Changes

[[File:Chernenko.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Chernenko imagined himself a Great [[Charismatic]] leader in the mold of Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Brezhnev.]]

'''Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko''' (1911-1985) was a longtime [[leftwing]] [[apparatchik]] who eventually became General Secretary of the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]] (CPSU) shortly before its demise.

|image=Chernenko.jpg

|caption=Konstantin Chernenko

|birth_date=September 24, 1911

|birth_place=Bolshaya Tes, Russia

|death_date=March 10, 1985

|death_place=Moscow, Russia

 

'''Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko''' (1911–1985) was a longtime [[leftwing]] [[apparatchik]] who eventually became Premier of the [[Soviet Union]] shortly before its demise.

Following the death of 76 year old [[Leonid Brezhnev]] who was in power for 18 years during the [[Years of Stagnation]], 70 year old [[Yuri Andropov]] assumed power for 15 months until his death, followed by the relatively unknown 74 year old Konstantin Chernenko who ruled for 13 months until his death. Chernenko was succeeded by the 52 year old reform-minded [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] who led the [[communist]] [[Soviet Union]] to final dissolution.

Following the death of 76 year old [[Leonid Brezhnev]] who was in power for 18 years during the [[Years of Stagnation]], 70 year old [[Yuri Andropov]] assumed power for 15 months until his death, followed by the relatively unknown 74 year old Konstantin Chernenko who ruled for 13 months until his death. Chernenko was succeeded by the 52 year old reform-minded [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] who led the [[communist]] [[Soviet Union]] to final dissolution.

The son of a miner, Chernenko served in [[World War II]] as the ''zampolit'' (or political commissar to police the political;y correct attitudes of personnel in military units) for a [[P-39 Airacobra]] squadron. Chernenko served as CPSU General Secretary between 13 February 1984 and his death on 10 March 1985.  

The son of a miner, Chernenko served in [[World War II]] as the ''zampolit'' (or political commissar to police the politically correct attitudes of personnel in military units) for a [[P-39 Airacobra]] squadron. Chernenko served as [[CPSU]] General Secretary between 13 February 1984 and his death on 10 March 1985.  

In 1971 Chernenko was promoted to a full member of the [[democratic socialist]]  Central Committee. From 1978 on he served as a full member of the [[Politburo]] and, ''de facto'', was second in the line of succession.

In 1971 Chernenko was promoted to a full member of the [[democratic socialist]]  Central Committee. From 1978 on he served as a full member of the [[Politburo]] and, ''de facto'', was second in the line of succession.

Chernenko immersed himself in ideological and party work; he headed Soviet delegations abroad, accompanied Brezhnev to important conference and was on the commission that set up the new Soviet Constitution of 1977. He participated in leftwing Communist Party congresses of [[Austria]], [[France]], [[Denmark]] and [[Greece]] and frequently met with foreign visitors and delegations. In 1979 Chernenko took part in the [[Vienna]] arms limitation talks.

Chernenko immersed himself in ideological and party work; he headed Soviet delegations abroad, accompanied Brezhnev to important conference and was on the commission that set up the new Soviet Constitution of 1977. He participated in the leftwing Communist Party congresses of [[Austria]], [[France]], [[Denmark]] and [[Greece]] and frequently met with foreign visitors and delegations. In 1979 Chernenko took part in the [[Vienna]] arms limitation talks.

Chernenko published numerous articles on the pages of Soviet newspapers and, by the 80's, he had written more books than all the other Politburo members put together. Chernenko's books addressed a wide range of topics, from the [[politically correct]] principles of [[Marxist-Leninist]] thinking to [[women's rights]], from education reform to the [[economy]], from the Marxist perception of [[human rights]] to ways of re-inventing government bureaucracy.

Chernenko published numerous articles on the pages of Soviet newspapers and, by the 80's, he had written more books than all the other Politburo members put together. Chernenko's books addressed a wide range of topics, from the [[politically correct]] principles of [[Marxist-Leninist]] thinking to [[women's rights]], from education reform to the [[economy]], from the Marxist perception of [[human rights]] to ways of re-inventing government bureaucracy.

==See also==

==See also==

*[[Joseph Biden]]

*[[Joseph Biden]]

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chernenko, Konstantin}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chernenko, Konstantin}}