The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commonly known as the Soviet Union, was the largest country when it existed. We now have 15 independent states in its place including Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Russia. How did the Soviet Union take shape? Why did it collapse? Let’s take a look.
It all started in today’s Russia. Long before, Russia was a part of the Mongol Empire and was later ruled by the tsars. After long years of tsarist rule, people became unhappy about their rulers which paved the way for a revolution.
Under the leadership of Lenin, the people of Russia rebelled against their rulers eventually overthrowing the tsarist ruler Nicholas II. This happened in 1917 and is known as the Bolshevik Revolution. Lenin set up a communist rule after the revolution, forming the USSR.
After Lenin, Joseph Stalin ruled the USSR from 1929 for more than twenty years. His rule was marked by terror and violence. Personal freedom was restricted to a great extent and people were not allowed to protest. The people were fed up of communism.
In the 1980s, Gorbachev became the president. He granted more freedom to the states and its people. Around the same time, some republics started to demand independence. By the 1990s, most of the states broke free from the Soviet Union and became a part of a Commonwealth of Independent States.
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