1917–1922 CE (from revolution to the formation of the Soviet Union) / Europe
The Russian Revolution and the Formation of the Soviet Union
Two revolutions ended tsarist rule and brought the Bolsheviks to power, followed by civil war and state reorganization leading to the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922.
The story
In 1917, the February Revolution in Petrograd forced Nicholas II to abdicate and led to the formation of a provisional government; the October Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power. These names follow the Julian calendar then used in Russia, corresponding to March and November in the Gregorian calendar. After the revolutions, the opposing sides fought a civil war, with foreign intervention as well, and a new political and social order emerged through violent conflict. On December 30, 1922, representatives of the Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Transcaucasian Soviet republics formed the Soviet Union in Moscow. The 1917 revolutions and the 1922 founding were distinct milestones, and Russia and the whole Soviet Union should not be treated as the same concept of a country.
Elsewhere in the world
Read alongside the First World War entry to examine how war and revolution intertwined in Russia; connect it with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 to distinguish the stages of its formation and end.
Dates and precision
1917–1922 CE (from revolution to the formation of the Soviet Union) Ongoing process
The dates describe a process over time; the interactive timeline uses its starting point.
Representative map location
Representative coordinates · 59.934°, 30.335°
Coordinates locate a representative point for the story. They do not mean the event happened only here and do not represent historical borders.
Bibliography
- The National Archives, United Kingdom | Spotlight On: The Russian Revolution
- Presidential Library of Russia | Archival Account of the Formation of the Soviet Union on December 30, 1922
- University of Warwick Archives | Records of the Russian Revolution and the Civil War of 1918–1922
Sources are listed as bibliography titles, without external links. A reference does not mean every sentence or interpretation has been independently verified.