Brezhnev, Leonid Ilyich, << BREHZH nyehf, LAY oh nihd ihl YEECH >> (1906-1982), headed the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until his death. In this position, he became the most powerful leader in the country. Brezhnev greatly increased Soviet military strength but could not solve growing economic problems.
Early life.
Brezhnev was born on Dec. 19, 1906, in Kamenskoye (now Kamianske, Ukraine), in what was then part of the Russian Empire. He studied surveying and became a land surveyor. He joined the Communist Party in 1931. That year, he entered night school at a metallurgical institute in Kamenskoye. After graduating, he served in the army for a year, then became a party official and director of a technical school.
Rise to power.
During World War II (1939-1945), Brezhnev worked as a political adviser in the Soviet Army. He became allied with Nikita Khrushchev, a senior Communist Party official. After the war, Brezhnev held several high posts in the Communist Party. After Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin died in 1953, Khrushchev became head of the Communist Party. As Khrushchev’s political fortunes rose, so did Brezhnev’s.
In 1957, Brezhnev became a full member of the Presidium, the small group that ran the Communist Party. In October 1964, Brezhnev and other leaders forced Khrushchev to retire. Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev as leader of the Communist Party.
Policies.
Brezhnev pursued stable relations and increased trade with Western countries, especially the United States. He signed several arms control treaties. But at the same time, he greatly increased Soviet military strength, kept tight control over Communist countries in Eastern Europe, and supported revolutionary movements in Asia and Africa.
In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support Afghanistan’s Communist government against rebel forces. The United States and its allies condemned the invasion and adopted political and economic sanctions against the Soviet Union.
In domestic affairs, Brezhnev maintained the Communist Party dictatorship. The Soviet economy grew weaker in the 1970’s. The war in Afghanistan was a failure. After Brezhnev’s death on Nov. 10, 1982, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev blamed many of the country’s problems on Brezhnev.
See also Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Brezhnev comes to power).
