Central Committee of the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)

The Central Committee of the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) (VKPB or VCP(b)) was elected at the 18th Congress of the VKPB, held in Moscow from March 10 to March 21, 1939. The Central Committee served as the party's main decision-making body between the congresses. This Central Committee oversaw the Soviet Union during World War II and the immediate post-war reconstruction period.

The 18th Congress occurred after the Great Purge of the late 1930s. Consequently, the composition of the newly elected Central Committee reflected the consolidation of Joseph Stalin's power and the elimination of many older Bolsheviks and perceived political opponents.

The Central Committee was responsible for directing the activities of the Party and state apparatus. It appointed key officials, made important policy decisions, and oversaw the implementation of these policies throughout the Soviet Union. The Politburo (Political Bureau) and the Secretariat were the leading bodies within the Central Committee, carrying out day-to-day decision-making and administrative functions.

Key events occurring during the tenure of this Central Committee included:

• The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939)
• The Winter War with Finland (1939-1940)
• The annexation of the Baltic states, Bessarabia, and Northern Bukovina (1940)
• The Great Patriotic War (World War II) (1941-1945)
• Post-war reconstruction and the beginning of the Cold War

The composition of the Central Committee underwent changes during its tenure due to deaths and appointments. A list of members and candidate members elected at the 18th Congress, along with information on any subsequent changes in membership, can be found in relevant historical archives and publications concerning the history of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.