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The period of Chernenko's reign. What did Khrushchev, Chernenko and Andropov do during the Great Patriotic War?

Konstantin Chernenko is the sixth leader of the country in the 20th century. Selected in 1984 Secretary General Central Committee of the CPSU. The man had serious health problems when taking over, as a result of which he served as leader for only one year and twenty-five days.

Childhood and youth

The future Secretary General was born in the fall, on September 24, 1911, in the village of Bolshaya Tes in a peasant family. The boy's father, Ustin Demidovich, mined a precious metal, mother Kharitina Dmitrievna was engaged in crop production. In 1919, little Kostya’s mother passed away. The woman was a native Eastern Siberia.

After the death of his wife, Ustin Demidovich was left alone with four children. Soon he found a new wife. Kostya and his brother and sisters formed a bad relationship with their stepmother, so it was difficult for the four children to new family. As a teenager, Kostya worked for village resellers.

While studying at school, the boy was accepted into the pioneers, and at the age of 14 he joined the Komsomol. From 1926 to 1929 he received knowledge at a school in the town of Novoselovo. In 1972, the native village of the future ruler was flooded during the construction of the Krasnoyarsk water reservoir. Local residents were then relocated to Novoselovo.

In 1931, Chernenko joined the army. The young man was assigned to the border between Kazakhstan and China. During the period of repaying his debt to his homeland, the young man took part in the destruction of Batyr Bekmuratov’s gang and joined the ranks of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). At the same time, Chernenko was elected secretary of the party organization of the border outpost.

Policy

At the end of the army litigation, Chernenko was assigned to the post of director of the regional house of party education in the city of Krasnoyarsk. At the same time, he headed the propaganda department in the Novoselovsky and Uyarsky districts. In 1941, Konstantin Ustinovich was elected leader of the Communist Party Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Konstantin Chernenko - head of department of the Novoselovsky district committee of the Komsomol

I was surprised by the rapid growth career biography deputy They believe that politics helped in this matter elder sister Valentina, who was closely acquainted with the first head of the Krasnoyarsk Communist Party.

For two years - in 1943 - 1945 - he studied at the Higher School of Party Organizers in Moscow. During Patriotic War Chernenko was in the capital. While studying at school, he received an urgent offer to work in the regional committee of the Penza region. There he stayed until 1948. Afterwards, Chernenko was recommended to the Moldavian SSR, where he became head of the propaganda department of the Central Committee of the republic.

At the same time, in Chisinau, Konstantin Ustinovich met for the first time with. The acquaintance of the two politicians turned into a real male friendship. The career paths of the men began to closely intersect. In 1953, Chernenko defended his diploma from the Chisinau Institute. Three years later he went to the capital and began managing the propaganda department of the CPSU Central Committee.

This could not have happened without the support of Leonid Ilyich. For five years - from 1960 to 1965 - he headed the secretariat of the USSR PVS. Then Chernenko took the place of head of the main department of the Central Committee. The man remained there until 1982. At the same time, Brezhnev became the head of the country. Chernenko became a close confidant of the new ruler of the state. During the years of management of the union by Leonid Ilyich, Konstantin Ustinovich’s career rapidly rose up.

He was always close to Brezhnev. The Secretary General announced his intentions only after consulting with Konstantin Ustinovich. During that period of time, Chernenko was called “ eminence grise" They suspected that it was he who solved issues that were pressing for the country. Brezhnev did not fear for his leadership status or that his friend would try to take away power.

Chernenko became the most valuable personnel for Brezhnev. The second one did not go on any trip without a faithful companion. In 1975 they went to Finland, and in 1979 they reached Austria. They visited the countries of the union together. Many photos show that Chernenko always stands next to the leader.

In 1974, Brezhnev became seriously ill. It was expected that Soviet people Chernenko will lead. But at the council he personally recommended him for the role of leader. As a result, party members voted for Andropov, and he became General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. However, the newly appointed representative of the Union remained in power for only two years. As a result, the country passed into the hands of Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko.

At the time of coming to power, the man celebrated his 73rd birthday, and the new ruler had serious health problems. Chernenko figured in the discussion of updating the USSR Constitution.

Konstantin Ustinovich was at the head of state for a few more than a year, but managed to make important decisions regarding the fate of the country. He noticed that foreign rock music has a negative impact on young people. As a result, restrictions were introduced on amateur musical performances within the state.

While Chernenko was in power foreign policy Relations with China and Spain have improved. For the first time in history, the leader of Spain visited the capital of the USSR. But relations with the United States have become worse. It was decided to refrain from Summer Olympics 1984.

Personal life

Chernenko's first marriage took place with a girl named Faina Vasilievna. After few years family life The relationship deteriorated and the couple separated. In the marriage, Chernenko had two children: son Albert and daughter Lydia. Subsequently, Albert headed the Novosibirsk Party School. Then he became head of the department of history and political science at Siberian University.

In 1944 Chernenko took legal wives Anna Dmitrievna Lyubimova. The woman gave her husband practical recommendations. They say that she contributed to the partnership between Chernenko and Brezhnev.

Anna Dmitrievna gave her husband three children: a son, Vladimir, and two daughters, Vera and Elena. Vladimir found a job as assistant to the chairman of the USSR State Committee for Cinematography. Then he became research fellow Gosfilmofond. Elena defended her dissertation in philosophy. Daughter Vera entered the University of Washington. She then stayed to work abroad at the embassy.

In 2015, archival files were released that stated that Chernenko had more than two wives. And he abandoned several with their children.

Death

Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko died on March 10, 1985. Doctors diagnosed cardiac arrest. He became the last general secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, buried near the Kremlin walls.

In 2017, a bust of Konstantin Chernenko was erected on the Alley of Russian Leaders.

Awards

Four Orders of Lenin
Three Orders of the Red Banner of Labor
1976, 1981, 1984 – Hero of Socialist Labor
1978 - Medal “60 years Armed Forces THE USSR"
1982 - Lenin Prize laureate
Order of Karl Marx (German Democratic Republic)
1981 - Order of Klement Gottwald (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic)
Order "Georgi Dimitrov" ( People's Republic Bulgaria)
1984 - Order State flag(DPRK)

In February 1984, Soviet citizens experienced mixed feelings - some felt awkward, others were downright amused. The new General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee instead of the 69-year-old who died of a serious illness Yuri Andropov 72 year old was elected Konstantin Chernenko. The new Soviet leader was also seriously ill, and looking at him appearance, residents of the Land of Soviets said: it won’t be long to wait for new funerals.

The forecast turned out to be correct: Chernenko’s reign lasted just over a year, and during this period the leader spent most of his time in a hospital bed.

The late USSR in this sense resembled the Vatican: just as Catholic hierarchs sometimes choose an elder as a pontiff as a temporary compromise figure, so representatives of the Soviet party elite elected the sick Chernenko so that for some time he would serve as a screen for a furious struggle for power hidden from view.

Konstantin Chernenko himself was not eager to become a leader. All his life he was a skillful and diligent performer, who, at the end of his life, suddenly found himself at the very top.

Ukrainian from Siberia

It is all the more surprising that the biography of this Soviet General Secretary has almost the most a large number of"white spots". Chernenko himself created the “spots”, taking advantage of his official position. Having headed the General Department of the CPSU Central Committee in the 1960s, he gained access to the most important party secrets, including biographies of leaders.

Having established the strictest system of access to work with archive documents, Chernenko tried to ensure that the most controversial and ambiguous pages of his own biography disappeared forever from his archive.

He was born on September 24, 1911 in the village of Bolshaya Tes, Yenisei province. His father, Ustin Demidovich Chernenko, came from a family of Ukrainian peasants who moved to Siberia. My father worked in copper mines and gold mines.

Many years later, when Chernenko had already entered the top leadership of the USSR, his native village would be flooded during the creation of the Krasnoyarsk reservoir.

Chernenko had quite a lot of relatives and, having become “ big man“, he helped them get “grain” jobs. However, in contrast to the daughter’s wild lifestyle Brezhnev, Chernenko’s relatives, like himself, skillfully remained in the shadows without causing irritation.

Women could ruin a functionary's career

In his youth, Kostya Chernenko graduated from a three-year school for rural youth, after which he began his party career. At the age of 18, he became the head of the agitation and propaganda department of the district Komsomol committee. Then he served in the border troops, where he distinguished himself both in the liquidation of a dangerous gang and in his main “specialty” as an agitator-propagandist. During his service, Chernenko joined the party and became secretary of the party organization of the border detachment.

Returning from the army, the 22-year-old young man was determined to continue his successful party career.

Konstantin Chernenko (second from right in the top row) among the delegates to the party conference of the border detachment. 1932 Photo: RIA Novosti

By the beginning of the war, Chernenko had risen to the rank of secretary of the Krasnoyarsk regional committee of the CPSU (b), and at the very height of the war he was sent to High school party organizers under the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. After graduation, the functionary was sent to work in Penza. In 1948, Moscow intended to hire him to work in the central office.

And here the career failed. A letter arrived in Moscow from a certain woman who claimed that Chernenko was an immoral person living among several families at once. Subsequently, Chernenko tried to hide all documents related to the party’s investigation into this fact as deeply as possible or completely destroy it.

It is known, however, that party comrades came to the conclusion that certain facts discrediting Konstantin Ustinovich had taken place. This did not completely destroy his career, but instead of Moscow he ended up in Chisinau, taking the post of head of the propaganda and agitation department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova.

Konstantin Chernenko, 1976. Photo: RIA Novosti / Filatov

Exemplary performer

Two years later he became the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova Leonid Brezhnev. Acquaintance with him, which grew into friendship, became fateful for Chernenko. It is not known whether the fact that both in their youth experienced an increased attraction to the female sex played a role in this, but it is reliably known that Brezhnev very quickly appreciated Chernenko’s skills as a performer and organizer. Moving upward, Leonid Ilyich will begin to pull his friend along with him.

In 1956, Chernenko finally got a job in Moscow, becoming the head of the mass agitation sector in the department of propaganda and agitation of the CPSU Central Committee. In 1960, Leonid Brezhnev became chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and Chernenko was appointed to the post of head of the Secretariat of the Presidium.

In 1965, after Brezhnev became “man number one” in the USSR, Chernenko was appointed head of the General Department of the CPSU Central Committee.

It's hard to call him " right hand"Brezhnev - for this role he was too inconspicuous and unambitious. But it depended on Chernenko how quickly this or that issue would be resolved, and what kind of decision could be made. In his hands was all the correspondence of the Secretary General, he prepared draft replies, materials for Politburo meetings and much more. Over time, Chernenko de facto began to make decisions on many issues himself, only bringing a ready-made verdict for Brezhnev to approve. However, this did not concern key issues - Chernenko never crossed the border.

From the second half of the 1970s, when Brezhnev’s health began to deteriorate, “friend Kostya” became an irreplaceable person for him. In 1978, he was introduced to the ranks of the country's top leaders, becoming a member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee.

Soviet delegation at the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Leonid Brezhnev, Andrei Gromyko and Konstantin Chernenko, 1975. Photo: RIA Novosti / O. Ivanov

At the same time, part of the party elite began to view him as possible successor Brezhnev, in defiance of another group that supported Yuri Andropov.

In November 1982, when Brezhnev died, Andropov’s supporters took over, Chernenko at the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee personally announced the candidacy of the former chairman of the USSR KGB for the post of Secretary General. The proposal was adopted unanimously.

And on February 13, 1984, Chernenko himself, after Andropov’s death, was confirmed to the post of Secretary General.

Year of Secretary General Chernenko: boycott of the Olympics, school reform and persecution of rockers

As already mentioned, by this time he was seriously ill. However, for short period During his reign, some significant things happened. A school reform was launched, which provided, in particular, for education from the age of 6 and the introduction of a five-day period.

Chernenko, who graduated from a pedagogical institute while working in Moldova, was generally actively interested in issues of education - it was under him that the Day of Knowledge holiday appeared.

Under Chernenko, a response was given to the American boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow - the USSR national team refused to participate in the Games in Los Angeles, and as an alternative, large-scale competitions “Friendship-84” were organized.

Chernenko launched a campaign to combat musical groups causing “ideological and aesthetic damage.” This period became the time of the toughest pressure on representatives of “Russian rock”.

Contrary to misconception, the investigation into major corruption cases that began under Andropov was not curtailed under Chernenko. Former head Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR Nikolai Shchelokov deprived of the rank of army general, state awards and expelled from the party during the reign of Konstantin Ustinovich.

Chernenko was a supporter of party rehabilitation Stalin, however, he failed to carry out this project. But he restored the famous figure of the Stalin era to the party Vyacheslav Molotov. This step towards the 94-year-old Molotov will give rise to the joke: “Chernenko has found a successor.”

Jokes aside, the mighty Stalinist People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and head of the Soviet government will outlive Chernenko, ending his earthly journey in the era of perestroika.

Guard of honor at the grave of K.U. Chernenko on Red Square near the Kremlin wall. Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Makarov

Last election of a dying man

In the mid-1970s, the Soviet leadership was struck by an epidemic of mutual rewards, which also affected Chernenko. Under Brezhnev he became a twice Hero Socialist Labor, and the third " Golden star"he received in 1984, on his last birthday.

In February 1985, elections to the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR were held, and the first person of the state, according to tradition, was nominated as a deputy by labor collectives. Chernenko did not leave the ward at the Central Clinical Hospital, and everyone understood that he would survive last days. However, the decorations of the polling station were created right in the chamber in order to show the people the participation of the Secretary General in an important state event.

On February 28, 1985, the Vremya program showed the ceremony of presenting Chernenko with a deputy’s certificate. This broadcast made a depressing impression - the leader of the country was out of breath, spoke with difficulty and practically could not stand on his feet without the help of outsiders. Against this background, even Brezhnev last years seemed like a cheerful, big guy.

We must pay tribute to Konstantin Chernenko - the party functionary played the role to which he devoted his entire life until the very end, even trying to talk about the need for new labor achievements. However, the country, listening to him, was preparing for the next series of epics known as the “carriage races.”

Problem "Ku"

Konstantin Chernenko died on March 10, 1985 at 19:20 Moscow time. Three days later he became the last person to be buried at the Kremlin wall.

The Secretary General never found out what role he played in the fate of the comedy film “Kin-dza-dza!”, which has now become a classic of Russian cinema. The fact is that Chernenko came to power in the midst of work on the film, putting the creators in a dead end: the main word of the aliens, “ku,” coincided with the initials of the Secretary General, Konstantin Ustinovich. Fearing trouble, Georgy Danelia And Rezo Gabriadze We decided to replace “ku” with something else, but none of the options seemed suitable. While the issue of a replacement was being decided, Chernenko passed away, and the film remained unchanged. So the “ku” in this comedy is also a memory of the strangest leader of the Soviet era.

Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko (1911-1985) - Soviet statesman and party leader, who served in the period from February 13, 1984 to April 10, 1985. post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee.

Biography of K. Chernenko briefly

The future leader of the country was born in the Yenisei province, in peasant family. Having received his primary education, he graduated from the rest of his “universities” along the party line.

In 1929, young Chernenko was appointed head of the agitation and propaganda department of the district committee. Two years later he served in Kazakhstan as a commander of a border detachment, and there he joined the ranks of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks).

In subsequent years, until fateful acquaintance in 1950 with L.I. y, was a party functionary of various ranks. Friendship with Brezhnev brought Chernenko to Moscow, to the apparatus of the CPSU Central Committee.

During the reign of L.I. Brezhnev headed the general department of the CPSU Central Committee. Konstantin Ustinovich was called Brezhnev’s “secretary”, he handled documents so skillfully and efficiently.

In fact, he became Brezhnev’s main adviser, his shadow, and it is no coincidence that Chernenko was seen as Brezhnev’s successor. It happened, but only after short period board of Yu.V. Andropov (1982-1984). By this time, Konstantin Ustinovich was seriously ill and was perceived by many as a passing figure.

Main activities

Domestic policy:

tightening censorship;
school reform aimed at supplementing universal compulsory education with vocational education;
strengthening trade unions;
care for veterans of the Great Patriotic War;
fight against the shadow economy.

Foreign policy:

warming in international relations;
détente in relations with China.

Many undertakings of K.U. Chernenko's projects remained unfinished or were half-hearted. After his death, a new leader came to power - M.S. and perestroika began.

Results of the board

Ideologization of pop and theatrical arts;
connection between education and production;
boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics;
the emergence of a new holiday - the Day of Knowledge.

October 7th, 2016

As I remember now, we were sitting on chairs in a children's sanatorium and on the radio they announced “The General Secretary of the USSR Konstantin Chernenko has died” and then we laughed as a whole group. There was just a boy in our group - Chernenko.

How much do you know about this Secretary General? They write a lot about Brezhnev, Andropov, Khrushchev. But this one... let's find out something more detailed.

In February 1984, Soviet citizens experienced mixed feelings - some felt awkward, others were downright amused. 72-year-old Konstantin Chernenko was elected as the new General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee instead of 69-year-old Yuri Andropov, who died of a serious illness. The new Soviet leader was also seriously ill, and, looking at his appearance, the residents of the Land of Soviets said: it would not be long to wait for a new funeral.

The forecast turned out to be correct: Chernenko’s reign lasted just over a year, and during this period the leader spent most of his time in a hospital bed.

Konstantin Chernenko himself was not eager to become a leader. All his life he was a skillful and diligent performer, who, at the end of his life, suddenly found himself at the very top.

Ukrainian from Siberia

It is all the more surprising that the biography of this Soviet General Secretary has perhaps the largest number of “blank spots”. Chernenko himself created the “spots”, taking advantage of his official position. Having headed the General Department of the CPSU Central Committee in the 1960s, he gained access to the most important party secrets, including biographies of leaders.

He was born on September 24, 1911 in the village of Bolshaya Tes, Yenisei province. His father, Ustin Demidovich Chernenko, came from a family of Ukrainian peasants who moved to Siberia. My father worked in copper mines and gold mines.

Many years later, when Chernenko had already entered the top leadership of the USSR, his native village would be flooded during the creation of the Krasnoyarsk reservoir.

Chernenko had quite a lot of relatives and, having become a “big man,” he helped them get “grain” jobs. However, in contrast to the wild lifestyle of Brezhnev’s daughter, Chernenko’s relatives, like himself, skillfully remained in the shadows, without causing irritation.

Women could ruin a functionary's career

Returning from the army, the 22-year-old young man was determined to continue his successful party career.

By the beginning of the war, Chernenko had risen to the rank of secretary of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, and at the very height of the war he was sent to the Higher School of Party Organizers under the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. After graduation, the functionary was sent to work in Penza. In 1948, Moscow intended to hire him to work in the central office.

Exemplary performer

Two years later, Leonid Brezhnev became the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova. Acquaintance with him, which grew into friendship, became fateful for Chernenko. It is not known whether the fact that both in their youth experienced an increased attraction to the female sex played a role in this, but it is reliably known that Brezhnev very quickly appreciated Chernenko’s skills as a performer and organizer. Moving upward, Leonid Ilyich will begin to pull his friend along with him.

In 1965, after Brezhnev became “man number one” in the USSR, Chernenko was appointed head of the General Department of the CPSU Central Committee.

It is difficult to call him Brezhnev’s “right hand” - he was too inconspicuous and unambitious for this role. But it depended on Chernenko how quickly this or that issue would be resolved, and what kind of decision could be made. In his hands was all the correspondence of the Secretary General, he prepared draft replies, materials for Politburo meetings and much more. Over time, Chernenko de facto began to make decisions on many issues himself, only bringing a ready-made verdict for Brezhnev to approve. However, this did not concern key issues - Chernenko never crossed the border.

At the same time, part of the party elite began to consider him as a possible successor to Brezhnev, in defiance of another group that supported Yuri Andropov.

And on February 13, 1984, Chernenko himself, after Andropov’s death, was confirmed to the post of Secretary General.

Year of Secretary General Chernenko: boycott of the Olympics, school reform and persecution of rockers

As already mentioned, by this time he was seriously ill. However, during the short period of his reign, some significant things happened. A school reform was launched, which provided, in particular, for education from the age of 6 and the introduction of a five-day period.

Chernenko, who graduated from a pedagogical institute while working in Moldova, was generally actively interested in issues of education - it was under him that the Day of Knowledge holiday appeared.

Chernenko launched a campaign to combat musical groups that cause “ideological and aesthetic damage.” This period became the time of the toughest pressure on representatives of “Russian rock”.

Contrary to misconception, the investigation into major corruption cases that began under Andropov was not curtailed under Chernenko. The former head of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, Nikolai Shchelokov, was stripped of the rank of army general, state awards and expelled from the party during the reign of Konstantin Ustinovich.

Chernenko was a supporter of the party rehabilitation of Stalin, but he failed to carry out this project. But he reinstated the famous figure of the Stalin era, Vyacheslav Molotov, into the party. This step towards the 94-year-old Molotov will give rise to the joke: “Chernenko has found a successor.”

Jokes aside, the mighty Stalinist People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and head of the Soviet government will outlive Chernenko, ending his earthly journey in the era of perestroika.

Latest elections dying

In the mid-1970s, the Soviet leadership was struck by an epidemic of mutual rewards, which also affected Chernenko. Under Brezhnev, he became twice a Hero of Socialist Labor, and he received a third “Golden Star” in 1984, on his last birthday.

In February 1985, elections to the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR were held, and the first person of the state, according to tradition, was nominated as a deputy by labor collectives. Chernenko did not leave the room in the Central Clinical Hospital, and everyone understood that he was living his last days. However, the decorations of the polling station were created right in the chamber in order to show the people the participation of the Secretary General in an important state event.

Problem "Ku"

Konstantin Chernenko died on March 10, 1985 at 19:20 Moscow time. Three days later he became the last person to be buried at the Kremlin wall.

The Secretary General never found out what role he played in the fate of the comedy film “Kin-dza-dza!”, which has now become a classic of Russian cinema. The fact is that Chernenko came to power in the midst of work on the film, putting the creators in a dead end: the main word of the aliens, “ku,” coincided with the initials of the Secretary General, Konstantin Ustinovich. Fearing trouble, Georgy Danelia and Rezo Gabriadze decided to replace the “ku” with something else, but neither option seemed suitable. While the issue of a replacement was being decided, Chernenko passed away, and the film remained unchanged. So the “ku” in this comedy is also a memory of the strangest leader of the Soviet era.

sources

Good afternoon, dear readers!

This time we will look at brief description activities of Andropov Yu.V. and K. Chernenko. Their time of “reign” was very short and was not marked by any grandiose events and changes, but, nevertheless, it is necessary to consider their small role in the history of our Fatherland.

It is worth saying that both figures also refer to the concept of “gerontocracy” in Soviet period. Andropov became a leader of the country at the age of 68, Chernenko at the age of 73, and both ceased their activities due to death.

Yu.V. Andropov became General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee in November 1982. From the very beginning of his activities as the head of the Union, he began to act actively. In his reports and works, he spoke positively about the work of the previous Secretary General(Brezhnev) and pointed to his plans to continue government work in the same direction, but with greater zeal. “Labor productivity is growing at a rate that cannot satisfy us,” Andropov emphasized in one of his reports. In order to stimulate the lazy Soviet society to work productively, he took the following measures:

Made a personnel change at the top of the party
Announced the beginning of an intensified fight against corruption, which proliferated due to Brezhnev’s connivance (the fight against this type of crime soon subsided)
Strengthened measures to strengthen discipline (they caught latecomers walking in work time along the streets and shops, etc.)
In June 1983, the law “On Work Collectives and Increasing Their Role in the Management of Enterprises, Institutions, and Organizations” was adopted (but the law remained nominal, since command-administrative methods of management continued to be a priority in the economy)

Konstantin Ustinovich was already ill at that time. He was distinguished by a soft character and indecisiveness, and was an ideal candidate for an “intermediate figure.” New leader continued his activities in line with the previous head of government. At the end of 1984, the program “To the level of requirements” was published developed socialism. Some current problems of the theory, strategy and tactics of the CPSU”, which noted the lag of the USSR behind capitalist countries, and gave instructions for improving socialism and raising the country’s economy. During his short tenure as General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, he tried to fight the shadow economy, initiate a policy of acceleration and undertake some reforms. It is worth noting that it was under Chernenko in 1984 that our beloved holiday, Day of Knowledge (September 1), was introduced. Also under him, the Union team refused to take part in the 1984 Olympics, held in Los Angeles, in response to the boycott of America in 1980.

On February 10, 1985, Chernenko died of cardiac arrest. His departure marked the end of the era of the rule of the elders, and the young and energetic Gorbachev was appointed in his place.

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