born Nov. 2, 1861, Popovka, near Tula, Russia died March 7, 1925, Paris, France Russian politician, first head of the provisional government established during the Russian Revolution of 1917. In 1905 he joined the liberal Constitutional Democratic Party and was elected to the first Duma (1906). He became chairman of the All-Russian Union of Zemstvos (1914) and won the respect of political liberals and army commanders. In March 1917 he became premier but was unable to satisfy the increasingly radical demands of the populace. He resigned in July, after a major left-wing demonstration, in favour of Aleksandr Kerensky. Arrested when the Bolsheviks seized power, he escaped and settled in Paris
born Nov. 24, 1872, Tambov province, Russia died July 7, 1936, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. Russian diplomat. An aristocrat by birth, he entered the imperial diplomatic service in 1897 but resigned to join the revolutionary movement and the Menshevik faction (1905). In 1918 he joined the Bolsheviks and resumed his diplomatic career, helping negotiate the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. As people's commissar for foreign affairs (1918-28), he led the Soviet delegation to the Conference of Genoa and later secretly negotiated the Treaty of Rapallo with Germany
born Dec. 1, 1896, Kaluga province, Russia died June 18, 1974, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. Soviet army commander in World War II. He joined the Red Army in the Russian Civil War and rose to become head of Soviet forces in Manchuria (1938-39). In World War II he was chief of staff of the Red Army and organized the defense of Leningrad and Moscow (1941). He directed the offensive that broke the siege in the Battle of Stalingrad (1943) and was named a marshal of the Soviet Union. After helping win the Battle of Kursk, he directed the Soviet offensive through Belorussia (now Belarus) and commanded the final assault on Berlin (1945). After the war Zhukov's great popularity caused him to be regarded as a potential threat by Joseph Stalin, who assigned him to obscure regional commands. After Stalin's death he was appointed minister of defense (1955) and attempted to make the army more autonomous, but opposition from Nikita Khrushchev caused his dismissal in 1957. He remained in relative obscurity until Khrushchev fell from power in 1964, and he was subsequently awarded the Order of Lenin (1966)
born Jan. 13, 1902, Orenburg, Russia died Jan. 14, 1988, near Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. Soviet politician and prime minister (1953-55). He joined the Communist Party in 1920 and rose swiftly through the ranks as a close associate of Joseph Stalin. In 1946 he became a full member of the Politburo and deputy prime minister. After Stalin's death (1953), he was forced to yield his post as senior party secretary to Nikita Khrushchev, but as prime minister Malenkov worked to reduce arms appropriations, increase the production of consumer goods, and provide more incentives for collective farm workers. His programs were opposed by other party leaders, and he was forced to resign as prime minister (1955). Involved in the unsuccessful effort to depose Khrushchev, he was expelled from his other posts (1957) and from the party (1961) and was exiled to central Asia to manage a hydroelectric plant
born Jan. 13, 1902, Orenburg, Russia died Jan. 14, 1988, near Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. Soviet politician and prime minister (1953-55). He joined the Communist Party in 1920 and rose swiftly through the ranks as a close associate of Joseph Stalin. In 1946 he became a full member of the Politburo and deputy prime minister. After Stalin's death (1953), he was forced to yield his post as senior party secretary to Nikita Khrushchev, but as prime minister Malenkov worked to reduce arms appropriations, increase the production of consumer goods, and provide more incentives for collective farm workers. His programs were opposed by other party leaders, and he was forced to resign as prime minister (1955). Involved in the unsuccessful effort to depose Khrushchev, he was expelled from his other posts (1957) and from the party (1961) and was exiled to central Asia to manage a hydroelectric plant
born Dec. 11, 1856, Gudalovka, Russia died May 30, 1918, Terioki, Fin. Russian Marxist theorist. From 1874 he was active in the Populist movement and became a leader of the Land and Freedom group (1877-80). To avoid arrest, he went into a long exile in Geneva (1880-1917). In 1883 he founded the first Russian Marxian revolutionary organization, Liberation of Labour, which became the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (1898). In Socialism and Political Struggle (1883) and Our Differences (1885), he described a two-phase revolutionary scheme that influenced Russian Marxist thought. Followers in the 1890s included Vladimir Ilich Lenin. After the party split (1903), Plekhanov joined the Mensheviks but spent years trying to reunite the party. He supported the Allies in World War I and opposed the Bolshevik seizure of power. After returning briefly to Russia in 1917, he died in exile in Finland
v. born Dec. 11, 1856, Gudalovka, Russia died May 30, 1918, Terioki, Fin. Russian Marxist theorist. From 1874 he was active in the Populist movement and became a leader of the Land and Freedom group (1877-80). To avoid arrest, he went into a long exile in Geneva (1880-1917). In 1883 he founded the first Russian Marxian revolutionary organization, Liberation of Labour, which became the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (1898). In Socialism and Political Struggle (1883) and Our Differences (1885), he described a two-phase revolutionary scheme that influenced Russian Marxist thought. Followers in the 1890s included Vladimir Ilich Lenin. After the party split (1903), Plekhanov joined the Mensheviks but spent years trying to reunite the party. He supported the Allies in World War I and opposed the Bolshevik seizure of power. After returning briefly to Russia in 1917, he died in exile in Finland
v. born Nov. 24, 1872, Tambov province, Russia died July 7, 1936, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. Russian diplomat. An aristocrat by birth, he entered the imperial diplomatic service in 1897 but resigned to join the revolutionary movement and the Menshevik faction (1905). In 1918 he joined the Bolsheviks and resumed his diplomatic career, helping negotiate the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. As people's commissar for foreign affairs (1918-28), he led the Soviet delegation to the Conference of Genoa and later secretly negotiated the Treaty of Rapallo with Germany
born Nov. 2, 1861, Popovka, near Tula, Russia died March 7, 1925, Paris, France Russian politician, first head of the provisional government established during the Russian Revolution of 1917. In 1905 he joined the liberal Constitutional Democratic Party and was elected to the first Duma (1906). He became chairman of the All-Russian Union of Zemstvos (1914) and won the respect of political liberals and army commanders. In March 1917 he became premier but was unable to satisfy the increasingly radical demands of the populace. He resigned in July, after a major left-wing demonstration, in favour of Aleksandr Kerensky. Arrested when the Bolsheviks seized power, he escaped and settled in Paris
born Dec. 1, 1896, Kaluga province, Russia died June 18, 1974, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. Soviet army commander in World War II. He joined the Red Army in the Russian Civil War and rose to become head of Soviet forces in Manchuria (1938-39). In World War II he was chief of staff of the Red Army and organized the defense of Leningrad and Moscow (1941). He directed the offensive that broke the siege in the Battle of Stalingrad (1943) and was named a marshal of the Soviet Union. After helping win the Battle of Kursk, he directed the Soviet offensive through Belorussia (now Belarus) and commanded the final assault on Berlin (1945). After the war Zhukov's great popularity caused him to be regarded as a potential threat by Joseph Stalin, who assigned him to obscure regional commands. After Stalin's death he was appointed minister of defense (1955) and attempted to make the army more autonomous, but opposition from Nikita Khrushchev caused his dismissal in 1957. He remained in relative obscurity until Khrushchev fell from power in 1964, and he was subsequently awarded the Order of Lenin (1966)