The Death of Zhdanov
There would seem to be no justification for the none the less natural question whether Andrei Zhdanov, Stalin's successor as Secre- tary of the Communist Party in Russia and a leading member of the Politburo, has died a natural or unnatural death. His dis- appearance from the political scene is a matter of importance in either case, but it would be of far greater significance in the latter. But, failing evidence, which is unlikely to be forthcoming, that the defender of Leningrad was liquidated, it must be assumed that he died, as stated, after a serious illness. Even so his death will not leave the situation unchanged. It removes the man who was the moving spirit in the Cominform, and therefore the leader in the attack on Tito, and incidentally the inspirer of the denunciations of the not-sufficiently-proletarian authors and scientists. More important, it leaves the question of the succession to Stalin far more open, for Zhdanov was on the whole the favoured candidate. Both M. Molotov's and M. Malenkov's prospects are to that extent im- proved. For Western countries Zhdanbv was a sinister figure. He played a leading part in the negotiations which resulted in the Russo- German pact of August, 1939, and has throughout shown uncom- promising hostility towards the West. There is no ground for sup- posing that his death (unless it was deliberate elimination) will mean any change in Soviet policy, except in so far as his replacement by someone a little less iron-purposed and ruthless may effect some modification. And it would be unwise to build much on that.
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