The Death of Andrei Zhdanov

The article discusses the mysterious circumstances of the death of Andrei Zhdanov who, after the Second World War, appeared poised to succeed Stalin. Zhdanov's sudden removal from the political stage in the summer of 1948 was quickly followed by his death, leading to suspicions of possible foul play. Even though evidence leads to the incontrovertible conclusion that his demise itself was wholly due to natural circumstances, Zhdanov's end provided an opportunity to his Politburo rivals to settle political scores with some of his allies. In the wake of their fall, the remembrance of Zhdanov disappeared from Soviet public discourse.