Who briefly led the USSR after Brezhnev and had previously headed the KGB?

Prepare for the MRHS UIL Social Studies Exam with our study guide. Dive into flashcards and multiple choice questions, each offering hints and explanations. Get exam-ready today!

Multiple Choice

Who briefly led the USSR after Brezhnev and had previously headed the KGB?

Explanation:
Yuri Andropov is the one fitting both parts of the clue. He had long been the head of the KGB (from 1967 until 1982) and then briefly led the Soviet Union after Brezhnev’s death in 1982, remaining in power until his own death in 1984. This combination—short tenure as general secretary and prior command of the KGB—identifies him uniquely. Leonid Brezhnev was the preceding leader, not the brief successor; Konstantin Chernenko followed Andropov but did not head the KGB; Mikhail Gorbachev came after Chernenko and was never KGB head.

Yuri Andropov is the one fitting both parts of the clue. He had long been the head of the KGB (from 1967 until 1982) and then briefly led the Soviet Union after Brezhnev’s death in 1982, remaining in power until his own death in 1984. This combination—short tenure as general secretary and prior command of the KGB—identifies him uniquely. Leonid Brezhnev was the preceding leader, not the brief successor; Konstantin Chernenko followed Andropov but did not head the KGB; Mikhail Gorbachev came after Chernenko and was never KGB head.

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