Soviet Union

Russia, 1922–1991. Draft, not yet reviewed

The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from its formation in 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. Joseph Stalin initiated rapid industrialization and forced collectivization that led to significant growth, but contributed to a devastating famine in the 1930s that killed millions. The Soviet Union played a decisive role in defeating the Axis powers as part of the Allies, while extending its sphere of influence to Central and Eastern Europe. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev sought reform through his policies of glasnost and perestroika.

Seat of power: Moscow

Rulers

Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin

Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Congress of Soviets, 1922–1946

This position was largely ceremonial, with actual power residing with Communist Party leader Joseph Stalin. Kalinin remained the titular head of state of the Soviet Union after the rise of Joseph Stalin, with whom he enjoyed a privileged relationship, but held little real power or influence.

Portrait of Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin: Fyodor Kislov / TASS, Public domain, file

Nikolai Shvernik

Head of state, 1946–1953

Though he was the head of state, Shvernik had very little power as Joseph Stalin, the premier at the time, had most of the power due to his position as general secretary of the CPSU, the de facto leader.

Portrait of Nikolai Shvernik: G. Petrov for TASS, Public domain, file

Kliment Voroshilov

Head of state, 1953–1960

He served as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the official Soviet head of state, from 1953 to 1960. He was one of the original five Marshals of the Soviet Union, the second highest military rank of the Soviet Union.

Portrait of Kliment Voroshilov: Минобороны СССР, CC BY 4.0, file

Leonid Brezhnev

Head of state, 1960–1964

He also held office as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (head of state) from 1960 to 1964 and later from 1977 to 1982. In 1964, he took part in the removal of Nikita Khrushchev as leader of the Soviet Union and replaced him as First Secretary of the CPSU.

Portrait of Leonid Brezhnev: Vladimir Musaelyan, CC0, file

Anastas Mikoyan

Head of state, 1964–1965

As a member of the Communist Party's Central Committee from 1923 to 1976, Mikoyan was the only Soviet politician who remained in power from Lenin, through the eras of Stalin and Khrushchev, to his retirement under Brezhnev.

Portrait of Anastas Mikoyan: G. Weil for TASS, Public domain, file

Mykola Pidhornyi

Head of state, 1965–1977

On 6 December 1965, he replaced Anastas Mikoyan as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Thereafter, as a member of the collective leadership, Podgorny formed an unofficial Triumvirate (also known by its Russian name Troika) alongside Premier Alexei Kosygin and First Secretary Leonid Brezhnev.

Portrait of Mykola Pidhornyi: TASS, Public domain, file

Leonid Brezhnev

Head of state, 1977–1982

Additionally, while pushing for détente between the two Cold War superpowers, he achieved nuclear parity with the United States and strengthened Moscow's dominion over Central and Eastern Europe. His tenure as General Secretary was second only to Joseph Stalin's in duration.

Portrait of Leonid Brezhnev: Vladimir Musaelyan, CC0, file

Vasily Kuznetsov

Head of state, 1982–1985

Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was formally the highest state post. He is the oldest head of the Soviet and Russian state in history.

Portrait of Vasily Kuznetsov: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file

Yuri Andropov

Head of state, 1983–1984

Subsequently, he sought to implement reforms to eliminate corruption and economic inefficiency in the country by criminalizing truancy in the workplace and investigating longtime officials for violations of party discipline. Earlier in his career, Andropov served as the Soviet ambassador to Hungary from 1954 to 1957.

Portrait of Yuri Andropov: TASS, Public domain, file

Konstantin Chernenko

Head of state, 1984–1985

Despite assuming offices associated with the Soviet Union's highest authority, Chernenko's power was significantly undermined by his failing health and lack of support among the nomenklatura who viewed him as a transitional figurehead. Following the death of Yuri Andropov, Chernenko was elected General Secretary of the party's Central Committee on 13 February 1984 and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 11 April 1984.

Portrait of Konstantin Chernenko: Vladimir Musaelyan / Vasily Yegorov, CC BY 4.0, file

Andrei Gromyko

Head of state, 1985–1988

Gromyko was responsible for many top decisions on Soviet foreign policy until he retired in 1988. As Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union, Gromyko was directly involved in deliberations with the Americans during the Cuban Missile Crisis and helped broker a peace treaty ending the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.

Portrait of Andrei Gromyko: Mieremet, Rob / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, file

Mikhail Gorbachev

Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1988–1991

He withdrew troops from the Soviet–Afghan War, and embarked on summits with United States president Ronald Reagan to limit nuclear weapons and end the Cold War. Domestically, Gorbachev's policy of glasnost ("openness") and demokratizatsiya ("democratization") allowed for enhanced freedom of speech and the press, while his perestroika ("restructuring") sought to decentralize economic decision-making to improve its efficiency.

Portrait of Mikhail Gorbachev: RIAN_archive_850809_General_Secretary_of_the_CPSU_CC_M._Gorbachev.jpg: Vladimir Vyatkin / Владимир Вяткин derivative ..., CC BY-SA 3.0, file

Anatoly Lukyanov

Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1990–1991

Lukyanov was an early political ally of Mikhail Gorbachev, supporting his efforts in issues such as the fight against corruption and the start of reforms in the economy.

Portrait of Anatoly Lukyanov: Владимир Мусаэльян / ТАСС, CC BY 4.0, file

Culture

It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program.
It sent a radio signal back to Earth for three weeks before its three silver-zinc batteries became depleted.
The satellite's success was unanticipated by the United States.

Picture

Sputnik 1 was launched during the International Geophysical Year.

Image: Andrey Butko, CC BY-SA 3.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.