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Brezhnev, Leonid Il'ich Soviet Foreign Policy Clear All

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Leonid Brezhnev, 1974.

Brezhnev, Leonid Il'ich

1906- 1982

Soviet Foreign Policy

Soviet soldier taking a photograph of another soldier in Red Square, Moscow, 1959

Eastern Europe

Soviet Union

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Eastern Europe

Poland

September 1980 crisis in Poland

1980-81 Polish Crisis

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Kania, Stanislaw

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Aerial view of National Mall

North America

United States

Andrei Gromyko at the UN, 1981

Gromyko, Andrei Andreevich

1909- 1989

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Soviet Union. Communist Party. Central Committee (CPSU CC)

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Euromissiles Crisis

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Andropov, Yuri Vladimirovich

1914- 1984

West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, 1971.

Brandt, Willy

1913- 1992

"The Bundeshaus (Federal Building) in Bonn, West Germany, May 1961. "

Western Europe

West Germany

President Ronald Reagan, Vice-President Bush, and oviet General Secretary Gorbachev

United States-Soviet Relations

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Eastern Europe

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South Asia

Afghanistan

Afghan resistance fighters return to a village destroyed by Soviet forces

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Head of a toppled Stalin statue in Budapest, 1956

1956 Polish and Hungarian Crises

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December 11, 1980	Transcript of the CPSU Politburo Session, 11 December 1980 The Politburo approves the results of a meeting of Warsaw Pact officials. Kania offers assurances that PZPR will be able to control the Polish crisis on its own.
February 22, 1982	Letter by the General Secretary of the CC of the CPSU, Gorbachev, to the Chairman of the SPD, Brandt Leonid Brezhnev writes to Willy Brandt about ongoing US-Soviet arms negotiations.
November 2, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 2 November 1956 The CPSU CC Presidium is confronted with reports from Hungary of mass demonstrations, armed counterrevolutionary groups, and the support for Nagy by the opposition. The CC is told about the Hungarian decision to declare neutrality and the likely confrontation between Soviet and Hungarian troops should the former continue to advance toward Budapest. Also discussed is the split within the HWP and possible Soviet responses.
November 6, 1956	Working Notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Presidium on 6 November 1956 Debate occurs at this CC session between Molotov, who opposes approving the appeal written by the Provisional CC of the Hungarian Socialist Worker’s Party, and the other members of the CC who desire approving the document. Molotov is concerned about the unknown composition of the CC of the HSWP, the condemnations of former Hungarian Worker’s Party (HWP) politicians, the issue of renaming the HWP, and the risk that Hungary will become the next Yugoslavia. Khrushchev states that Molotov is “clung to the cult of Stalin” and that Molotov is considering bringing back Rakosi and Hegedus.
August 7, 1980	Meeting between Comrades Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev and Todor Zhivkov This memorandum provides an overview of the meeting between Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov and Leonid Brezhnev. The two discussed international affairs, specifically escalating tensions with the U.S. and NATO, and Soviet interest in maintaining and strengthening detente. In response, a new international summit of the communist parties is proposed.
September 10, 1981	Session of the CPSU CC Politburo, 10 September 1981 (excerpt) The Soviet Politburo discusses dissent within Poland and the loss of power of the communist party in Poland.
September 15, 1981	Transcript of Brezhnev's Phone Conversation with Kania, 15 September 1981 Brezhnev worries the Polish Solidarity movement will undermine communist authority in Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe.
September 17, 1981	Session of the CPSU CC Politburo, 17 September 1981 (excerpt) Brezhnev informs the Politburo about his conversation with Cde. Kania of Poland on 11 September, 1981. He suggests applying strong pressure to Kania to put down the uprising.
October 29, 1981	Session of the CPSU CC Politburo, 29 October 1981 (excerpt) Soviet Politburo meeting discusses removing Cde. Kania due to uprisings in Poland. It also addresses shortages of oil and supplies for export and use within the Soviet Union.
June 4, 1981	Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting (excerpt), 4 June 1981 The Politburo discusses the internal economic situation within the Soviet Union, the situation in Afghanistan (in particular the group "Parcham" and Karmal), relations with the US, and the treatment of Jews in the USSR.