The leonid Brazhnez Era
He joined the Communist Party in 1931 and held a series of local party posts. Shortly after joining, Brezhnev met Nikita Khrushchev and soon became his protégé, rising through the ranks. After Khrushchev came to power, Brezhnev routinely supported the new Soviet leader. He took part in Khrushchev’s “virgin lands” campaign in Kazakhstan – a massive initiative to open up vast tracts of unsown steppes – and backed him during a failed attempt by the Stalinist hardliners to remove Khrushchev from power. Before long, Brezhnev was named a full member of the Politburo – the central policymaking body of the Communist Party.