Leonid Brezhnev was immediately preceded by Yuri Andropov as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Andropov took over the leadership role after Brezhnev's death in 1982. Andropov's tenure was short-lived, as he passed away just 15 months later in 1984.

During his time in office, Andropov implemented several reforms in an attempt to combat corruption and improve efficiency within the Soviet government. However, his efforts were cut short due to his untimely death.

Andropov was known for his time as the head of the KGB, the Soviet Union's security agency. He was a strong advocate for tough measures against dissidents and political opponents, earning him a reputation as a hardliner within the Soviet leadership.

After Andropov's death, he was succeeded by Konstantin Chernenko, who served as General Secretary for just over a year before his own death in 1985. Chernenko's brief tenure was marked by a continuation of the policies of his predecessors, including a focus on maintaining Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and combating perceived threats to the Communist regime.

Following Chernenko's death, Mikhail Gorbachev rose to power as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev's leadership marked a significant departure from the policies of his predecessors, as he introduced a series of reforms known as perestroika and glasnost, aimed at restructuring the Soviet economy and increasing transparency within the government.

Gorbachev's reforms ultimately led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, bringing an end to the Cold War and fundamentally reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the world. Gorbachev's tenure as General Secretary marked a turning point in Soviet history, as his policies paved the way for the eventual collapse of the communist regime.

For more information on the leaders who succeeded Brezhnev and Andropov, you can visit history.com or britannica.com.

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