Soviet Union: Still in Charge

Brezhnev waves to the crowd

Once again Leonid Brezhnev confounded the doomsayers who had placed him at death's door since he reportedly suffered a stroke five weeks ago. Making his second public appearance in nine days, the Soviet President stood for 1 ½ hours on the reviewing stand atop the Lenin mausoleum on Red Square to watch the annual May Day parade. Wearing a gray overcoat and fedora as protection against a drizzling rain, the 75-year-old leader looked wan and weary as he waved weakly at the tens of thousands of Soviet citizens who marched by carrying banners, artificial...