MOSCOW — December 31, 1970
In a historic departure from tradition, Leonid Brezhnev, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, appeared on television tonight to deliver a New Year’s greeting to the Soviet people. This marks the first time a Soviet head of state has addressed the citizenry directly via the airwaves to ring in the new year.
A Year of Achievement
Speaking from a desk backed by a map of the Soviet Union, a somber yet optimistic Brezhnev reflected on the closing of the eighth five-year plan. He praised the nation’s "selfless labor," citing record-breaking grain and cotton harvests and the expansion of industrial infrastructure from the Baltic to the Pacific.
Brezhnev specifically highlighted the Soviet Union's continued dominance in space exploration, noting the success of the Lunokhod-1, the first remote-controlled robot to land on the lunar surface earlier this year.
Unity and Global Policy
The General Secretary’s address leaned heavily on the themes of socialist unity and the "brotherhood of the peoples of the USSR." He reaffirmed the Soviet Union's commitment to the Leninist principles of peace and socialism, stating that the nation’s international standing is "firmer than ever."
"Our Motherland has taken another big step on the path to Communism," Brezhnev declared, while also extending fraternal greetings to socialist allies and those "fighting against imperialism" across the globe.
Personal Well-Wishes
The speech took a personal turn as Brezhnev addressed specific segments of the population, including:
Workers and Farmers: For their tireless contributions to the economy.
Soviet Women: Acknowledging their dual role in labor and the upbringing of the next generation.
The Armed Forces: For safeguarding the "peaceful labor" of the Soviet people.
Looking Toward 1971
As the Kremlin chimes prepared to strike midnight, Brezhnev looked ahead to the 24th Party Congress scheduled for the coming year. He expressed confidence that the Soviet people would meet the challenges of the ninth five-year plan with the same vigor displayed in the decade past.
The address concluded with a warm toast to the "great Soviet people" and a wish for happiness and prosperity in every Soviet home.
