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Brezhnev initially continued Khruschev's policy of peaceful co-existence and joined with U.S. President [[Richard Nixon]] in [[detente]] while continuing active support for armed [[national liberation movement]]s around the world. In 1980 the Soviet [[Politburo]] presided over by Brezhnev initiated the [[Soviet-Afghan War]] in an effort to create a Soviet Socialist Republic of Afghanistan along [[Atheism|atheist]] and [[secular]] models, subservient to the Soviet Union as another satellite-client state.

Brezhnev initially continued Khruschev's policy of peaceful co-existence and joined with U.S. President [[Richard Nixon]] in [[detente]] while continuing active support for armed [[national liberation movement]]s around the world. In 1980 the Soviet [[Politburo]] presided over by Brezhnev initiated the [[Soviet-Afghan War]] in an effort to create a Soviet Socialist Republic of Afghanistan along [[Atheism|atheist]] and [[secular]] models, subservient to the Soviet Union as another satellite-client state.

Brezhnev was the original author and planner of the [[nuclear freeze]] movement which became quite popular and fashionable in the West among [[liberal]]s such as [[Ted Kennedy]] and [[Barack Obama]] because of its anti-[[NATO]], anti-U.S. military spending and pro-socialist welfare stance.

Brezhnev was the original author and planner of the nuclear freeze movement which became quite popular and fashionable in the West among [[liberal]]s such as [[Ted Kennedy]] and [[Barack Obama]] because of its anti-[[NATO]], anti-U.S. military spending and pro-socialist welfare stance.

Brezhnev's admiration for Western culture, especially music, was well-known.

Brezhnev's admiration for Western culture, especially music, was well-known.

The Brezhnev years are known as the [[Era of Stagnation]] and marked by rampant corruption.  He was reporeted to have died in 1978, but Soviet doctors resuscitated him but his cognitive abilities never quite returned. In his final years as his mental faculties failed a common joke circulated about him and his chief-of-staff [[Konstantin Chernenko]]: "Brezhnev is dead, only Chernenko hasn't informed him yet."

The Brezhnev years are known as the [[Era of Stagnation]] and marked by rampant corruption.  He was reported to have died in 1978, but Soviet doctors resuscitated him but his cognitive abilities never quite returned. In his final years as his mental faculties failed a common joke circulated about him and his chief-of-staff [[Konstantin Chernenko]]: "Brezhnev is dead, only Chernenko hasn't informed him yet."

He was succeeded by [[Yuri Andropov]] for 15 months until Andropov, who then was succeeded by Chernenko for 13 months until Chernenko died, who then was succeed by [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] for six years until the Soviet died.

He was succeeded by [[Yuri Andropov]] for 15 months until Andropov, who then was succeeded by Chernenko for 13 months until Chernenko died, who then was succeed by [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] for six years until the Soviet died.