Soviet Union Under Brezhnev

Instigator of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and author of the Brezhnev Doctrine which governed Soviet relations with the rest of Eastern Europe, Brezhnev was the last of the Cold War warriors. This new Seminar Study provides an introduction to a key period in the history of the USSR. The approach is thematic rather than chronological, with sections examining politics and policy under Brezhnev, including chapters on leadership politics, domestic policy, and foreign policy. Additional sections examine economy and society, with chapters on economic performance, demographic and social change, and culture. For those interested in Russian history.

The Soviet Union Under Brezhnev

provides an accessible post-Soviet perspective on the history of the USSR from the mid-1960's to the mid-1980's. It challenges both the 'evil empire' image of the USSR that was widespread in the early 1980's and the 'stagnation' label attached to the period by Soviet reformers under Gorbachev.

The book makes use of a range of memoirs, interviews, archival documents and other sources not available before 1990 to place Brezhnev and his epoch in a broader historical context. The