Leonid Brezhnev

About Leonid Brezhnev

The Soviet leader during the era of stagnation. Brezhnev governed from 1964 to 1982, the second longest tenure after Stalin. His era was marked by military buildup, the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, and the dtente with the West. The Soviet economy stagnated while the military grew. Brezhnev loved medals and awards, giving himself numerous honors. His health declined severely in his later years, and his dotage became a national embarrassment. The Brezhnev Doctrine asserted Soviet right to intervene in communist countries.