Brezhnev becomes chairman of Presidium of Supreme Soviet, May 7, 1960
On this day in 1960, Leonid Brezhnev became chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, making him the nominal head of state, although real power in the Soviet Union resided with Nikita Khrushchev as first secretary of the Communist Party.
The post brought the Ukrainian-born Brezhnev into contact with foreign leaders as he traveled widely, representing the Soviet government. Brezhnev made the most of these opportunities and was soon viewed as an efficient and effective official in his own right and not simply as Khrushchev’s puppet, his sponsor in his ascent to the nation’s presidency.
In October 1964, members of the Politburo voted to remove Khrushchev from office. Brezhnev, who had already been assured being named to the office of general secretary, blocked efforts to punish his longtime mentor. Brezhnev was also named as the new first secretary. At the time, he was seen by many observers as a transitional figure; in the event, he held power for 18 years until his death in 1982 at age 75.
The Brezhnev era began with rapid economic growth, broader prosperity and a higher level of political stability. But it ended with a weaker Soviet Union facing social, political and economic stagnation — problems that led to its eventual collapse. Living standards festered because economic changes were never carried out. Despite Brezhnev’s failures in reforming the domestic economy, his foreign and defense policies enhanced the Soviet Union’s standing as a superpower.
During Brezhnev’s visit to the United States in June 1973, he told President Richard Nixon: “We know that as far as power and influence are concerned, the only two nations in the world that really matter are the Soviet Union and the United States. Anything that we decide between us, other nations in the world will have to follow our lead, even though they may disagree with it.”