Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (Roushie: Леони́д Ильи́ч Бре́жнев; Ukrainian: Леоні́д Іллі́ч Бре́жнєв, 19 December 1906 (O.S. 6 December) – 10 November 1982) wis the General Secretar o the Central Committee (CC) o the Communist Pairty o the Soviet Union (CPSU), presidin ower the kintray frae 1964 till his daith in 1982. His aichteen-year term as General Secretar wis seicont anly tae that o Joseph Stalin in duration. In Brezhnev's rule, the global influence o the Soviet Union grew dramatically, in pairt acause o the expansion o the Soviet militar in this time. His tenur as leader wis merked bi the beginnin o an era o economic an social stagnation in the Soviet Union.
Leonid Brezhnev Леонид Брежнев | |
|---|---|
 Brezhnev in 1972 | |
| General Secretar o the Central Committee o the Communist Pairty o the Soviet Union | |
| In office 14 October 1964 – 10 November 1982 | |
| Precedit bi | Nikita Khrushchev |
| Succeedit bi | Yuri Andropov |
| Chairman o the Presidium o the Supreme Soviet o the Soviet Union | |
| In office 16 Juin 1977 – 10 November 1982 | |
| Precedit bi | Nikolai Podgorny |
| Succeedit bi | Yuri Andropov |
| In office 7 Mey 1960 – 15 Julie 1964 | |
| Precedit bi | Kliment Voroshilov |
| Succeedit bi | Anastas Mikoyan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev 19 December 1906 Kamenskoye, Yekaterinoslav Govrenorate, Roushie Empire |
| Dee'd | 10 November 1982 (aged 75) Zarechye, near Moscow, Roushie SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Restin place | Kremlin Waw Necropolis, Moscow |
| Ceetizenship | Soviet |
| Naitionality | Roushie |
| Poleetical pairty | Communist Pairty o the Soviet Union |
| Spoose(s) | Viktoria Brezhneva |
| Bairns | Galina Brezhneva Yuri Brezhnev |
| Residence | Zarechye, near Moscow |
| Profession | Metallurgical ingineer, ceevil servant |
| Awairds |   (Full leet o awairds an decorations) |
| Signatur |  |
| Militar service | |
| Allegiance | Soviet Union |
| Service/brainch | Reid Army Soviet Airmy |
| Years o service | 1941–1982 |
| Rank | Marshal of the Soviet Union (1976–1982) |
| Commands | Soviet Armed Forces |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Brezhnev wis born in Kamenskoye, Roushie Empire (nou Kamianske, Ukraine), intae a Roushie wirker's faimily in 1906. Efter graduatin frae the Dniprodzerzhynsk Metallurgical Technicum, he becam a metallurgical ingineer in the airn an steel industry, in Ukraine. He jyned the Komsomol in 1923 an becam an active member o the CPSU bi 1929. Wi the onset o Warld War II, he wis drauchtit intae immediate militar service an left the airmy in 1946 wi the rank o major general. In 1952, Brezhnev wis promotit tae the Central Committee an, in 1957 tae full member o the Politburo. In 1964, he succeedit Nikita Khrushchev as First Secretar o the Communist Pairty o the Soviet Union.
As the leader o the Soviet Union, Brezhnev's conservatism an carefuness tae reach deceesions bi consensus wi the rest o the Politburo resultit in susteened poleetical stability within the kintra. Houiver, his hosteelity taewart reform an active cultivation o cronyism ushered in a period o pervasive corruption an socioeconomic decline that cam tae be kent as the Brezhnev Stagnation. On the warld stage, Brezhnev pushed haurd for the adoption o détente, a commitment bi baith twa superpouers taewart the relaxation o Cauld War tensions an economic cooperation. Despite sic diplomatic gesturs, Brezhnev's regime presidit ower a hawkish foreign policy chairacterised bi widespreid militar interventionism an an airms bigup that ultimately compreesed 12.5% o the naition's GNP. Ultimately, in December 1981, he optit nae tae hae the Soviet militar suppress unrest in Poland tharebi merkin the end o the interventionist Brezhnev Doctrine.
Efter years o declinin heal, Brezhnev dee'd on 10 November 1982 an wis quickly succeedit in his post as General Secretar bi Yuri Andropov. Brezhnev haed fostered a cult o personality, awtho nae nearly tae the same degree as Stalin. Mikhail Gorbachev, that wad lead the USSR frae 1985 tae 1991, denoonced his legacy an drove the process o leeberalisation o the Soviet Union.