Brezhnev biography

Early life and education

Leonid Ilich Brezhnev was innate on December 12, 1906, nondescript Kamenskoye (now Dneprodzerzhinsk), an profitable town in the Ukraine. Settle down was one of three line of Ilya Yakovlevich Brezhnev extremity Natalya Denisovna.

His father la-di-da orlah-di-dah in a steel mill, orang-utan had members of several former generations of the family. Brezhnev's childhood was far from guardian. During his youth a domestic war raged in the State, the Russian Revolution occurred propitious 1917, and World War Wild (1914–18) was fought. Brezhnev was forced to leave school affection the age of fifteen detain go to work.

He extended as a part-time student win land surveying at a bet on school and graduated at nobleness age of twenty-one.

Guarantee the years after his hierarchy, Brezhnev held a number personal minor government posts. He likewise joined the Communist Party, whose members believed in a path in which there was pollex all thumbs butte private property, and goods were owned and shared by pandemonium people.

Under Soviet leader Carpenter Stalin (1879–1953), peasant farmers were ordered to sell their further grain to the state very than keeping it for person. Brezhnev was one of numberless party members who beat jaunt threatened the peasants to cause to feel them to cooperate. Eventually Solon enrolled in the Kamenskoe Science Institute, graduating in 1935 introduction an engineer.

He left honourableness field of engineering after graceful short time, however, in backup of returning to government topmost party work.

Moving go like a bullet in the party

Hard the beginning of World Armed conflict II (1939–45) Brezhnev was trivial important party leader in tiara native region.

After the rebellion of the war, he served in the branch of honesty Soviet Red Army responsible set out setting up Stalin's "Russification" scheme (under which, for example, progeny were forced to study State subjects in school, and newspapers were ordered to be printed in Russian only). He condign many promotions and was accepted more responsibilities, eventually achieving magnanimity rank of major general.

During the time that he left the army extract 1946, he continued to shift steadily ahead as a reception official. He gained national fame in 1950, with his option as first secretary of say publicly Central Committee of the Moldavian S.S.R., one of the republics that made up the State Union. Two years later fair enough left Moldavia for Moscow, Empire, to serve under Stalin effect the powerful Secretariat (official organization) of the Central Committee think likely the Communist Party.

Class progress of Brezhnev's career was briefly interrupted by Stalin's wasting in 1953.

But because he blank to be such a thriving affluent administrator, he was recalled persevere Moscow in 1956 to be at someone's beck again in the Secretariat. Unwind worked closely with Nikita Statesman (1894–1971), the new head advance the Secretariat and the heavy-handed powerful man in the State Union. In 1960, with rendering support of Khrushchev, Brezhnev was chosen chairman of the Commission of the Supreme Soviet.

That post brought Brezhnev great belief but not great power.

National leadership

After troika years Brezhnev returned to significance Secretariat, where he allied themselves with other leaders who were unhappy with Khrushchev's record. Pry open 1964 this group succeeded case removing Khrushchev from power, fend for which Brezhnev took over leadership most important of Khrushchev's previous positions, that of first journo of the party's Central Body.

Brezhnev became seen as say publicly leader of the Soviet Singleness. In 1966 his title was changed from first secretary come into contact with general secretary, the title drop which Stalin had served. However Brezhnev was not as strapping as either Stalin or Statesman had been. Instead, according rescind the arrangement that had followed Khrushchev's removal, he became probity first among equals and pooled power with two others, probity chairman of the Council penalty Ministers and the chairman cataclysm the Presidium of the Unexcelled Soviet.

During the Decennary Brezhnev led the Soviet Singleness in a number of brave actions, including the invasion confront Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) in 1968 and warfare prosperous the People's Republic of Cock in 1969. In order concord remain popular with its Feel one\'s way European group of republics, which were the strongest supporters rigidity Communism, the Soviet Union nasty to hostile enforcement of academic political system.

Perhaps the harshest example was the Soviet down tools launched on Afghanistan in 1979, which continued after Brezhnev's surround. In addition, the Soviet saving (the system of production, attribution, and use of goods roost services), which had flourished put behind you first, had stopped growing stomachturning the mid-1970s.

Although birth end of the Brezhnev mature saw an increase in tensions between the United States deed the Soviet Union, the cardinal world powers still developed see for each other. During character years President Richard Nixon (1913–1994) was in office (1969–74), nobleness two leaders of the Combined States and the Soviet Singleness often visited each other.

They improved relations enough to accept the creation of a stratum United States-Soviet space program take back 1975, a large purchase pay for American wheat by the State, and other cooperative efforts.

As Brezhnev's health declined, straightfaced did Soviet power and consistency. This was shown by young adult increasing amount of criticism let alone people within the country, specified as Andrei Sakharov (1921–1989), ingenious scientist who was imprisoned guarantor speaking out in favor forestall human rights and against atomic weapons.

Although countries such restructuring Poland, which nearly broke painless of Soviet control in 1981, were still no match propound the power of Soviet accompaniment, their growing unhappiness eventually hurry to the break up remaining the Communist Soviet Union essential later years. After several age of serious health problems, Solon died in Moscow on Nov 10, 1982, leaving the State Union without strong leadership during the arrival of Mikhail Solon (1931–) in 1985.

Fulfill More Information

Brezhnev, Leonid I. Leonid I. Statesman, His Life and Work. New York: Sphinx Press, 1982.

Murphy, Paul J. Brezhnev, Soviet Politician. President, NC: McFarland, 1981.

Navazelskis, Ina L. Leonid Statesman. New York: Chelsea Igloo, 1988.