The Golden Age (1964–1982)

In the tenth volume of Mikhail Vostryshev''s series, dedicated to the first decade of Leonid Brezhnev''s rule, the author examines in detail the period when the Soviet Union continued to strengthen its position as a world power. At the heart of this success was the work of Soviet scientists, inventors, and millions of workers who achieved not only progress in science and technology, but also an improvement in the quality of life. It was a time when dreams of a bright future began to take shape, and the country demonstrated confident growth. However, despite the achievements, fatigue began to appear in the leadership, consisting mainly of representatives of the Stalin era. The slowdown in economic growth was an alarming signal, although the Soviet economy remained unusually resilient, even according to foreign experts. As Henry Rowan reported to the US Congress: "The Soviet economy is able to remain viable even in the absence of imports, which makes it less vulnerable to external pressure than other industrial powers." The book reveals to the reader unique details of this controversial and significant period in the history of the USSR.