The Soviet Union
Discover the Soviet Union — the communist superpower born from revolution in 1917 that shaped the 20th century through ideology, industrialization, and global rivalry.
The Soviet Union (1922–1991) was the world's first communist state and, for much of the 20th century, one of its two superpowers. Born from the Russian Revolution of 1917, it attempted to build a society based on Marxist-Leninist principles — collective ownership, central planning, and the dictatorship of the proletariat — on a scale never before attempted.
Under Lenin and then Stalin, the Soviet state consolidated power through ruthless means. Stalin's forced collectivization of agriculture killed millions of peasants, while his industrialization drive transformed a largely agrarian society into the world's second-largest industrial economy within two decades. The Great Purge (1936–1938) eliminated perceived enemies real and imagined. The human cost was staggering — an estimated 6–9 million deaths from famine, purges, and forced labor in the Gulag system during Stalin's rule.
The Soviet Union's role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II — at a cost of roughly 27 million Soviet lives — cemented its status as a superpower. The subsequent Cold War rivalry with the United States defined global politics for four decades. The Soviet model inspired communist movements worldwide while its authoritarian reality disillusioned many who had hoped for a workers' paradise.
Lessons covering this topic
Browse all lessons →The Russian Revolution
From Tsar to Soviet — the birth of the communist state.
The Global Conflict
From Blitzkrieg to the Pacific — war on every front.
Turning Points of WWII
Stalingrad, Midway, D-Day — the tide turns.