Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev - aspiring actor and poetry fan (209)

<p>Now, what do you think of when you hear the name Leonid Brezhnev who ruled the Soviet Union for 18 years from the 1960s to the 1980s? <br/><br/>An old guy waving weakly from the Lenin mausoleum?</p><p>Well, think again! We speak with Susanne Schattenberg, the author of a new biography that systematically dismantles the stereotypical and one-dimensional view of Brezhnev as the stagnating Stalinist by drawing on a wealth of archival research and documents not previously studied in English. </p><p>The Brezhnev that emerges is a complex one, from his early apolitical years, as an aspiring actor and poetry fan, through his swift and surprising rise through the Party ranks. </p><p>We talk about his hitherto misunderstood role in Khrushchev&apos;s ousting and appointment as his successor, to his somewhat pro-Western foreign policy aims, deft consolidation and management of power, and ultimate descent into addiction and untimely death. </p><p>For Schattenberg, this is the story of a flawed and ineffectual idealist - for the West, this biography makes a convincing case that Brezhnev should be reappraised as one of the most interesting and important political figures of the twentieth century.<br/><br/>Buy the book here and support CWC  <br/>UK <a href='https://amzn.to/3kCUaVn'>https://amzn.to/3kCUaVn</a> <br/>US <a href='https://amzn.to/3c9fOvZ'>https://amzn.to/3c9fOvZ</a></p><p><b><em>Now time doesn’t come free and I’m asking listeners to support my work recording these incredible stories via a small (or large)l donation. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.</em></b></p><p><b><em>Just go to </em></b><a href='https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/'><b><em>https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/</em></b></a></p><p>If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Col