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Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (15 June [O.S. 2 June] 1914 – 9 February 1984) was a Soviet politician who was the sixth leader of the Soviet Union and the fourth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, taking office in late 1982 and serving until his death in 1984.
Jun 11, 2024 · Yury Andropov (born June 15 [June 2, Old Style], 1914, Nagutskoye, Russia—died February 9, 1984, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) was the head of the Soviet Union ’s KGB (State Security Committee) from 1967 to 1982 and his country’s leader as general secretary of the Communist Party ’s Central Committee from November 1982 until his ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Hidden Personality
- Suppressed The Uprising in Hungary
- Was A Cautious Diplomat
- Ruled The Kgb with An Iron Fist
- Fought Corruption
Andropov himself always was vague about his life, starting from his family roots. Rumors had circulated that his grandfather was a rich merchant of Jewish origin – but Andropov always denied it. He also never spoke of his own family: for five years he was married and had a son, but hardly communicated with him or his ex-wife after the divorce. Prof...
Andropov’s career moved up rapidly when was appointed ambassador to Hungary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1954. Two years later, the Hungarian uprising broke out – a part of society was demanding independence from the socialist state. It quickly turned into an armed conflict. Andropov called the events “counter-revolutionary, an anti-social...
At the same time, Andropov could be flexible. During 1957-1967, he led the department on relations with the socialist parties within the Communist Party’s Central Committee – and his advisors, young intellectuals then, often remembered him as a ‘liberal’ leader. “In this room, we all can speak our minds, absolutely openly. But the second you leave ...
During Leonid Brezhnev’s long reign (1964 – 1982), Andropov was among the most important figures for the regime, overseeing the KGB since 1967. He handled many issues, including international crises in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia, regional conflicts in the USSR and suppressing dissident movement within the country. Dozens of dis...
That was one of the reasons Brezhnev chose Andropov to be his successor, appointing him to the second post in the country in 1982. Brezhnev died in the same year; Andropov was 68 but only managed to outlive his long-time boss by 15 months. What did he achieve while in power? Andropov knew well that the Soviet economy was in trouble, destabilized by...
- Becky Little
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- Joseph Stalin (1924-1953) Joseph Stalin (at left) seated with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. During World War II, the three leaders formed an uneasy alliance.
- Georgy Malenkov (1953-1953) The first to take control of the Soviet Union was Stalin’s heir apparent Georgy Malenkov, who had helped facilitate Stalin’s purges in the 1930s.
- Nikita Khrushchev (1953-1964) Nikita Khrushchev became first secretary of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party and, in 1958, its premier. His rule was characterized by his attempts at de-Stalinization and improving the Soviet Union’s international relationships.
Learn about the life and career of Yuri Andropov, who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1982 to 1984. Find his writings and statements on various topics, such as the Hungarian Revolution, the state bureaucracy and the economy.
Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (Russian: Ю́рий Влади́мирович Андро́пов) (O.S. June 2) (June 15, 1914 – February 9, 1984) was a Soviet politician and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union of the Communist Party from November 12, 1982, until his death just 16 months later.
Yuri Andropov (1914-1984) was a former diplomat and KGB chief who became Soviet leader in late 1982, after the death of Leonid Brezhnev. Andropov was born in southern Russia, the son of a railway bureaucrat.
