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Birth
Born in Stavropol Krai, Soviet Union. -
Period: to
Life of Mikhail Gorbachev
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EARLY LIFE - Soviet Famine
Gorbachev lives through the Soviet Famine of 1932-33, although around half of those in his village do not. "In that terrible year [in 1933] nearly half the population of my native village, Privolnoye, starved to death, including two sisters and one brother of my father." -
EARLY LIFE - University - disillusionment with Stalinism
Gorbachev enters University in 1950, graduates in 1955 with a degree in Law.
He also became close friends with Zdenek Mlynar, who would become the primary ideologist of the Prague Spring in 1968. The two men influenced each other as they became disillusioned with Stalinism. -
PERSONAL - Meets wife, Raisa.
Gorbachev meets his future wife, Raisa, while in University. They marry in September of 1953 and have a child in 1957. -
RISE - Earely movements through Communist League
After being present for a Kruschev speech on Soviet production, Gorbachev takes his first steps in the Soviet system.
promoted to Head of the Department of Party Organs in the Stavropol Regional Committee in 1963. -
RISE - becomes First Secretary of Stavrolop Regional Committee
In 1970, he was appointed First Party Secretary of the Stavropol Regional Committee, a body of the CPSU, becoming one of the youngest provincial party chiefs in the nation.[10] In this position he helped reorganise the collective farms, improve workers' living conditions, expand the size of their private plots, and gave them a greater voice in -
RISE - member of CPSU
He was made a member of the Communist Party Central Committee (CPSU) in 1971. CPSU = the highest body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) between Party Congresses. According to Party rules, the Central Committee directed all Party and government activities between each Party Congress. Members of the committee were elected at the Party Congresses. -
RISE - working under Andoropov
During Yuri Andropov's tenure as general secretary (1982–1984), Gorbachev became one of the Politburo's most visible and active members. With responsibility over personnel, working together with Andropov, 20 percent of the top echelon of government ministers and regional governors were replaced, often with younger men. -
RISE - Travel Abroad
Due to his position under Andoropov, Gorbachev consequently is able to travel the world, significantly impacting his view of politics and government from then on.