Leaders of the Soviet

Established in 1922 and dissolved in 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, an "indissoluable union of free republics", comprised a land mass of over 8.6 million square miles inhabited by more than 170 ethnic groups. These are some of the men who tried to keep it all together

Stalin, Joseph (1879-1953), was dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) from 1929 until 1953. He rose from bitter poverty to become ruler of a country that covered about a sixth of the world's land area.

Stalin ruled by terror during most of his years as dictator. He allowed no one to oppose his decisions. Stalin executed or jailed most of those who had helped him rise to power because he feared they might threaten his rule.

The Soviet people had cause to hate Stalin, and much of the world feared him. But he changed the Soviet Union from an undeveloped country into one of the world's great industrial and military powers. In World War II (1939-1945), the Soviet Union was an ally of the United States and United Kingdom against Germany. But Stalin sharply opposed and, on occasion, betrayed his allies even before World War II was over. The last years that Stalin ruled the Soviet Union were marked by the Cold War, in which many non-Communist nations banded together to halt the spread of Communism.

After the Allies defeated Germany in 1945, Stalin gradually cut off almost all contact between the U.S.S.R. and the West. Stalin used the Soviet army's presence in Eastern Europe to set up Communist governments in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. Winston Churchill said that these countries lay behind the Iron Curtain, a term he used to refer to Soviet barriers against the West. Stalin also tried unsuccessfully to take over Greece, Iran, and Turkey. Many non-Communist nations joined against the Soviet Union and its satellites (countries controlled by the U.S.S.R.) to halt the spread of Communism. This struggle became known as the Cold War.

In June 1945, Germany was divided into four zones, each occupied by American, British, French, or Soviet troops. Berlin, which lay deep in the Soviet zone, was also divided among the four powers. Stalin refused to cooperate in administering Germany, and in 1948, France, United Kingdom, and the United States announced plans to combine their zones into the West German Federal Republic (West Germany). To prevent this action, Stalin tried to drive the Allies out of West Berlin by blockading the city. He hoped the blockade would prevent food and supplies from reaching West Berlin. But the Allies set up the Berlin airlift and supplied the city entirely by airplanes for 11 months. Stalin was defeated, and he ended the blockade of Berlin in May 1949. The airlift continued until September 1949.

During the Korean War (1950-1953), Stalin supported the Communist North Korean forces that invaded South Korea. Korea had been divided into two parts after World War II. At first, Soviet troops occupied the northern half, and U.S. troops occupied the southern half. Both sides later withdrew their forces. North Korean troops then launched a surprise attack on South Korea to unite the divided country by force. As a result, U.S. troops were sent back to Korea. The war ended a few months after Stalin's death

Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeyevich (1894-1971), was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1958 to 1964. He tried to raise the Soviet standard of living and greatly expanded his country's exploration of space. Khrushchev had little pity for weaker nations and his political enemies. But he sometimes showed a good-natured humor and the simple tastes of his peasant background.

Khrushchev strongly criticized the cruelty of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union mostly by terror from 1929 to 1953. Khrushchev also worked to avoid war with the Western nations. This policy helped cause a split between the Soviet Union and China and contributed to Khrushchev's fall from power.

On March 27, 1958, Khrushchev replaced Bulganin as premier of the Soviet Union. Khrushchev became a strong dictator. But he did not rule by terror as Stalin had done, and he reduced the power of the country's dreaded secret police.

Khrushchev's policy in dealing with Western nations was a mixture of both gestures of peace and threats. His policy of peaceful coexistence with non-Communist countries caused bitter quarrels between the Soviet Union and China. The Chinese favored more warlike policies.

In 1962, Khrushchev threatened the United States by installing missiles in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy demanded the removal of the missiles, and Khrushchev withdrew them. Withdrawal of the missiles and the split between the Soviet Union and China disturbed many Soviet leaders. Further discontent with Khrushchev occurred during the early 1960's, when many of his attempts to raise farm production failed and the rate of industrial growth slowed. Opposition to Khrushchev grew. In October 1964, high officials in the Communist Party forced Khrushchev to retire as both premier of the Soviet Union and first secretary of the party

Brezhnev, Leonid Ilyich (1906-1982), was head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until his death. This position helped him become the most powerful person in the Soviet Union. Brezhnev greatly increased Soviet military strength. In 1979, he ordered a Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. At home, Brezhnev did little to solve growing economic problems.

During World War II (1939-1945), Brezhnev worked under Nikita S. Khrushchev as a political adviser in the Soviet Army. Brezhnev and Khrushchev, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo, a top executive group, became strong political allies.

After the war, Brezhnev held several high posts in the Communist Party. He was demoted after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin died in 1953. But later that year, Khrushchev became head of the Communist Party. As Khrushchev's political fortunes rose, so did Brezhnev's.

In 1952, the party's Politburo had been renamed the Presidium and in 1957, Brezhnev became a full member. From 1960 to 1964, he also served as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, then a largely ceremonial post. By 1964, he was regarded as Khrushchev's probable successor. In October 1964, Brezhnev and other leaders forced Khrushchev to retire. Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev as Communist Party leader. Aleksei N. Kosygin became premier, or head of the Soviet government.

During his administration, Brezhnev tried to improve relations and increase 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. He kept tight control over Communist countries in Eastern Europe and supported revolutionary movements in Asia and Africa. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The United States and its allies then strengthened their military forces and adopted political and economic sanctions against the Soviet Union.

In domestic affairs, Brezhnev sometimes placed strict controls over people's lives and sometimes relaxed the controls. Some Soviet people were allowed to settle in other countries. In the 1970's, the Soviet economy began to weaken. But Brezhnev did nothing to strengthen it. Several years after Brezhnev's death, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev blamed many of the country's problems on Brezhnev.

Gorbachev, Mikhail Sergeyevich, (1931-...), was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. As Soviet leader, Gorbachev gained worldwide fame for his efforts to make changes in his country and its relations with other nations. In 1990, Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to world peace.

On Aug. 19, 1991, several conservative Soviet Communist officials tried to overthrow Gorbachev as president of the Soviet Union. The coup quickly collapsed in the face of widespread opposition, and Gorbachev retained his leadership, although his government was weakened by the attempt. Soon afterward, most of the 15 republics that made up the Soviet Union declared independence but indicated their willingness to become part of a loose confederation of former Soviet republics. Three republics--Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania--became independent nations.

Gorbachev tried to prevent the complete breakup of the Soviet Union. However, on Dec. 8, 1991, the republics of Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia broke away completely from the Soviet Union and formed the Commonwealth of Independent States. They were soon joined by all the remaining republics except Georgia. On December 25, Gorbachev resigned as president, and the Soviet Union formally ceased to exist.

Gorbachev worked to improve Soviet relations with the Western countries and to reduce tension and conflicts worldwide. In 1987, Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan of the United States signed a treaty that called for the elimination of all the intermediate-range nuclear missiles of the two countries. In July 1991, Gorbachev and U.S. President George Bush signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. This treaty was designed to reduce U.S. and Soviet long-range nuclear missiles and bombers by about a third.

In 1988 and 1989, Gorbachev withdrew all Soviet military forces from Afghanistan. Since 1979, Soviet troops had been fighting there to support an unpopular Communist government against Afghan rebels.


	Channel Soviet \| home Creation of the Soviet \| Leaders of the Soviet \| Army of the Soviet \| The Webmaster + The Chat \| Soviet Clan For HAlf life \| Anti-Nazi Leaders of the Soviet SOVIET LEADERS Established in 1922 and dissolved in 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, an "indissoluable union of free republics", comprised a land mass of over 8.6 million square miles inhabited by more than 170 ethnic groups. These are some of the men who tried to keep it all together Stalin, Joseph (1879-1953), was dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) from 1929 until 1953. He rose from bitter poverty to become ruler of a country that covered about a sixth of the world's land area. Stalin ruled by terror during most of his years as dictator. He allowed no one to oppose his decisions. Stalin executed or jailed most of those who had helped him rise to power because he feared they might threaten his rule. The Soviet people had cause to hate Stalin, and much of the world feared him. But he changed the Soviet Union from an undeveloped country into one of the world's great industrial and military powers. In World War II (1939-1945), the Soviet Union was an ally of the United States and United Kingdom against Germany. But Stalin sharply opposed and, on occasion, betrayed his allies even before World War II was over. The last years that Stalin ruled the Soviet Union were marked by the Cold War, in which many non-Communist nations banded together to halt the spread of Communism. The Cold War After the Allies defeated Germany in 1945, Stalin gradually cut off almost all contact between the U.S.S.R. and the West. Stalin used the Soviet army's presence in Eastern Europe to set up Communist governments in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. Winston Churchill said that these countries lay behind the Iron Curtain, a term he used to refer to Soviet barriers against the West. Stalin also tried unsuccessfully to take over Greece, Iran, and Turkey. Many non-Communist nations joined against the Soviet Union and its satellites (countries controlled by the U.S.S.R.) to halt the spread of Communism. This struggle became known as the Cold War. In June 1945, Germany was divided into four zones, each occupied by American, British, French, or Soviet troops. Berlin, which lay deep in the Soviet zone, was also divided among the four powers. Stalin refused to cooperate in administering Germany, and in 1948, France, United Kingdom, and the United States announced plans to combine their zones into the West German Federal Republic (West Germany). To prevent this action, Stalin tried to drive the Allies out of West Berlin by blockading the city. He hoped the blockade would prevent food and supplies from reaching West Berlin. But the Allies set up the Berlin airlift and supplied the city entirely by airplanes for 11 months. Stalin was defeated, and he ended the blockade of Berlin in May 1949. The airlift continued until September 1949. Korean War During the Korean War (1950-1953), Stalin supported the Communist North Korean forces that invaded South Korea. Korea had been divided into two parts after World War II. At first, Soviet troops occupied the northern half, and U.S. troops occupied the southern half. Both sides later withdrew their forces. North Korean troops then launched a surprise attack on South Korea to unite the divided country by force. As a result, U.S. troops were sent back to Korea. The war ended a few months after Stalin's death Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeyevich (1894-1971), was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1958 to 1964. He tried to raise the Soviet standard of living and greatly expanded his country's exploration of space. Khrushchev had little pity for weaker nations and his political enemies. But he sometimes showed a good-natured humor and the simple tastes of his peasant background. Khrushchev strongly criticized the cruelty of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union mostly by terror from 1929 to 1953. Khrushchev also worked to avoid war with the Western nations. This policy helped cause a split between the Soviet Union and China and contributed to Khrushchev's fall from power. Relations with the West On March 27, 1958, Khrushchev replaced Bulganin as premier of the Soviet Union. Khrushchev became a strong dictator. But he did not rule by terror as Stalin had done, and he reduced the power of the country's dreaded secret police. Khrushchev's policy in dealing with Western nations was a mixture of both gestures of peace and threats. His policy of peaceful coexistence with non-Communist countries caused bitter quarrels between the Soviet Union and China. The Chinese favored more warlike policies. In 1962, Khrushchev threatened the United States by installing missiles in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy demanded the removal of the missiles, and Khrushchev withdrew them. Withdrawal of the missiles and the split between the Soviet Union and China disturbed many Soviet leaders. Further discontent with Khrushchev occurred during the early 1960's, when many of his attempts to raise farm production failed and the rate of industrial growth slowed. Opposition to Khrushchev grew. In October 1964, high officials in the Communist Party forced Khrushchev to retire as both premier of the Soviet Union and first secretary of the party Brezhnev, Leonid Ilyich (1906-1982), was head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until his death. This position helped him become the most powerful person in the Soviet Union. Brezhnev greatly increased Soviet military strength. In 1979, he ordered a Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. At home, Brezhnev did little to solve growing economic problems. Rise to power During World War II (1939-1945), Brezhnev worked under Nikita S. Khrushchev as a political adviser in the Soviet Army. Brezhnev and Khrushchev, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo, a top executive group, became strong political allies. After the war, Brezhnev held several high posts in the Communist Party. He was demoted after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin died in 1953. But later that year, Khrushchev became head of the Communist Party. As Khrushchev's political fortunes rose, so did Brezhnev's. In 1952, the party's Politburo had been renamed the Presidium and in 1957, Brezhnev became a full member. From 1960 to 1964, he also served as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, then a largely ceremonial post. By 1964, he was regarded as Khrushchev's probable successor. In October 1964, Brezhnev and other leaders forced Khrushchev to retire. Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev as Communist Party leader. Aleksei N. Kosygin became premier, or head of the Soviet government. Policies During his administration, Brezhnev tried to improve relations and increase 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. He kept tight control over Communist countries in Eastern Europe and supported revolutionary movements in Asia and Africa. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The United States and its allies then strengthened their military forces and adopted political and economic sanctions against the Soviet Union. In domestic affairs, Brezhnev sometimes placed strict controls over people's lives and sometimes relaxed the controls. Some Soviet people were allowed to settle in other countries. In the 1970's, the Soviet economy began to weaken. But Brezhnev did nothing to strengthen it. Several years after Brezhnev's death, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev blamed many of the country's problems on Brezhnev. Gorbachev, Mikhail Sergeyevich, (1931-...), was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. As Soviet leader, Gorbachev gained worldwide fame for his efforts to make changes in his country and its relations with other nations. In 1990, Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to world peace. On Aug. 19, 1991, several conservative Soviet Communist officials tried to overthrow Gorbachev as president of the Soviet Union. The coup quickly collapsed in the face of widespread opposition, and Gorbachev retained his leadership, although his government was weakened by the attempt. Soon afterward, most of the 15 republics that made up the Soviet Union declared independence but indicated their willingness to become part of a loose confederation of former Soviet republics. Three republics--Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania--became independent nations. Gorbachev tried to prevent the complete breakup of the Soviet Union. However, on Dec. 8, 1991, the republics of Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia broke away completely from the Soviet Union and formed the Commonwealth of Independent States. They were soon joined by all the remaining republics except Georgia. On December 25, Gorbachev resigned as president, and the Soviet Union formally ceased to exist. Relations with the West Gorbachev worked to improve Soviet relations with the Western countries and to reduce tension and conflicts worldwide. In 1987, Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan of the United States signed a treaty that called for the elimination of all the intermediate-range nuclear missiles of the two countries. In July 1991, Gorbachev and U.S. President George Bush signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. This treaty was designed to reduce U.S. and Soviet long-range nuclear missiles and bombers by about a third. In 1988 and 1989, Gorbachev withdrew all Soviet military forces from Afghanistan. Since 1979, Soviet troops had been fighting there to support an unpopular Communist government against Afghan rebels.