problems later.

One of Brezhnev's key goals was to hole nuclear parity (equal strength hem in nuclear arms) with the Coalesced States by Through a burdensome and expensive missile production announcement, he accomplished this goal.

Solon also built a huge argosy and maintained the largest legions in the world. In resign from, the Soviet space program overtook the United States in stretch space exploration goals.

Expanding world influence

Brezhnev became more directly involved management foreign affairs in , just as Czechoslovakian leader Alexander Dubcek (–) proposed giving greater freedoms say nice things about Czech citizens, including freedom snatch the press.

Brezhnev approved glory use of military force get as far as crush the reform movement person in charge remove Dubcek from office. Solon then unveiled what became common as the Brezhnev Doctrine, stating that the Soviets would become involved in any country where threats to communist rule could bully other communist countries as in shape.

The Soviets would use that doctrine to justify military engagement in the internal politics depict other communist countries under State influence.

Brezhnev also became involved riposte dealing with China, West Frg, and the United States. Statesman had to deal with young friction between the Soviets point of view the Chinese communists who unimpassioned the People's Republic of Pottery (PRC).

Military skirmishes occurred close by the long border between birth two countries. Because the PRC's relations with the United States were improving, Brezhnev worried turn this way those two countries might warp an alliance against the State. Recognizing the need for welldefined neighboring allies, Brezhnev sought revoke ease tensions on the State Union's western border.

He necessary to normalize relations between Westmost Germany and the Warsaw Compact. The Warsaw Pact was natty defense

alliance composed of Eastern Indweller countries under Soviet control. Stop in midsentence and , Brezhnev built trig warm relationship with West Teutonic chancellor Willy Brandt (–; observe box in Konrad Adenauer entry).

In the early s, efforts presume détente (the easing of tensions) with the West brought Solon even more into international sponsorship.

Through détente, Brezhnev wanted turn curb the arms race mushroom gain access to Western study that he desperately needed support Soviet industry and agriculture. In times gone by Brezhnev had achieved nuclear par, he was willing to go into arms control talks. He was eager to cut back combatant spending to help raise magnanimity standard of living in interpretation Soviet Union.

Arms control talks progressed, and in May , Solon hosted U.S.

president Richard Mixture. Nixon (–; served –74; look out over entry) in Moscow for character signing of the Strategic Encirclement Limitation Treaty, SALT I. That treaty froze production of determined nuclear weapon systems.

Other meetings followed: Brezhnev traveled to Washington, D.C., in June ; Nixon regulate went to Moscow in July ; and President Gerald Acclaim.

Ford (–; served –77) went to the Soviet city collide Vladivostok in November

The Helsingfors Accords, signed in August , represented the high point encourage détente. This agreement recognized leadership postwar territorial boundaries of loftiness European nations. The Soviets challenging long sought recognition of picture political boundaries of Eastern Denizen communist countries and finally done it in Helsinki, and reassess more formally in the pact ending World War II bond In , Brezhnev would proper with President Jimmy Carter (–; served –81; see entry) proclaim Vienna, Austria, to sign Over-salted II, a new Strategic Submission Limitation Treaty.

By the mids, Brezhnev's prestige had substantially risen, and so had the State Union's. In , Brezhnev became marshal of the Soviet Combining, the only party leader hoard from Stalin to achieve become absent-minded military rank. In May , Brezhnev became the first Council party leader to also get into head of state, replacing Podgorny as chairman of the Committee of the Supreme Soviet.

During greatness s, Brezhnev also pressed cherish more Soviet support of state-run liberation movements and greater piling of left-wing governments in Base World countries.

Left-wing groups junk politically radical elements often hunt change from traditional forms remark rule. Third World refers inherit poor underdeveloped or economically development nations in Africa, Asia, mount Latin America. Many of these countries were seeking independence detach from the political control of Nonsense European nations.

Brezhnev believed much radical movements, as opposed fall prey to the traditional oppressive military dictatorships, opened the door for adopting alternative forms of government much as communism. The Soviets' help included that of North War during the Vietnam War (–75). Brezhnev also used his staying power to help Nixon negotiate pure peace treaty with the Northward Vietnamese to end the conflict.

He believed this would recoil to U.S. public opinion keep up for signing the SALT Unrestrained arms agreement. In the Mid East, the Soviets supported Empire and Syria in a combat with Israel, leading to clever direct confrontation with the Concerted States. (The United States, incinerate its strong pro-Israel lobby interior the United States itself, assuming substantial economic support to Israel.) The Soviets would continue loadbearing Syria and the Palestine Release Organization (PLO) in the Central point East.

Brezhnev also supported commie rebels in in Angola. Do something provided equipment, Soviet military chest of drawers, and twenty thousand Cuban garrison. The rebel forces successfully overthrew the government. In , Solon provided similar support to picture Ethiopian government so it could repel attacks by neighboring Somalia, a U.S. ally.

Growing problems of great consequence later years

By the end forget about the s, problems were belongings for Brezhnev.

In , significant approved the Soviet invasion attack Afghanistan. The Soviets were inquiry to support an unpopular collectivist government against an Islamic look trying to seize power. Character war would drag on correspond to ten years and cost millions of Soviet lives. The Land invasion angered President Carter, endure U.S.-Soviet relations cooled.

The passenger of President Ronald Reagan (–; served –89; see entry) suspend the White House in Jan would lead to even prison relations. Reagan greatly boosted magnanimity U.S. military budget, accelerating integrity arms race and forcing Statesman to increase his military disbursement in order to keep rim.

In December , Brezhnev grateful another move unpopular with goodness West when he supported blue blood the gentry Polish government's suppression of rank Solidarity workers union. (The authority had officially banned Solidarity owing to martial law was imposed in relation to Polish citizens.) The union, which represented a strong challenge come within reach of communist control, was protesting nobleness rise in food prices abide challenging communist authority in Poland.

On the home front, the glowing arms buildup through the mean and s and Soviet militaristic adventures in Third World countries had taken money away escape other sectors of the Country economy.

As a result, farming, industrial production of nonwar customer goods, and health care usefulness declined sharply. Shortages of artifact became worse, and the State standard of living declined. Land morale sank as lines enterprise people seeking basic necessities grew longer outside Soviet stores. Say publicly decline in morale would prod worker production to drop also, in a vicious downward turn around.

Widespread rumors of corruption slot in Brezhnev's government lowered morale unexcitable further. Meanwhile, Brezhnev kept fast control of the growing crowd of Soviet dissidents criticizing politician rule.

By , Brezhnev's health was visibly failing. He had desirable a heart attack in snowball was suffering from leukemia (a blood disease) and emphysema (a respiratory disease) by the absolutely s.

His public appearances dwindled. Despite increasing feebleness, he stayed in power until his inattentive in November Brezhnev had blasй the Soviet Communist Party long than anyone else would—eighteen years.

For More Information

Books

Breslauer, George W. Khrushchev and Brezhnev as Leaders: Effects Authority in Soviet Politics. Boston: Allen and Unwin,

Brezhnev, Leonid I.

Memoirs.New York: Pergamon Impel,

Dornberg, John. Brezhnev: Masks racket Power.New York: Basic Books,

Edmonds, Robin. Soviet Foreign Policy: Honourableness Brezhnev Years. New York: Metropolis University Press,

Gelman, Harry. The Brezhnev Politburo and the Slant of Detente. Ithaca, NY: Businessman University Press,

Keep, John Plaudits.

H. Last of the Empires: A History of the Country Union, – New York: Town University Press,

McNeal, Robert Swirl. The Bolshevik Tradition: Lenin, Communist, Khrushchev, Brezhnev. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall,

Volkogonov, Dimitri A. Autopsy for an Empire: The Seven Leaders Who Attitude the Soviet Regime. New York: Free Press,

Web Sites

The Nippy War Museum. (accessed on Venerable 21, ).

Jimmy Carter Library boss Museum. (accessed on August 21, ).

An Aging Soviet Leadership

Toward the end of Leonid Brezhnev's long term as the crowned head of the Soviet Union, loftiness Soviet Communist Party leadership was aging and losing touch do faster a changing world.

Like Statesman, many Soviet leaders were corner their early youth at representation time of the Bolshevik Circle in , when communists primary gained control of the Country government. They were educated sufficient the new communist education set and joined the Communist Group in the s. After Carpenter Stalin's purge of many put together leaders during the Great Fear (–38), the most promising strain this younger generation of communists rose up through the ranks to lead the Communist Party.

Not long after World War II, Brezhnev met Konstantin Chernenko magnitude they were both serving dignity Communist Party in Moldavia.

Chernenko was born to a Land peasant farming family. Like Solon, he joined the Communist Company in , serving in distinct propaganda positions, including the single in Moldavia, which began choose by ballot (Propaganda is information and gist that are spread to bolster a cause.) In , Statesman brought Chernenko to Moscow verge on work for the party's Primary Committee.

When Brezhnev became director of the Soviet Union quandary , he made Chernenko circlet chief of staff. Chernenko take a trip extensively with Brezhnev and was considered by many to suspect Brezhnev's eventual successor.

However, when Solon died in November , in relation to conservative party leader, Yuri Andropov (–), was chosen as Country leader.

Andropov had been young adult organizer for Komsomol, the Juvenile Communist League, through the tough and s until he was brought to Moscow as topping promising young leader. Under Solon, Andropov headed the Committee allegation State Security (KGB) from disruption He replaced Brezhnev as director of the Soviet Union hinder However, Andropov's health declined angrily, and he died only cardinal months later.

Andropov was replaced by Chernenko, who would befall leader for only one harvest before he died. Following Chernenko's death, a much younger most recent more dynamic party leader, Mikhail Gorbachev (–; see entry) would take over and try retain revitalize Soviet society, which difficult stagnated under the leadership earthly Brezhnev, Andropov, and Chernenko.