The Grey Bishop is a popular name for religious denominations, in fact, there are cardinals in the Catholic Church, but there is no Grey Bishop, and there is a "Grey Friar". The "Grey Bishop" was later likened to a very influential figure behind him, and this person was low-key but very powerful, and no one could shake it.
And the historical figure of the Soviet Union that we are talking about today is called the "Gray Bishop" by the Soviets, and he is Suslov. Regarding Suslov, I have introduced in my previous text that the reason why I talk about this person again is mainly from the perspective of the disintegration of the Soviet Union, is Suslov related to the disintegration of the Soviet Union?
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Who in the history of the USSR is most qualified to be called a senator? In fact, it was Suslov, who experienced three generations of leaders: Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev. But Suslov is not a man who relies on the old and sells the old, but a man who moves forward in a low-key manner. But no matter how low-key people are, if they do not grasp the opportunity well, they will disappear into the long river of history. But Suslov seized the moment well.
Suslov, whose full name is Mikhail Andreevich Suslov, was born in rural Soviet Union and was later admitted to the Koprikhanov Institute of National Economy in Moscow to study economics, and after graduation he taught at Moscow University.
As a university professor, Suslov, if not discovered, may have taught at the university for the rest of his life. But Suslov's brain was too good, and when studying Stalin's theory throughout the Soviet Union, Suslov could be said to be exported, and even accurately quoted Lenin and Stalin's quotations to refute some people. So he was taken in by Stalin's secretary, Mehlis, and recommended to Stalin, and Suslov began his own life.
In the mid-to-late 1930s, when the Soviet Union entered a movement, Suslov, as an official in the ideological field, vigorously defended Stalin's authority and gained Stalin's trust, and later served as the second secretary in Rostov Province, entering the senior leadership of the Soviet Union.
After World War II, Stalin again promoted Suslov to the position of member of the Organization Bureau of the Central Committee and secretary of the Central Committee, mainly responsible for media propaganda, still in the ideological field of the Soviet Union, under Zhdanov. Do not underestimate the ideological field of the Soviet Union, which was a very important task during the Soviet period.
But Suslov also encountered a power struggle within the Soviet Union at this time, when Malenkov was once considered a successor, he fought with the Leningrad faction represented by Zhdanov, Suslov, although clever, he was very careful about this high-level power struggle, until Zhdanov suddenly died of illness, the Leningrad faction failed, so this faction suffered a heavy blow, because Suslov did not take sides, so it was not affected, but Malenkov was still dissatisfied with Suslov.
If Suslov's theoretical foundation had not been deep, I am afraid that his career would have ended long ago. It was precisely because Suslov's theory was solid and deeply appreciated by Stalin that Suslov took over the work of Zhdanov and became the head of the Soviet Union's ideology. And it took 34 years. It is really difficult for a person to engage in a job for a long time and not to compete. But Suslov did, and even invisibly became a senator.
After Stalin's death, Suslov was suppressed by Malenkov, and after Bellaya's death, Malenkov ordered the removal of Suslov from his politburo membership, and Suslov was well aware of the many evils.
But at this time Suslov met a nobleman, who was Khrushchev. Because Khrushchev did not want Malenkov to be in power, and advocated reform, de-Stalinization, which was supported by many people. Suslov, as a staunch defender of Stalin, did not know whether to help Khrushchev or Malenkov. But the human side was still shown, and Suslov chose to take sides with Khrushchev for his own safety. In 1957, Khrushchev quelled the "Molotov coup" and purged Malenkov and others, at this time Khrushchev was in power, and Suslov became Khrushchev's man and continued to do ideological work.
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It is reasonable to say that Khrushchev, as Suslov's benefactor, should thank Khrushchev for following Khrushchev and doing a good job. But Suslov vigorously defended Stalin, and he was dissatisfied with Khrushchev.
Suslov objected when Khrushchev proposed a series of policies, and when the Soviet Union sent troops to Budapest, it was Suslov's investigation that led to this incident. In Khrushchev's view, he wanted a peaceful solution.
When Khrushchev came to power, some of his reforms were welcomed by the people, especially in terms of ideology, and they were not so deadly, such as in literary works, he advocated the lifting of some restrictions, but Suslov did not do so, he believed that there was an undercurrent in the literary world, encouraging Khrushchev to suppress the Nobel prize winner in literature, Pasternak, and persecuting the literary scholar.
He also encouraged Khrushchev to fight with the scientific and technological circles, the literary circles and other fields, which made Khrushchev lose the hearts of the people, and the reform was welcomed by the people, but it was not carried out. Khrushchev's prestige was reduced. Khrushchev was not an easily harnessed man, nor was he a fool, and he was aware of Suslov's resistance, so he left it to others to dominate the ideological work. In fact, it was to remind Suslov, but Suslov was even more dissatisfied with Khrushchev's policy, stood with Serepin, Brezhnev and others, and participated in the action of "overthrowing He".
On October 13, 1964, after Khrushchev returned to Moscow from a vacation in the Black Sea, he did not feel right as soon as he got off the plane, because he was greeted by the KGB. Khrushchev then arrived at the meeting with the KGB chairman, and when he arrived at the meeting, Suslov condemned Khrushchev on behalf of the CPSU Central Committee. Khrushchev did not realize that the accusations against Khrushchev included various aspects of domestic and foreign affairs, and finally formed a resolution that Khrushchev must resign. Khrushchev did not expect Suslov to do a great job and did not talk about old feelings at all. But at this point Zhukov would no longer be the Savior.
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After Brezhnev came to power, Suslov remained a member of the Politburo in charge of ideology, at that time Kosygin was in charge of the economy, Chernenko was in charge of party affairs, Andropov was in charge of security, and Glesco was in charge of the army, but they had to get Suslov's consent after making decisions.
Because Suslov has become Brezhnev's "brain", what Brezhnev wants to do and what he wants to say is decided by Suslov, and such a position is too prominent. But Suslov was a very low-key person, not a man of fame and fortune. He demanded that no one be allowed to publicize him.
Suslov was also a very incorruptible person, and the Corruption in the Soviet Union was very serious at that time, but Suslov's own incorruptibility did not exchange for the integrity of the entire Soviet bureaucracy.
Suslov was arguably a high-ranking cadre of integrity and self-discipline in the Soviet Union, but there were too few people like him. Less than 10 years after his death, the Soviet Union disintegrated.
Some say that Suslov was a conservative who advocated the preservation of Stalin and the imposition of a penal measure in literature and art. In fact, this is not correct, and Suslov also allowed criticism of Stalin's approach. And literature and art have also shown great splendor. At that time, some film and television works were very famous in the world, such as "War and Peace" and "Moscov Did Not Believe in Tears" and so on. It also allowed Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa to shoot Del Suuzara, which no one expected to be realized through Suslov.
Suslov was very disciplined, his children did not become officials because of him, he did not live in villas, he did not attend some state banquets. He even handed over his remaining salary every year. But Suslov's approach was respected, but he did not influence Soviet officials as a whole. Or even if it affected, it would not prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union.
On January 26, 1982, Suslov died of illness, and his funeral was solemn, perhaps the last soviet funeral for the real Bolsheviks.
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