Andrei Zhdanov (Soviet politician)

Andrei Zhdanov was a prominent Soviet politician and a key figure in the post-World War II era. Born in 1896, he became an important member of the Communist Party and played a significant role in shaping cultural and political life in the Soviet Union. Zhdanov is best known for the "Zhdanov Doctrine," which emphasized socialist realism in the arts, promoting Soviet ideology over Western influences. He also served as the party leader in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and was influential in the establishment of Soviet control in Eastern Europe. Zhdanov died in 1948, leaving a lasting impact on Soviet culture and politics.