Andropov's suppression of Dissidents 1967-82

Andropov and the KGB

• 1967 Brezhnev promoted Yuri Andropov to head the KGB. 
• In the Khrushchev period heads of KGB had been low profile and the job had become a dead end - under Andropov this changed.
• This was due to a change of emphasis at the top of the CP-  Brezhnev and new leadership was suspicious of cultural freedom + Andropov a conservative and astute politician who enjoyed the trust of Brezhnev.
• His role was smaller than that of previous secret police chiefs- Andropov's goal was simply to control dissidents (tiny minority of non-conformist citizens) 
• Maximum control, minimum violence.
• Andropov wanted to expose corruption but Brezhnev less sympathetic to this agenda.

Andropov's Aims and Methods

Discipline in the KGB:

• ensured the KGB was highly efficient: not allowed to accept gifts + forced to disclose financial assets, agents who broke the law sacked, promoted KGB agents who were successful in dealing…