General Secretary of the Communist Party. Named chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in 1960, Brezhnev resigned in 1964 to become Khrushchev's direct assistant as second secretary of the Central Committee. The assistance he offered, however, was not what Khrushchev had hoped: After only three months in the post, Brezhnev helped lead the conservative coalition that forced Khrushchev from power. Brezhnev himself was one of the primary beneficiaries of Khrushchev's ouster. Named first secretary of the Communist Party, he became one of the two most important men in the Soviet Union. The other was Premier Aleksei Kosygin. Eventually, however, Brezhnev emerged as the dominant force and was named General Secretary of the Communist Party.

General Secretary of the Communist Party. Named chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in 1960, Brezhnev resigned in 1964 to become Khrushchev's direct assistant as second secretary of the Central Committee. The assistance he offered, however, was not what Khrushchev had hoped: After only three months in the post, Brezhnev helped lead the conservative coalition that forced Khrushchev from power. Brezhnev himself was one of the primary beneficiaries of Khrushchev's ouster. Named first secretary of the Communist Party, he became one of the two most important men in the Soviet Union. The other was Premier Aleksei Kosygin. Eventually, however, Brezhnev emerged as the dominant force and was named General Secretary of the Communist Party.