When in 1917 the Bolsheviks came to power and tsarist Russia became the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Russia had its own leaders. The state lasted 69 years, replacing 8 leaders. Next, we consider the leaders of the USSR in chronological order. All of them left their indelible mark on the government of the country. Photos of the leaders of the USSR, as well as their brief biography, below. We will get acquainted with the achievements, advantages and disadvantages of the ruling party of the Soviet Union.
USSR leaders in chronological order.
Lenin Vladimir Ilyich
The founder of the Soviet state. Born in Simbirsk in 1870 in a noble family. Received an excellent law degree. Since childhood, Vladimir Ulyanov was very diligent and hardworking, had a wonderful memory and curiosity.
At the age of 18, Vladimir is interested in Karl Marx and Engels, joins the Marxist circle. In 1893, Lenin moved to St. Petersburg, where he began active underground activities and began to prepare a revolution. After 2 years, Vladimir Ulyanov goes abroad, where he meets with the leaders of the labor movement Plekhanov and Lafargue (Karl Marx's son-in-law). And in October 1917, Lenin organized the revolution and declared himself chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. He organizes a party of Bolsheviks, whose leader he will remain until his death in 1924.
A lot of work has been done during this time:
- The estates and civil ranks were abolished.
- Nationalized banks and private enterprises.
- The federal structure of Soviet Russia is being established.
- Brest peace. Exit from the First World War.
- The transfer of the capital of Russia to Moscow.
- A large-scale education of the illiterate population of Russia begins.
- In 1923, the first Constitution was adopted.
After the death of Lenin, Joseph Stalin becomes the leader of the Communist Party.
Next, the leaders of the USSR in chronological order.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili was born in Georgia in 1878. An unfinished theological seminary and 17 years of camps for anti-Russian propaganda are behind him. Stalin was an ardent fan of Lenin and obsessed with the communist idea. Participation in the 1917 revolution gives him the opportunity to firmly take a place in the Bolshevik party.
After the death of the leader in the course of a short internal party struggle, Stalin became the undisputed leader of the Communist Party. Thus begins a new time in the history of Russia - Stalinism. Over 30 years of leadership of the country, a number of major events took place, which left its mark in world history.
- Collectivization. Dispossession. Creation of collective farms.
- The terrible famine of 1932-1933, the beginning of the country's industrialization.
- Stalinist repression.
- Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
- The creation of the atomic bomb.
Joseph Stalin will die at the age of 73 at his cottage from a stroke in 1953.
Malenkov George Maximovich
The death of Stalin comes as a surprise to the entire party leadership. The post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR passes to Stalin's associate Malenkov. A prominent party leader, one of the main leaders of the Stalinist repressions, Malenkov was engaged in party documents, and also conducted a personnel policy under Stalin. During the Second World War, he was engaged in the restoration of the liberated areas.
However, Georgy Maksimovich did not arrive at a high post for long, giving way to Khrushchev. For 2 incomplete years of leadership, Malenkov manages to make a number of important decisions, namely:
- Closes the "case of doctors-pests," which Stalin began against doctors-Jews in 1948.
- Orest and execution of Beria.
- Launch of the world's first nuclear power plant.
- Transition of Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR
Malenkov died in Moscow in 1988 at the age of 86. Towards the end of his life, he was often seen in church.
Khrushchev Nikita Sergeevich
The first Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Nikita Khrushchev, after an active struggle for power, will open a new stage in the history of the Soviet Union, which will later be called the "Khrushchev thaw."
Nikita Sergeevich was born in the family of a working miner. After completing a couple of classes in a rural school, he goes to work as a mechanic in a mine, where he takes an active position, supporting the Soviet regime. After the revolution, he immediately joined the party. Participates in the war in the Caucasus. In 1920, he became the political leader, deputy manager of the Donbass mine.
Party career begins in 1929, when Khrushchev graduated from the Industrial Academy in Moscow, where fate brings him to Nadezhda Alliluyeva (Stalin's wife), which ultimately will play a key role in his fate.
During his nine-year leadership of the USSR, he will be associated with the following events:
- The defeat of the cult of Stalin, later the removal of his body from the mausoleum and the renaming of the city of Stalingrad to Volgograd.
- The launch of the first artificial Earth satellite, later the successful flight of the Squirrel and Arrow dogs into space. 1961 the first manned space flight.
- The Corn Revolution, 1958 crop failure
- First visit to the USA.
- The construction of the "Berlin Wall".
- "Caribbean crisis".
- Large-scale construction of small-sized apartments, popularly nicknamed the "Khrushchev".
After the "conspiracy" in 1964, power passed to Brezhnev.
Khrushchev will die 7 years after his retirement in Moscow at the age of 77.
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich
Another political leader of the USSR is Leonid Brezhnev. Unlike his predecessor, he for a long time and persistently made his way up the career ladder. After graduating from the Metallurgical Institute in 1935, he works as an engineer at a factory. During the war, Brezhnev was engaged in the evacuation of industry. Participated in hostilities under the command of Malinowski. He freed Novorossiysk, for which he received the order of the first degree. After the war, he worked as first secretary in Dnepropetrovsk, did extensive work to restore the city’s enterprises.
Brezhnev will get to the secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU after Stalin’s death. We will remember him as a vain careerist with a huge number of various state awards. Over the 18 years of his tenure as party leader, he has done the following:
- He brought troops into Czechoslovakia, later these actions will be recognized as unlawful in relation to the affected country.
- The first Lunokhod with Soviet symbols will go to the moon.
- Adoption of the new 1977 Constitution
- The introduction of troops in Afghanistan.
- 1980 Moscow Olympics
Brezhnev always had health problems, which ultimately caused his death in 1982. A luxurious funeral was held in Moscow, and leaders from 35 countries attended.
Andropov Yuri Vladimirovich
Former KGB head Andropov was Brezhnev’s closest receiver. It was he who in 1982 became the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee. By that time, Yuri Vladimirovich was already 67 years old. Poor health prevented him from realizing his reformist ideas. He was officially in a leadership position a little over a year. During this time, he actively began the fight against corruption in Russia. Changed the government. The plans included large-scale work to improve the economic condition of the country.
But age and poor health did not allow Andropov's plans to come true, after a long illness he died in 1984.
Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich
Andropov's place is taken by Konstantin Chernenko at the age of 73 years. Since 1978, Chernenko has been Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, a close friend of Brezhnev and his nominee.
Health problems will also prevent Chernenko from actually leading the country. A year after his appointment, he will die of cardiac arrest. His short reign will be remembered by us with the introduction of a new holiday - Knowledge Day, September 1st.
Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeevich
Closes the list of leaders of the USSR Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. Over the 5 years of his leadership, who made a lot of noise, Gorbachev dealt with agricultural issues in the USSR. He graduated from Moscow State University and in 1952 was admitted to the CPSU. Further career developed rapidly. Having become the party’s general secretary in 1985, he begins active "perestroika".
- Introduction of Prohibition in Russia.
- Chernobyl accident, elimination of the consequences of the accident.
- The law "On Cooperation", entrepreneurship begins to develop in Russia.
- The fall of the Iron Curtain, the Berlin Wall is destroyed.
- The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
- Approval of the presidential election, which should now be elected by the people for 5 years.
- Recognition of the independence of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
- The collapse of the USSR.
Thus ended the era of the Soviet Union. We examined all the leaders of the USSR in chronological order. In fact, there were 8 of them, but much more people ruled the country.
To summarize the information, consider the leaders of the USSR by years:
- Lenin V.I. 1917-1924
- Stalin I.V. 1924-1953
- Malenkov G.M. 1953-1955
- Khrushchev N.S. 1955-1964
- Brezhnev L.I. 1964-1982
- Andropov Yu.V. 1982-1984
- Chernenko K.U. 1984-1985
- Gorbachev M.S. 1985-1991
December 26, 1991, the USSR ended its existence. 14 republics disconnected from the Country of Soviets, the Russian Federation appeared. The leaders of the USSR in chronological order were presented above, for 70 years they built a great communist state, which, alas, was not destined to live forever.