Video: 'Leonid Breshniv: News Report of His Death - November 10, 1982' (broadcast Nov. 11, 1982)

(Wednesday, November 10, 1982, 8:30 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during the Cold War) — Leonid Brezhnev, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union since 1964, died today after suffering a heart attack. He was 75.

Video: 'Nixon, Ford, Carter, Kissinger & Haig on Death of Leonid Brezhnev - 11/11/1982 - ABC News Nightline'

While his rule was characterized by political stability and significant foreign policy successes, it was also marked by corruption, inefficiency, economic stagnation, and rapidly growing technological gaps with the West.

He would be succeeded as general secretary by Yuri Andropov two days later on Nov. 12, 1982.